Excess skin you dont want? Try donating to burns victims

wishes

wishes

Coffee Addict
Since im donating a kidney i thought 'i wonder if i can donate my excess skin as well' had a quick google and came up with the following.



And heres a company doing it

There are people around who say it cant be done however, from what i've read it can be but its time consuming and difficult, hence why you cant just take your skin and put it on somebody else. They need to do a bunch of stuff to it so its not rejected as well etc (read the articles, no really!)

Oh, and if you have an extra kidney spare, people are dieing and need one. Its only a couple weeks out of your life to give another person a life.
 
"Donated skin is used as a natural dressing for people with severe burns. Skin tissue promotes healing, reduces infection and fluid loss and is the preferred treatment for patients with severe burns. Donated skin can be stored for up to one year before it is transplanted. "
 
This is a really useful idea. I hadnt heard of the notion - or thought of it.

My father had severe burns back in the 1970s (a large boiler full of boiling water tipped over on him) and one of the only bits of him that wasnt hit (upper left leg) needed to be carved up for grafts to put on his worst burns.

I have a heap of loose skin and I am planning on having surgery. If and when I go ahead with that I will certainly pursue this idea.

More of us need to become aware of this being an option.
 
This is good information. When I was a teenager, my uncle worked for the power company and got hit by a live wire during a storm one night. HE spent 18 months in the hospital receiving skin grafts and having skin removed from his thighs and back to repair his arms, feet, and shoulder. I have always remembered that.

It has always been in the back of my mind that after I reach my goal, I would consider a tummy tuck if I needed it ... so I will most certainly be keeping this information in mind.
 
the skin is only used temporarily whilst they heal in lue of bandages. eventually once things have healed lots and they have sorted a proper skin graft from their own skin.

They put a plasic/solicon bag insert under skin, and add 25ml or so of fluid couple times a week so it expands. The skin grows much like a pregnant stomach and after a month or two they just cut the skin and put it where necessary. But until that skin is grown they need to keep the burns clean and the bandages are good, skin is by far better. It will never graft on if its somebody elses skin, but it keeps it clean and healing :)
 
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