Open biopsy or curettage wound care instructions

Dressing and cleaning

• Keep the initial dressing in place for the time advised by your clinician.
• Replace it earlier if it becomes wet, dirty, loose or soaked through.
• After the initial period, gently clean the wound as advised and pat it dry.
• Apply the ointment recommended by your clinician.
• Cover with a clean non-stick dressing.
• Continue dressing the wound until the wound surface has healed.
• Do not apply antiseptics, antibiotic creams or other products unless advised.

Activity and bathing

• Avoid activities that rub, stretch or contaminate the wound.
• Do not swim, use a spa or soak the wound in a bath until it is closed, dry and not discharging.
• Follow any procedure-site-specific restrictions provided by the clinician.

Healing concerns

• Contact the practice for persistent bleeding, increasing pain, increasing redness, discharge or delayed healing.
• Call the practice if you are unsure how long to continue dressings or whether the wound needs review.

Bleeding

A small amount of spotting may occur. If bleeding occurs, apply continuous firm pressure with clean gauze or a clean folded cloth. Avoid repeatedly lifting it to check because this may restart bleeding.

Contact the practice if bleeding does not settle or repeatedly soaks through the dressing. Seek urgent care for heavy or uncontrolled bleeding.

When to contact the practice

• Increasing or spreading redness around the wound.
• Increasing swelling, warmth or pain.
• Yellow, green or unpleasant-smelling discharge.
• Fever or feeling significantly unwell.
• The wound opening.
• Persistent bleeding.
• Concerns about healing.
• Uncertainty about dressings, stitches, adhesive strips, skin glue or pathology results.

Pathology and follow-up

• Follow the practice's instructions for receiving the pathology result.
• Attend any advised wound review or stitch-removal appointment.
• The procedure is not complete from a care perspective until the pathology result has been reviewed and communicated.