What Is This Skin Used For?

Dr Richa Kumar, Senior Consultant – Plastic, Cosmetic, And Reconstructive Surgery – at Noida’s Metro Hospitals & Heart Institute, explains that donated skin is usually used as a 'biological dressing' for burns patients.

What Is Skin Grafting?

Skin grafting is a procedure that essentially transplants healthy skin from one part of your body to another in case of burns, injuries, etc. While usually auto grafting is undertaken in most cases, in some cases, the patient might not have enough skin on their own body. This is when they usually opt for donated skin.

Anyone. Unlike organ or blood donation , no gene match or anything else is required here. But it’s better to donate skin posthumously because for donors who are alive, these might lead to some health concerns.

If This is Delhi’s First Skin Bank, How Were Hospitals Managing Before This?

Prior to the opening of Delhi’s first skin bank, Dr Kumar shares that artificial skin was derived from animal skin. However, that would often end up causing issues because "patients usually have allergies to animal skin, the skins might not be good or big enough to cover the entire affected area, and they cost a bomb." The skin bank opening at Safdarjung Hospital is also a ray of hope, doctors say.

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FAQ: Delhi Gets Its First Skin Bank, But Why Exactly Do We Need One?

Q: What Exactly Is A Skin Bank?

Just like there are blood banks to store blood, skin banks are meant to store skin that has been donated by deceased people. Within six hours of a person's death, the outer layer of their skin can be lifted and stored in a cool and dry place at a specific temperature.

Delhi and north India got its first skin bank on Tuesday, 20 June, at the Centre-run Safdarjung Hospital.

Garima Sadhwani

Published: 24 Jun 2023, 7:00 AM IST

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Delhi and North India got its first skin bank on Tuesday, 20 June, at the Centre-run Safdarjung Hospital.

Being hailed as a turning point for patients of extensive burns, doctors are optimistic about how this skin bank can prove helpful for hundreds of people.

But what exactly is a skin bank? Why do we need one? FIT answers all your FAQs.

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FAQ: Delhi Gets Its First Skin Bank, But Why Exactly Do We Need One?

Delhi and north India got its first skin bank on Tuesday, 20 June, at the Centre-run Safdarjung Hospital.

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Topics: Safdarjung Hospital skin health