The older we get, the more likely we are to hear doctors requesting biopsies to check on our health. The definition of biopsy is the removal and examination of tissue, cells, or fluids from the living body. A biopsy can help to shed some light on a condition you may have or even help your doctor reach a diagnosis of an ailment or disease you may have.
Depending on what your doctors need to evaluate, biopsies can be taken from anywhere on the body. These procedures help shed some light on your overall health. So, what could a scalp biopsy uncover?
What Can a Scalp Biopsy Diagnose?
A scalp biopsy can be used to diagnose a wide range of skin conditions. One such condition is skin cancer. It can’t be overstated how important it is to get checked for skin cancer if you ever feel that you may have an unusual growth or skin discoloration. In fact, 13% of skin cancer cases develop on the scalp.
However, don’t assume cancer if a doctor wants to perform a scalp biopsy. It can also help to diagnose chronic fungal or bacterial infections, blistering skin, and other ailments to help you combat them effectively.
A scalp biopsy for hair loss can even help to diagnose some causes of thinning hair. By taking a biopsy of the skin on the scalp, the sample can be analyzed to see if there has been damage to the hair follicles, if there are skin infections or inflammation, and more. As a result, a scalp biopsy could potentially diagnose most forms of hair loss, including male and female pattern baldness.
How Accurate Are Scalp Biopsies?
Like all biopsies – while they can provide valuable information – it’s possible for a biopsy to provide inconclusive results that may require a follow-up biopsy. It’s also important to keep in mind that your scalp changes with time.
If you’re hoping to detect if you are experiencing male pattern baldness (but your scalp is perfectly healthy at the time), a biopsy will not be able to provide information on the future of your scalp in that way.
How Long Does It Take a Scalp Biopsy to Heal?
Like most biopsies, a scalp biopsy is an outpatient process and has a short healing time overall. You should be able to get back to your regular day-to-day activities within a day… though it may require a few stitches or the wound to be dressed and possibly a prescription for pain medication to get you through a few days. Depending upon where the biopsy is taken – and the person’s current hair condition – a scalp biopsy scar could be completely hidden by hair.
RHRLI Can Consult with You on The Best Ways to Fight Your Hair Loss
Regardless of whether or not someone can get a scalp biopsy and find evidence of what could be causing their hair loss, most of us will still experience some form of inevitable hair loss in our lives. At Robotic Hair Restoration Long Island, we utilize nonsurgical methods and the ARTAS® Robotic Hair Transplant System to cultivate hair growth. We’ll assess whether robotic hair restoration is an appropriate treatment for you or if one of our other hair restoration services would be a better fit. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.