A small piece of the skin tissue is taken, under local anesthesia, for examination under the microscope for various staining and advanced studies. This helps in the diagnosis and for the confirmation of diagnosis in certain diseases.

The tissue is preserved in formalin (formaldehyde) and sent to the histopathology lab for staining and interpretation. The pathologists take many slices of the skin sample and analyze them in detail. They also perform additional stains and counts to confirm or negate the diagnosis.

A large amount of information can be obtained from a small skin sample. This information is crucial for management & staging of some diseases and for follow up.

Skin biopsy provides the hard evidence for a disease and is the final tool that is used in some conditions.

Mucosal biopsy is a procedure where a small piece of the oral mucosa is taken under local anesthesia. Though this procedure is essentially similar to the skin biopsy, certain technical issues make it a challenge.

Skin tags are small tags of skin that are formed in areas that have friction with foreign objects, like the neck chain etc.

These can be removed without surgery by the use of electrocautery under local anesthesia

Warts are caused by viruses that infect and multiply in the skin and cause skin lesions. They can also spread to the adjacent skin and to the people who come in contact with it.

Removal of the wart is accomplished by the use of electro-fulguration under local anaesthesia.

Since the viruses are very small, microscopic particles and are present in large amounts in the skin lesions, these lesions are known recur even after apparent complete removal.