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Skin Scraping

Skin scraping is a bedrock technique in dermatology that is applied in a high proportion of cases.

   
 
  • It enables both the full thickness of the epidermis and the contents of the hair follicles to be sampled
  • It is most commonly used in the diagnosis of parasitic infestations such as sarcoptic mange, cheyletiellosis and demodicosis
  • Generally several sites are sampled. Mites can be very difficult to find in some cases
  

Scalpel blade No. 22
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Choose a large blade to facilitate handling

   

Sites showing evidence of surface or follicular pathology are selected.

Materials are prepared for carrying out the scraping and mounting the collected specimens.

Preparing equipment

The skin sites are prepared for scraping, the scrapings are collected and the scraped sites are cleaned with surgical spirit.

Preparing the skin

Scraping and mounting

  
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