huidafkrabsel

Huidafkrabsel, or skin scraping, is a diagnostic procedure used in dermatology to obtain superficial skin material for microscopic examination or culture. The technique involves gently scraping the surface of a lesion with a sterile scalpel, blade, or lancet to collect skin scales and crusts from the involved area. The material can be examined on a slide, placed in a potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation for microscopy, or sent to culture to identify fungi or bacteria.

Procedure and use: prior cleansing of the area is common, and local anesthesia is rarely required since the scraping is typically superficial and well tolerated. The sample is scraped until a small amount of capillary bleeding may occur, then it is prepared on a slide or into a culture medium. In cases of suspected scabies, skin scrapings may be taken from a burrow or adjacent skin to look for mites, eggs, or fecal pellets.

Indications: huidafkrabsel is used to diagnose dermatophyte infections (dermatophytosis), yeast infections such as candidiasis, bacterial skin infections, and, when scabies is suspected, to detect mites. It supports differentiation of infections from inflammatory or non-infectious skin conditions.

Processing and interpretation: the collected material is examined under light microscopy, often after KOH clearing to reveal fungal elements. Cultures on appropriate media may be used to identify organisms. The method is relatively simple and inexpensive but has limitations, including sampling error and variable sensitivity.

Safety and limitations: the procedure carries minimal risk, with rare bleeding or discomfort. It provides only superficial material, so it may not detect deeper infections. Proper technique and laboratory analysis are important for reliable results.