Question for those who have gotten shave biopsies - Cancer: Skin Message Board

FearfuL · 02-25-2005, 02:42 PM

I know there are a few peeps here who have gotten shave biopsies and they've come back benign.

Just wondering if you've had any problems with your scars? Has the pigment from the mole grown back in?

Also, if you can remember it, when your path reports came back, what was your diagnosis? (compound nevus etc.)

And what are the chances of an ok shaved lesion returning as malignant?

TampaSal51 · 02-27-2005, 04:40 PM

I have had a few shaved biopsies. My first came back positive for basal cell and I had that removed. The other three were more recent. Two came back negative and one came back atypical. I opted not to have the atypical one surgically removed. It was a mole on my belly and decided to just watch it. I have to go back in 3 months for a checkup and at that time I will have it surgically removed. I just could not stand the thought of more cutting just now. I asked the doctor what I should be looking for and his reply was, any change, especially pigmentation coming back. So, if you have had a shave biopsy and you show pigmentation coming back, get back to the doctor and have it removed. Better to be safe than sorry.

BTW, I can't remember what the results were on the benign ones were.

Best of luck to you.

irisrose · 02-28-2005, 06:40 PM

Well, I've had a couple shave biopsies. The first was for a mole that kept getting a dry surface, sloughing off and then looking like a dark mole. I only saw a general practitioner for that and he shaved it all off. It came back benign and no pigment has ever reoccured in that area. My most recent was such a minescule amount that I don't think any pigment was removed. Just the top layer of cells. The pigment (mole) is still very visible. No path report back on this one yet. But it looks exactly the same as when I went in. That's how little was taken off. Just to check cells, not remove the mole by shave biopsy. Which, you already know from my other post, was not what I requested.

Feel free to come here to ask your questions. I've found this site very informative. I'm really glad I found it!

FearfuL · 03-01-2005, 10:49 AM

TampaSal, a couple of derms have actually told me that pigment could come back with any shave. But they made it seem as if that's not something to be concerned over if it does. Do you think this concern of pigment regrowth is only for moles that are atypical?

And iris, how long ago was your first mole shaved off?

TampaSal51 · 03-01-2005, 05:11 PM

I'm not sure if it's just for atypical ones, but, believe me, if any of my shaved off ones show signs of re-pigmentation, I'm off the doctor to have them completely removed. I've read enough about melanoma (too much, I'm sure) to know that I don't want to take any chances what so ever!

Sally