Are there different types of skin grafts?
To understand the types of graft that exist, it is important to understand the basic anatomy of the skin. The skin contains two principle layers: the epidermis, which is the layer on the outside of the body, and the dermis, which is located directly beneath the epidermis. These two layers together are approximately 0.04 to 0.08 inches (1 to 2 millimeters) thick. [2] Fat is attached to, and directly under, the dermis. There are two main categories of skin graft: split-thickness skin grafts (STSGs) and full-thickness skin grafts (FTSGs). [3] [4] A split-thickness skin graft consists mainly of the epidermis and a small amount of the dermis, while a full-thickness graft contains both the epidermis and the dermis. Sometimes a third type of graft, called a composite skin graft, is used. A composite skin graft consists of a combination of skin and fat, skin and cartilage, or dermis and fat, and is used in three-dimensional reconstruction. [5] What is a DFG? A DFG, first used for penile augmen
