Understanding A Skin Graft Surgery
Skin grafts are small pieces of skin that are taken away from one area of your body that does not require it and grafted in another area that requires it. Usually, the results of this type of surgery are excellent, and with the pass of time the grafts are not even noticeable, the main reason why this type cosmetic plastic surgery is popular. Personally, I take care of my skin a lot and have a very healthy skin, but some people does not have the same luck and they have to deal with skin problems due to skin diseases or accidents, or they simply want to look differently, so they ask their plastic surgeons to get grafts for them.
Skin is known to be the largest organ of the human body, representing approximately 16% of our total body weight. While the functions of protection and thermoregulation are well acknowledged, skin also has important metabolic functions in protein and vitamin D metabolism, and the human body produces the greatest amount of vitamin D in the epidermal layer of the skin so that it can be used later on by other systems to develop different biological processes. Along with the indications for skin grafting are the endorsement of accelerated healing of burns and other wounds, reduction of scar contractures, enhancement of cosmesis, the reduction of insensible fluid loss, and protection from bacterial invasion.
Depending on the age of the patient, the skin disease and the overall skin condition that he or she is suffering, grafts will also vary. The skin varies in thickness depending on anatomic location, gender, and age of the individual, so that is what I am trying to say. Skin grafts are classified as either split-thickness or full-thickness, depending on the amount of dermis that will be included in the graft.
Skin is thickest on the palms and soles of the feet, while the thinnest skin is found on the eyelids and in the post-auricular area. Male skin is characteristically thicker than female skin in all anatomic locations, and children have relatively thin skin, but around age 11 years, the skin starts thickening until they grow older. With that being said, we can deduct that a woman’s skin grafting surgery is complicated.
The thicker the dermal components, the more the characteristics of normal skin are maintained following skin grafting during surgery. On the other hand, thicker grafts require more favorable conditions for survival because of the greater amount of tissue requiring revascularization. The selection between full- and split-thickness depends on the wound condition, location, and size as well as aesthetic concerns. So, it is not just putting any piece of skin on any person.
One of the more common and prompt methods of affixing a graft to the recipient site is with surgical staples, predominantly to large recipient areas. In children or in sensitive areas of adults, sewing the graft into place using absorbable sutures may be more cautious. Remember that skin grafts are there for you if you need plastic, so if you choose the right doctor and take care of you no plastic surgery will be required.
For more information visit: American Burn Association