Skin Grafting- Types, Purpose & Management

Skin grafting is the procedure which includes, surgically removing skin from one part of the body and replacing or transplanting it to a different part of the body. This surgery is opted in case a part of your skin has worn off due to burn, illness or some trauma.

Skin grafts are usually performed in hospitals under hygienic circumstances and most of the times can’t be done in OPD. Skin grafts have to be done under anaesthesia, so one wouldn’t be feeling any kind of pain or discomfort during the procedure. Experts at the Best Plastic Surgery Hospital in Ghaziabad, suggest that at times if the affected area is localized and limited, local anaesthesia can also be used to execute the grafting.

Why Are Skin Grafts Done?

Plastic surgeons at the Plastic surgery hospital in NCR Delhi , tend to mention the following reasons, for which patients usually come in looking for skin grafting.

• skin infections which worsened the skin condition
• deep burns
• large, open wounds which left marks or is not healing
• bed sores or other ulcers that is not allowing the skin to regrow like usual
• skin cancer surgery which has left behind some wounds or marks

Types?

The two basic types of skin grafts have been mentioned below:

Split-thickness grafts

A split-thickness grafting process includes removal the epidermis along with some portions of the dermis. Split-thickness skin grafts are most of the times take up from the outer thigh, abdomen, buttocks and even the back.

Split-thickness grafts are used to cover large areas and tend to be more shinny and smoother comparatively. They also tend to be very fragile and sometimes might also have a paler look that the surrounding area.

Full-thickness grafts

A full-thickness graft includes removal all of the epidermis layer and dermis from the donor site. The donor sites are usually the abdomen area, groin, forearm, or area just above the collarbone. These grafts are small pieces of skin, and is used for a smaller area comparatively.

These are mainly used to heal small wounds on highly visible parts of the body, such as the face. Differentiating from split-thickness grafts, full-thickness grafts blend seamlessly with the skin around them and tend to have a better cosmetic outcome.

Skin Grafting Procedure

According to surgeons at the Best Plastic Surgery Hospital in Ghaziabad will begin the operation initially by removing skin from the donor area. If the surgeon has opted for a split-thickness graft, the skin will be removed areas near abdomen, groin, forearm, above the clavicle

Once skin is moved away from the donor site, the surgeon will safely place it over the transplant area and use stiches, staplers to surgically. The doctor might be punching multiple holes in the graft itself, in order to stretch out the skin so that less skin amount is harvested from the allocated donor site. In long term you can observe that a fish net appearance is visible.

The donor area is also covered so that the dressing doesn’t stick and the healing process resumes effectively.

Aftercare For A Skin Graft

• The hospital staff will watch you closely and monitor your medications and healing process
• The graft should start developing and connecting to the blood tissues by the next 36 hours. If the doctor notices that the graft doesn’t start connecting, then it its to be noted that the graft
• When you leave the hospital, the doctor will give you your prescribed pain killers if you face too much pain. Also you will be taught how to manage your surgery site and keep it clean for a better healing.
• The donor site heals up by next 2-3 weeks but the surgical grafting site will take a little more time comparatively. Atleast 4-5 weeks don’t stretch and put too much pressure on the grafting site.

Be very careful with the skin grafting, when healing process in on. Keep your surgical site clean and make sure to change the dressing of the donor site too. Always consult experts at Best Plastic Surgery Hospital in Ghaziabad,  not only for surgery related information but also if you need advice for post-surgery healing phase.