STSG Patient
What Is a Skin Graft?
- A skin graft involves taking skin from a donor site and placing it over a wound to promote faster healing.
What to Expect After Surgery
- After surgery, you’ll have two dressings: one on the wound and one on the donor site, which will remain for about 7 days.
- The donor site will have a moist dressing covered by a clear bandage. You may have a small amount of bleeding, mild swelling and mild to moderate discomfort at site.
- The skin graft will be covered by a dressing or may be covered by a wound vac (negative pressure wound therapy). A wound vac is a small medical device that removes wound drainage by pulling drainage through a small flexible tube into a small canister. A wound vac can help prevent the skin graft from shif t ing and will also promote healing.
Patient Instructions after Surgery
- Plan to rest for a week after surgery.
- Take your medications as prescribed.
- If your skin graft is located on your arm or leg, avoid any movement that could cause the skin graft to shift. Keep the area of skin graft as still as possible.
- If your skin graft is on your leg or arm, elevate when at rest to decrease swelling.
- Keep your dressing and/or wound vac CLEAN, DRY, and INTACT.
- Do not shower for the first week. You may take a sponge bath and avoid your dressings getting wet.
- Your first dressing change will be done by your surgeon in the outpatient wound clinic.
When to call your Surgeon
- If you have heavy bleeding that saturates the dressing, hold light pressure over the dressing for 10 minutes and call your surgeon. If the bleeding does not stop go to ER.
- If you have any signs of infection like fever, chills, severe pain at site, visible bright redness outside of dressing edges and/or hot to the touch call your surgeon.
What to Expect the First month
- While the graft and donor sites are healing, keep them covered with dressings.
- Follow the wound care instructions provided by your surgeon.
- Avoid heavy movements that may stretch the skin and cause the graft to shift.
- Avoid baths, swimming, or soaking in water for the first month.
- Your surgeon will inform you when you can resume showers
After first month and long-term care
- You will likely resume normal activities after one month. Confirm with your surgeon.
- After one month, your surgeon might advise that you no longer need to cover the donor or graft site.
- Do not scratch or pick at the skin.
- Keep the area moisturized with Aquaphor or non-fragranced skin moisturizer.
- Protect the area from sun exposure by wearing clothing and using sunscreen with SPF 30.
- Remember, the skin is still healing and must be protected.