Overview
By inserting a needle within a skin lesion, fluid or pus can be aspirated and sent to the laboratory for examination. The results may indicate a bacterial or fungal skin infection which then determines the course of treatment.
Review Date 11/30/2022
Updated by: Ramin Fathi, MD, FAAD, Director, Phoenix Surgical Dermatology Group, Phoenix, AZ. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.