Skin Graft

I had one on my face back in 2018. They took skin from my arm though.

No major issues other than the first dressing they used was stitched tight to help make sure it takes. Had to get used to changing dressings and it took a bit of time to heal but nothing too major.

Best of luck with yours.

Hi,

I had a skin graft on my foot. 

The skin was taken from my thigh. It was a split thickness graft. The thigh healed really well but the first couple of days were agony because it was so very itchy! It wasn't painful, though. Trying to keep that area dry during shower was an interesting adventure, but otherwise the thight really wasn't an issue.

The foot also healed well. Painful for a few days, but totally manageable with over-the-counter painkillers. One little corner of the graft didn't quite take, which just meant a longer healing time, but otherwise there were really no major issues. Taking the stitches out were not fun, but it was over relatively quickly. Keeping my foot dry during shower was surprisingly easier than keeping my thigh dry. 

Once my thigh and foot healed, I was advised to massage E45 lotion onto them every day to avoid thick scar tissue forming. Seemed to have worked a treat! 

Good luck with yours. It will probably feel rather daunting and overwhelming, but the skin is an amazing thing. It will heal and you will be ok. Take care.

1. Hi just found your post. I’m I for wle and skin graft on my foot on Saturday!! So scared  

Hi KDaz,

Ah I'm sorry that you need a skin graft on your foot on Saturday. Do you know any details?

 It's totally understandable if you are scared. I was absolutely terrified! However, I hope you will find it reassuring to hear that my own actual experience of the actual procedure was nowhere near as horrifying as I imagined. The worst part was really the initial injection of the anaesthetic. But it felt just like a bad pinch and it was over in 10 seconds tops! After that, there was no pain at all. And I had a nurse who kept soothing me and chatting with me throughout the procedure. She was truly an angel who kept me calm. The entire procedure lasted less than an hour, much quicker than I imagined. 

I was able to go home the same day. Top tips: the hospital may forget to organise crutches or a wheelchair for you, so make sure you ask for one. I would also wear something that is easy to put on/off over the huge bandage that will go around your foot and skin donor area. In my case, I wore a wide skirt and that made things so much easier. For sleeping, I found that stacking pillows under my foot to elevate it really helped. I also bought a blanket raiser to make it more comfortable.

When the anaesthetic wore off, the foot started throbbing. Not excruciating but certainly enough to make me want to cry. It was worse if the foot was not elevated, so keep it elevated! I found that a combo of paracetamol and ibuprofen kept the pain at bay really well. The thigh (the donor area) was no drama at all except that it would get super itchy! Once I was allowed, I found that keeping it moisturised with E45 reduced the itchiness really well.

For showering, I found that wrapping my entire leg in a trash bag and taping it to my thigh with masking tape helped keep the foot dry. I would sit down on a little plastic chair with my foot pointing out of the shower. 

 Please feel free to message me if you have questions or if you just want to chat to ease your mind. Saturday is not far away for you. Soon this ordeal will be behind you. It will be ok! 

Hi I had a LE and skin graft on my foot in January,have a look at my profile.Its not the easiest place with shoes/walking etc but it gets easier 

Happy to provide any advice,experience,person to talk to xx

Good luck it's all scary but the support is good and there are other people like me who are coming out the otherside 

Life is never the same but you do get on with life and you will xx

Thank you so much for reassuring me x

Very interesting read and exactly like me!! I’ll bring some crutches and wear loose clothing!! I thin it’s the fact of being awake that scares you more. Thankfully you can wear any shoes again whichives me hope

Hi I had  slnb and wle skin graft on my foot a month ago. How long did it  take for it to heal. I still have dressing on thigh and skin graft not healed yet I have a patch that died so I guess its going to take even longer cns nurse said 6 weeks last week got another appointment on Friday.  And now its going to get colder I'm wondering what sort of trainers I can wear as its on side of foot.

Hi your sounds exactly like mine wle skin graft on right side of inside  of  foot and slnb on groin I'm still waiting for results its been a month now and still not healed and I have a area that has died on skin graft. A couple of weeks ago groin came up red had to have antibiotics  for a week but that's fine now still got dressing on doner site. I can shower but cant on doner site so thats a bit awkward still changing dressings on graft. And have check up on friday. Now weather going to get colder what shoes would you  recommend as its still healing.

Got my WLE on Saturday and opened yesterday twice but got the bleeding stopped. Dressing to be changed this Thursday and donor site also. I can’t even put my heal to the floor it is like the worst burning feeling that lasts for half an hour. They sent me home with no crutches and had to now borrow some as literally can NOT put any weight at all on the foot. Probably like your saying will be a long process of healing. How long after we’re you able to even walk on your heal ??