These may be painful, but they help you to heal properly. It may take months for you to regain some feeling in the grafted area. The feeling will be different than it was before your injury. You may not have sweat glands in the skin graft area.
If the grafted area is large, this may make it hard for the area to cool off when you are hot. The grafted area may not have oil glands. This can make the skin graft dry and flaky. After your graft heals, you may need to use lotion to keep the skin moist. The skin graft may not grow hair. Sometimes skin grafts do not "take" or survive after being transferred. If the skin graft doesn't work, you may need another graft.
This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover. But each person recovers at a different rate, and certain areas of the body take longer to heal than others. Follow the steps below to feel better as quickly as possible. Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety.
Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if you are having problems.
It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take. Call anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:. Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if:.
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse call line if:. Author: Healthwise Staff. Roh MD - Dermatology. Care instructions adapted under license by your healthcare professional. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional.
During this time:. Keep the skin moist in these areas. Apply nonmedicated skin lotion often during the day. Do this for 3 to 4 months or as advised. Do not soak the skin graft site in water.
Ask your healthcare provider about the best way to keep the skin graft dry when showering for 1 to 2 weeks. Do not take baths for 2 to 3 weeks. Protect the skin graft and donor site from the sun for 12 months. Wear clothing over them or use a sunscreen lotion with an SPF of 30 or higher.
Signs of infection, including increasing swelling or redness of the graft, white or bad-smelling discharge from the graft, red streaks from the graft site, or pus at the wound site. Your bandages Your skin graft will have a bandage dressing.
General home care Plan to rest at home for up to a week after the surgery. Expect some light bleeding, swelling, bruising, redness, and discomfort. If you were given prescription pain medicine, take it as instructed. Follow any other instructions you were given. Caring for the bandaged graft site Do not touch the bandage. Keep the bandaged area clean. Skin grafts are used to help more serious, larger and deeper wounds heal, including: Wounds that are too big to heal on their own Burns Skin loss from a serious skin infection Surgery for skin cancer Venous ulcers , pressure ulcers , or diabetic ulcers that do not heal After mastectomy or amputation The area from where skin is taken is called the donor site.
Donor sites for grafts and flaps are chosen based on: How closely the skin matches the area of the wound How visible the scar will be from the donor site How close the donor site is to the wound Often the donor site may be more painful after surgery than the wound due to newly exposed nerve endings. Caring for Skin Flaps and Grafts. The dressing does several things, including: Protect your wound from germs and reduce the risk of infection Protect the area as it heals Soak up any fluids that leak from your wound To care for the graft or flap site: You may need to rest for several days after surgery as your wound heals.
The type of dressing you have depends on the type of wound and where it is. Keep the dressing and area around it clean and free from dirt or sweat. Do not let the dressing get wet. Do not touch the dressing. Leave it in place for as long as your doctor recommends about 4 to 7 days. Take any medicines or pain relievers as directed. If possible, try to elevate the wound so it is above your heart. This helps reduce swelling. You may need to do this while sitting or lying down.
You can use pillows to prop up the area. If your doctor says it is OK, you may use an ice pack on the bandage to help with swelling.
Ask how often you should apply the ice pack. Be sure to keep the bandage dry. Avoid any movement that might stretch or injure the flap or graft. Avoid hitting or bumping the area. You will need to avoid strenuous exercise for several days. Ask your doctor for how long. If you have a vacuum dressing, you may have a tube attached to the dressing. Taking the graft from the injured person makes rejection of the tissue unlikely.
The skin is the largest organ of the body. The skin and its derivatives hair, nails, sweat and oil glands make up the integumentary system. One of the main functions of the skin is protection. It protects the body from external factors such as bacteria, chemicals, and temperature. The skin contains secretions that can kill bacteria and the pigment melanin provides a chemical pigment defense against ultraviolet light that can damage skin cells. Another important function of the skin is body temperature regulation.
When the skin is exposed to a cold temperature, the blood vessels in the dermis constrict. This allows the blood which is warm, to bypass the skin. The skin then becomes the temperature of the cold it is exposed to. Body heat is conserved since the blood vessels are not diverting heat to the skin anymore.
Among its many functions the skin is an incredible organ always protecting the body from external agents. The skin covers the entire body, and acts as a protective barrier. Skin grafts may be recommended for extensive wounds, burns, or specific surgeries that may require skin grafts for healing to occur. The most common sites of harvest for skin grafts are the buttocks and inner thigh, areas which are usually hidden and therefore cosmetically less important.
This surgery is usually done while you are under general anesthesia. That means you will be asleep and pain-free.
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