Mole Removal & Biopsy Wound Care
Several large studies have shown that white petrolatum (Vaseline) is the preferred wound care agent after skin procedures. In fact, petrolatum has been shown to increase the rate of skin growth (scientifically referred to as ‘re-epithelialization’) and reduce scarring! Many patients are concerned that they may get a wound infection if using Vaseline. Again, studies have shown that gentle daily soap/water cleansing + Vaseline is MORE effective against wound infections than a topical antibiotic such as Neosporin or bacitracin. Patients treated with Neosporin and bacitracin actually had a higher rate of allergic contact dermatitis that inhibited wound healing. Thus, in a majority cases, we will suggest Vaseline for your wound site.
Occasionally, some wounds may be at higher risk of infection, in that scenario our providers may recommend a topical antibiotic known as mupirocin ointment (bactroban) as this has a low rate of contact allergy and is effective against staph bacteria (the most common bacteria that inhabits the skin).
FAQS
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- Wash the area once or twice daily with a gentle soap. Please do not excessively scrub or pick at the site.
- Apply white petrolatum (Vaseline or Aquaphor) to the area three to five times daily. You do not want a scab to form. Depending on the area, it is best to keep it covered. For patients who do not want to keep the area bandaged (i.e., facial sites), it is even more important to keep a coating of ointment (petroleum or mupirocin) over the site. The area will become more red for several days after the procedure. If the redness extends more than 1 cm from the incision site, there is draining pus, a fever, or significant pain, please call the office at 651-633-6883.
- If a stitch is placed, we will have you come in for stitch removal in 1- 3 weeks after the procedure. If a dissolvable stitch was placed, this takes 2- 4 weeks to dissolve.
We will call you within three weeks to give you pathology results. We also encourage you to check your patient portal for more prompt access to your results.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency pertaining to your surgical site, our on-call PA number is 651-200-7433. Please be ready with a photo of the area of concern, as we will often have you text it to us so we may better assess the area.
