Full Thickness Skin Grafts

There are many procedures which are used in plastic surgery and one of the procedure adopted especially in severe burn cases is Full Thickness Skin Grafts. The benefits of these grafts are it allows more coverage of the damaged skin and the skin is just like the original skin with the feeling of sensations.

The skin and tissue transplant is usually done from a hairless region and such as the wrist and the elbow crease. The inguinal region could also be a very useful region from where the skin can be grafted.Full thickness graft is used in regions which are weight bearing areas or where there is a possibility of friction.

A full thickness skin grafts contain each layer of the skin with blood vessels and nerves. The blood vessels will start to proliferate and grow in the recipient area in a period of 24 to 36 hours. The common side effects include infections and bleeding. The donor site takes longer to heal and there is always a chance of scar formation. Full thickness skin grafts look more like normal skin since it is thicker and less prone to contraction or deformation. There is also increased resistance to trauma and hence there is less deformation. Since there is a rich blood supply hence there is no hyperpigmentation. The skin is also more closer to natural skin in texture and color.