Skin graft failure post Mohs

Hi Elizabeth Pat and welcome to the online community

I'm glad you've found the information on here helpful but I'm sorry to hear that your recent skin graft has failed. 

I haven't had this procedure so don't have the experience you're after, however, if you type "failure" into the search bar in this group it will bring up a few previous posts where this has been discussed.

I'm going to tag and into my reply to you in the hope that they are still members of this community and might be able to tell you how they got on after their grafts failed.

I'm surprised that when you had the wound checked last week you weren't told what they were going to do to repair it. You may need to phone the hospital and speak to your team to find out what the plan is.

Hopefully they gave you information about skin grafts but, if not, click on this link to Birmingham Hospital's leaflet in which failed skin grafts are mentioned.

Let us know how you get on

x

Hi Elizabeth Pat,

So sorry to hear your skin graft has failed, I know how upset you must be.  I had an Infiltrative Basal Cell Carcinoma removed from the tip of my nose by MOH's surgery in March last year.  The surgeon had to do three procedures before he was able to remove it all and so had to do quite a deep incision followed by a skin graft.

I went back a week later to have the dressings removed and the nurse told me the skin graft had taken and so I was elated, but then after a few days the skin graft started to turn a dark colour so I went back again to have it checked and was told the skin graft had failed.  I was heart broken and asked what they could do.  They told me not to worry and assured me that it would be fine.  It was explained that firstly I had to wait for the skin graft to fall off which would take between 3 and 6 weeks.  Then it would just heal itself by "secondary intention".  The skin graft did fall off after about 3 weeks, by which time it had turned quite dark and had shrunk somewhat, so I was pleased to see it go.  Underneath the skin was a little pink, but I was told to keep applying Vaseline and to massage the area gently.  My surgeon checked the area about every 1 to 2 weeks at first and then as it healed he saw me less and less.

Now a year later it has healed very well.  I do have a small indent or kind of flat spot on the very tip of my nose, but honestly no-one even gives me a second glance.  I apply a little concealer to the area because part of it is slightly lighter in colour than the rest of my nose, but again this is just for me.  At times I don't apply concealer and no one notices.  I met a man in the supermarket the other day who was about to have a BSC removed and he said he hoped that his nose turned out as well as mine, which was a really nice thing to say.  I hoped to reassure him and in doing so he made me feel good about myself.

My surgeon is due to see me again in September just to check on my progress.

I know this is a very anxious time for you, and I do hope things get a lot better very soon.

With my very best wishes, Flowergarden

. Dear Flowergarden, thank you for replying and how reassuring that 1. I wasn't overacting in my disappointment and 2. That everything will be okay. I returned to the dressing clinic last Thursday and all the skin graft was removed, back again Tuesday and they were pleased with how the wound appeared. I'll dress it myself now until I see the plastic surgeon in 4 weeks. I think the nose tip will heal and I won't worry but the nostrils have been cut so that is something I must adjust to.

Thank you once again 

Elizabeth Pat