There were many moments between my diagnosis and my surgery where I asked for a hole punch to do my own removal, lol. Somehow I resisted (and the folks at work hid all the hole punches) and let the doctor do it. I'm not sure what type of biopsy I had, my original ENT wasn't very informative, but he removed 4 plugs of my tongue and there was no needle or stitches involved. I'm thinking it might of been the punch type from what you describe. I'm with you..he numbed me and there was no pain to speak of...it's about the only thing about him that was right.