split-skin graft

medicine

Also known as: partial-thickness skin graft, split-thickness skin graft(Show More)

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Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

A split-skin graft, also known as a split-thickness or partial-thickness graft, is a medical procedure involving the transplantation of healthy skin from one part of the body to cover a wound or burn in another area. This technique involves removing the epidermis and a portion of the dermis from the donor site.12

The primary advantage of split-skin grafts is that the donor site heals naturally, similar to a superficial graze, because the deeper layers of skin remain intact. These grafts are thin and can often receive nourishment directly from the wound bed, reducing the risk of failure. Split-skin grafts are widely used in plastic surgery and can be harvested from large areas to cover significant defects. However, they may result in a shiny, reddish appearance that is less cosmetically ideal compared to other graft types.2

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transplant
Split or partial-thickness skin grafts
Split, or partial-thickness, skin grafts are by far the most commonly used grafts in plastic surgery. Superficial slices of skin the thickness of tissue paper are cut with a hand or mechanical razor. The graft, which contains living cells, is…
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Split, or partial-thickness, skin grafts are by far the most commonly used grafts in plastic surgery. Superficial slices of skin the thickness of tissue paper are cut with a hand or mechanical razor. The graft, which contains living cells, is…
Read More

therapeutics
Reconstructive surgery
…area is involved, a thin split-thickness skin graft, consisting of epidermis only, is used. Unfortunately, although these grafts survive transplantation more successfully and heal more rapidly than other types of grafts, they are aesthetically displeasing because their appearance differs markedly from that of normal skin. In a small defect, especially…
Read More
…area is involved, a thin split-thickness skin graft, consisting of epidermis only, is used. Unfortunately, although these grafts survive transplantation more successfully and heal more rapidly than other types of grafts, they are aesthetically displeasing because their appearance differs markedly from that of normal skin. In a small defect, especially…
Read More