What is a skin graft?
There are many types of grafts. One common example are skin grafts. The two main types of skin grafts are split-thickness skin grafts (STSG) and Full-thickness skin grafts (FTSG). STSG involve removing only part of the skin, which allows the skin left behind to grow back near-normal skin. Any part of your body can serve as the donor site. A common site is the thigh or the back. This is the most common type of skin graft.
A FTSG removes all the skin and leaves behind a wound that the surgeon then has to close. Skin can also be used as a wound dressing. Cadaveric skin (from a deceased person) can be applied at the bedside by our providers and does not require surgery.
Why would I need a skin graft?
You may need a skin graft if an illness or injury caused you to lose a section of skin. Your skin is your body’s first line of defense against bacteria and other pathogens, so it’s important to replace a section that can’t protect you properly.
Common reasons people get a skin graft include:
- Burns
- Large wounds
- Infections
- Venous ulcers
- Pressure ulcers
- Diabetic wounds
- Skin cancer surgery
- Cosmetic surgery
- Chronic non-healing wounds
Dr. Wahab and her team take a progressive, research-centered approach to managing skin grafts for all types of wounds.
What are the types of skin grafts?
Other tissue therapies include:
- stem cells
- whole blood autograft
- human amniotic fluid
- human placenta
- human umbilical cord
- animal-based tissue replacements.
The two main types of skin grafts are:
Split-thickness grafts
Split-thickness grafts involve removing only the top layers of your skin, called the epidermis, while leaving the underlying dermis intact. Any part of your body can serve as the donor site, but it’s usually an area that’s normally covered by clothing like the inner thigh. This is the most common type of skin graft.
Full-thickness grafts
A full-thickness graft involves removing all layers of the skin from the donor site, including the epidermis and dermis. This is a more complex procedure, but full-thickness grafts usually blend in with surrounding skin better than split-thickness grafts do.
How do stem cells and grafts help wound healing?
Stem cells are immature cells that have the ability to mature into other kinds of cells. They migrate to where they are needed via cell to cell signaling and change into the cell that your body needs to heal your wound.
How might tissue grafts help me?
Tissue grafts have applications in many different classes of wounds:
- Chronic non-healing wounds
- Non-healing amputations
- Diabetic wounds and ulcers
- Non-healing surgical wounds
- Non-healing plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures
- Venous wounds
- Pressure wounds
Dr. Wahab and her team work with you and your medical team to determine the best approach to managing your skin graft. They perform a comprehensive wound analysis and recommend the most effective treatment for your specific needs.
If you need help managing a skin graft, call the Wound Care Experts team today or book an appointment online.
