Skin grafting is a surgical procedure that involves removing skin from one area of the body and moving it, or transplanting it, to a different area of the body. This surgery may be done if a part of your body has lost its protective covering of skin due to burns, injury, or illness.

Skin grafts are performed in a hospital. Most skin grafts are done using general anesthesia, which means you’ll be asleep throughout the procedure and won’t feel any pain.

Why are skin grafts done?

A skin graft is placed over an area of the body where skin has been lost. Common reasons for a skin graft include:

• skin infections
• deep burns
• large, open wounds
• bed sores or other ulcers on the skin that haven’t healed well