Preparing a Scalp Biopsy

What happens when a scalp biopsy is sent to a pathologist

Typically a 4 mm diameter cylindrical core sample is obtained from the patient. The tissue is allowed to bathe in formalin to fix it before being cut into very thin slices (4-5 micrometer thick), mounted onto a microscope slide and then stained with a special pink/purple stain known as hematoxylin and eosin. Once the biopsy specimen is stained, it is presented to the pathologist for interpretation. A formal report is then sent to the dermatologist.