kids encyclopedia robot

Skin graft facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Skin graft donor site
Split skin graft donor site 8 days after the skin was taken

Skin grafts are transplants of skin. Most common is to transplant skin from one part of a person to another place on the same person. The technique was developed in World War II by surgeons who had to deal with people who had suffered severe burns.

Transplants of skin from one person to another is limited by tissue rejection caused by the immune system. As with organ transplants, tests are done to find a donor who is "compatible" with the host. Identical twins make the perfect donors for each other because they are genetically identical.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Injerto de piel para niños

kids search engine
Skin graft Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.