Skin grafting is a state-of-the-art technique that involves taking a thin layer of healthy skin from one part of the body and transplanting it to a wounded area on the foot to help it heal more effectively and quickly.

In podiatry, skin grafting can be helpful in helping to heal large wounds and foot ulcers in diabetic patients. It can also be used to restore severely damaged skin on the feet due to burns, tumor removals, and serious skin infections.

Skin grafts accelerate the healing process in wounds and other types of trauma to the skin on the feet that would otherwise take prolonged periods of time to heal properly. Seriously damaged skin that might not be able to heal on its own (or would take months to heal) can sometimes show positive results from a skin graft within approximately a week in some cases.

Typically, autogenous skin grafts are effective in foot wounds and can be classified as either FTSGs (full-thickness skin grafts) or STSGs (split-thickness skin grafts). The difference between the two is that an STSG removes the top layer of skin (epidermis) and only a portion of the deeper layer (dermis) of the donor site, whereas an FTSG removes both the epidermis and dermis.

Dr. Steven Wells specializes in wound grafting. Please make an appointment with him so he can examine you and determine whether this is the right treatment option for you.