AFTERCARE INSTRUCTIONS

Care of your wound after split thickness skin graft

Key points for split thickness skin graft

Keep the graft site and donor site dressing untouched until review

Contact me if the graft site or donor site is painful

The donor site is usually more painful than the graft site

Come in for a wound review +/- a dressing change if the wound has bled though OR has gotten wet somehow e.g. while showering,

Continue antibiotics if there are signs of infection


Pain

It is normal to have a small amount of pain for up to 24 hrs after the operation, when applying pressure to the wound site or on movement/stretching of the wound site.

Paracetamol should be able to be control this normal/expected pain.

Avoiding movements which trigger pain will also reduce the risk of the wound tearing.

If the wound becomes increasingly painful, especially at rest or from the third day after the operation, please contact us immediately as this is often the first sign of infection.

If you have been given antibiotics in case of infection NOW is the time to take them.

Do not wait for the wound to become grossly infected e.g. red and swollen with purulent discharge – if you have any concerns please bring the wound for review straight away.