Skin Graft
OVERVIEW
Skin graft is a technique used in plastic surgery to repair areas of lost or damaged skin. A piece of healthy skin is detached from one part of the body and transferred to the affected area. New cells grow from the graft and cover the damaged area with fresh skin.
Skin taken from an identical twin can be used for a graft, but skin from another person or animal is soon rejected by the recipient's body (although it may provide useful temporary cover).
A skin graft is performed because the area is too large to be repaired by stitching or because natural healing would result in scarring that might be unsightly or restrict movement.
Full-thickness grafts are usually preferred because they more closely approximate the appearance of normal skin. However, donor sites are limited and must be sutured (stitched).
Skin for a full-thickness graft is often taken from behind the ear. The graft must be larger than the area to be covered, to allow for shrinkage. Precise fitting and firm pressure are needed to ensure there is a satisfactory "take."
All grafts leave scars. Full-thickness grafts yield more natural color and texture and contrast less than split-thickness grafts. However, full-thickness grafts are less likely to take.
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