Cleansing of Your Surgical Site(s)

Please gently cleanse your surgical site with soap and water once a day for four to five days following your surgical procedure. Apply Vaseline (petroleum jelly) after cleaning the area. Moist wounds heal better than wounds that dry out and scab. Avoid soaking (swimming, hot tubs or baths) of sutured sites. You should keep a light dressing over your surgical site. If you have sutures, please continue wound care until your return appointment for suture removal. If your surgical site becomes sore, swollen, or you observe excessive redness or weeping around the area, please call the office.

If you have had excisional surgery with suturing, and you participate in physical fitness activities, please ask the staff or your physician if you may continue this activity. Any limitation will depend upon the location of your surgery and the activity in which you participate.

Pathology Examination: 

Most skin lesions excised in the office are sent to pathology for examination. This is routine and important to rule out any abnormalities. Your skin specimen(s) will be sent to Hershey Medical Center, UPMC, Poplar Healthcare (Path AI) or Quest Diagnostics (Dermpath Diagnostics) laboratories. If you have not heard from our office concerning your results in two weeks, please call us.

You will receive two insurance statements (or bills if you do not have insurance) for the pathology examination at Pinnacle Health. The Pathology Associates statement is the individual pathologist’s fee for preparation, staining, and examination of your skin specimen. The Pinnacle Health statement is for use of the laboratory facilities and staff which the pathologist utilizes.

If you have any questions about the billing you receive, please call the telephone number on your statement. Please have your account number available when you call. If you need assistance, we will be glad to help, but pathology billing is separate from our office.