Skin Grafts

A skin graft is a very common plastic and reconstructive surgical technique.

The Concept

Healthy skin is removed (harvested) from one part of the body (the donor site) and transplanted to another area on the same patient (the recipient site) that has been damaged or lost. This technique is used to heal wounds and restore some skin function and appearance.

There are two main types of skin grafts, Split-thickness grafts, and Full-thickness grafts. Grafts do not have a functioning blood supply when harvested. They need to have blood supply grow back into them (revascularized) over the course of two to five days in order to survive. A successfully healing skin graft is said to have “taken”.

Skin grafts are typically used for areas of burn, skin cancer removal, large wounds and areas of extensive skin loss resulting from trauma or surgery. Each type of skin graft has its advantages and is chosen based on factors such as the size and location of the wound, the patient's overall health, and the desired functional or aesthetic outcome.

When do plastic surgeons use a skin graft?

• The wound is too large for direct closure with stitches
• There is not enough local tissue for a skin flap
• A simpler procedure is preferred over more complex reconstructive techniques
• Rapid coverage of a wound is needed to prevent infection or fluid loss