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We are unable to switch you to this area of care. Skin Grafts: What to Expect at Home. Skip Navigation. Your Recovery Skin grafts are thin sheets of healthy skin removed from one part of the body donor site and put on another part. How can you care for yourself at home? Rest when you feel tired. Getting enough sleep will help you recover. Try to walk each day, unless the grafted area is on your foot or leg. Start by walking a little more than you did the day before. Bit by bit, increase the amount you walk.
Walking boosts blood flow to the skin grafts. Ask your doctor when you can drive again. Your doctor will tell you when you can return to work. It depends on the size of the skin graft, what part of your body was grafted, the type of work you do, and how you feel.
Your doctor will tell you when you can take a shower. Do not take a bath for the first 2 weeks, or until your doctor tells you it is okay. Avoid strenuous activities, such as bicycle riding, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise, until your doctor says it is okay.
You can eat your normal diet. If your stomach is upset, try bland, low-fat foods like plain rice, broiled chicken, toast, and yogurt. Drink plenty of fluids unless your doctor tells you not to. You may notice that your bowel movements are not regular right after your surgery. This is common. These grafts tend to be fragile and typically have a shiny or smooth appearance.
They may also appear paler than the adjoining skin. A full-thickness graft involves removing all of the epidermis and dermis from the donor site. These are usually taken from the abdomen, groin, forearm, or area above the clavicle collarbone. Full-thickness grafts are generally used for small wounds on highly visible parts of the body, such as the face.
Unlike split-thickness grafts, full-thickness grafts blend in well with the skin around them and tend to have a better cosmetic outcome. Your doctor may instruct you to change your dosage or stop taking these medications before the surgery. Additionally, smoking or tobacco products will impair your ability to heal a skin graft, so your doctor will likely ask you to stop smoking ahead of your surgery.
Your doctor will also tell you not to eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of the procedure. This is to prevent you from vomiting and choking during the surgery if the anesthesia nauseates you. You should also plan on bringing a family member or friend who can drive you home after the surgery. You may need help performing certain tasks and getting around the house.
A surgeon will begin the operation by removing skin from the donor site. Once skin is removed from the donor site, the surgeon will carefully place it over the transplant area and secure it with a surgical dressing, staples, or stitches.
Full-thickness grafts are done when a lot of tissue is lost. This can happen with open fractures of the lower leg, or after severe infections. You should recover quickly after split-thickness skin grafting. Full-thickness grafts need a longer recovery time.
If you received this kind of graft, you may need to stay in the hospital for recovery. After you are discharged from the hospital, follow instructions on how to care for your skin graft, including:. Plastic surgery. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; chap Ratner D, Nayyar PM. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Skin graft. Plastic Surgery, Volume 1: Principles.
Editorial team. Description This surgery is usually done while you are under general anesthesia. Why the Procedure Is Performed Skin grafts may be recommended for: Areas where there has been infection that caused a large amount of skin loss Burns Cosmetic reasons or reconstructive surgeries where there has been skin damage or skin loss Skin cancer surgery Surgeries that need skin grafts to heal Venous ulcers, pressure ulcers , or diabetic ulcers that do not heal Very large wounds A wound that the surgeon has not been able to close properly Full-thickness grafts are done when a lot of tissue is lost.
Risks Risks for anesthesia and surgery in general are: Allergic reactions to medicines Problems with breathing Bleeding, blood clots, or infection Risks for this surgery are: Bleeding Chronic pain rarely Infection Loss of grafted skin the graft not healing, or the graft healing slowly Reduced or lost skin sensation, or increased sensitivity Scarring Skin discoloration Uneven skin surface.
Start by walking a little more than you did the day before. Bit by bit, increase the amount you walk. Walking boosts blood flow to the skin grafts. Ask your doctor when you can drive again. Your doctor will tell you when you can return to work. It depends on the size of the skin graft, what part of your body was grafted, the type of work you do, and how you feel. Your doctor will tell you when you can take a shower.
Do not take a bath for the first 2 weeks, or until your doctor tells you it is okay. Avoid strenuous activities, such as bicycle riding, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise, until your doctor says it is okay.
You can eat your normal diet. If your stomach is upset, try bland, low-fat foods like plain rice, broiled chicken, toast, and yogurt. Drink plenty of fluids unless your doctor tells you not to. You may notice that your bowel movements are not regular right after your surgery. This is common. Try to avoid constipation and straining with bowel movements. You may want to take a fibre supplement every day.
If you have not had a bowel movement after a couple of days, ask your doctor about taking a mild laxative. Your doctor will tell you if and when you can restart your medicines. He or she will also give you instructions about taking any new medicines.
If you take aspirin or some other blood thinner, ask your doctor if and when to start taking it again. Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do. Take pain medicines exactly as directed.
If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed. If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine. If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed.
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