A modified technique (using polyester tape) of skin surface biopsy.

Abstract

A technical modification of skin surface biopsy was introduced by using plastic tape instead of glass as holder, mainly to investigate mycological infections of skin folds. Among various brands of plastic sheets, a polyester film (Melinex O UCB-SIDAC) was the most suitable. A direct microscopic comparison was made between this modified technique and conventional scraping as procedures for collecting material from interdigital spaces in 30 patients with bilateral athlete''s foot. The skin surface biopsy gives a slightly greater number of positive results (presence of dermatophytes or Candida spp.) than the conventional scraping technique, although the difference between both techniques is not statistically significant at the 0.05 level (0.05 < P < 0.10). Some advantages of the modified skin surface biopsy are emphasized.