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When Is Skin Graft Advisable?

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Posted on Mon, 9 Jan 2017
Question: when does a scrape require skin graft
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Answered by Dr. Michelle Gibson James (3 hours later)
Brief Answer:
extensive lesion, more than one layer of skin, delayed healing

Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic

Most scrapes or abrasions do not require skin graft because the area tends to heal on its own even though the appearance of the skin in the area may be different from the surrounding skin.
Treatment normally involves cleaning the area with a mild antiseptic if needed and applying a topical antibiotic usually twice daily.

If the scrape is extensive, involving a large area of skin or it involves more than one layer of skin or healing is very delayed (weeks with no improvement), then grafting would be considered.

Some of the medical indications for a skin graft are as follows: (1)severe skin loss with trauma. This has to be worse than an abrasion/scrape. In this type of trauma, there may be extensive loss of the different layers of skin.

(2) chronic ulcers of the skin that are not healing

(3)covering burns areas to speed up healing

(4)temporary cover to watch for recurrence of a tumor

(5)covering depigmented areas (loss of normal color) of skin in some skin disorders

I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions

Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Michelle Gibson James

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2001

Answered : 16808 Questions

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When Is Skin Graft Advisable?

Brief Answer: extensive lesion, more than one layer of skin, delayed healing Detailed Answer: HI, thanks for using healthcare magic Most scrapes or abrasions do not require skin graft because the area tends to heal on its own even though the appearance of the skin in the area may be different from the surrounding skin. Treatment normally involves cleaning the area with a mild antiseptic if needed and applying a topical antibiotic usually twice daily. If the scrape is extensive, involving a large area of skin or it involves more than one layer of skin or healing is very delayed (weeks with no improvement), then grafting would be considered. Some of the medical indications for a skin graft are as follows: (1)severe skin loss with trauma. This has to be worse than an abrasion/scrape. In this type of trauma, there may be extensive loss of the different layers of skin. (2) chronic ulcers of the skin that are not healing (3)covering burns areas to speed up healing (4)temporary cover to watch for recurrence of a tumor (5)covering depigmented areas (loss of normal color) of skin in some skin disorders I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions