What are skin grafts?

Skin is the largest organ of the body. It protects our internal organs and tissues from toxins, disease-carrying bacteria and viruses, bumps and bruises, and extreme heat and cold.

Skin donations can be used to aid in the healing process for severe burn victims and in reconstruction of disfiguring injuries or diseases.

Skin grafts are layers of skin which are taken from a suitable donor area of a patient and transplanted to a recipient area of damaged skin. The areas most commonly used for skin grafts are the inner thigh, leg, buttocks, upper arm, and forearm.

Third-degree burns
Third-degree burns completely damage both layers of the skin, and may even destroy the underlying flesh and bones. The body is unable to heal itself properly because there are no healthy cells to regenerate.

These burns require surgery to replace damaged skin with healthy skin, a process known as grafting. If these wounds are not treated, the body attempts to close them by forming scar tissue that contracts over time, leading to disfigurement and loss of motion in nearby joints.

next page: The process of Skin Grafts