Important Info

A friend told me to mention this on our board. To those of you considering plastic surgery talk to your surgeon about donating your skin to burn patients. This could help someone with your dead skin, how is that so think about it. You may call your local burn center or hospital and find out the proper protocol. Thank you and have a bless day.

I have been researching plastic surgery and am about to have the skin removed from my arms in the next month or so. But during my research I was told to contact the burn centers about skin donation by several people. So excited, I contacted two burn centers and was told by both that it is a myth that they can take that excess skin and use it. I was told that it is of no use to them and that there was no program for donating the skin. I really hated to hear that because I got all excited at the thought of getting all that skin taken off at little or no charge because of donating it. But oh well, that just isn't the case. So I guess I will be coming up with the cash because insurance sure wouldn't cover it for me. But it will be worth it. Have a good weekend!! Melissa

Body contouring myth: You can have body contouring surgery performed free of charge if you donate the excess skin removed during the procedure to a skin bank. Fact: Because of numerous practical, medical and financial issues, organ sharing centers do not accept skin from living donors. They only take skin from deceased donors. [clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/3100/3181.asp?index=11057] Donating Skin After Surgery Not Possible Question: I recently underwent gastric bypass surgery and have lost a great deal of weight. I'm having plastic surgery to remove excess skin and would like to donate the skin to a burn center. Can this be done? Answer: Yes and no. We've received several questions like yours since gastric bypass surgery for obesity has become more commonplace. Your altruism is appreciated, but this kind of donation is not possible, according to the International Association of Living Organ Donors, Inc. (livingdonorsonline.org); American Burn Association ameriburn.org; Shriners Hospitals for Children (shrinershq.org); and TransWeb (transweb.org), a nonprofit educational Web site serving the world transplant community and based at the University of Michigan. It is virtually impossible to obtain a skin graft from tissue than has been removed during tissue reduction surgery, according to TransWeb. The usual procedure for tissue reduction surgery involves the removal of skin and underlying attached tissues, but skin grafts used for transplant are only 15/1000 (0.015) of an inch thick and do not include these underlying tissues. Skin grafts for transplant are procured by the use of a surgical device called a dermatome, which peels off a very thin (0.015 inch), uniform layer of skin, and it only works on skin that is stretched taut over and firmly attached to muscles, such as in the back, arms, and legs. Skin folds (such as those removed when someone has lost a large amount of weight) lack the firm attachment to underlying tissues, and so the dermatome cannot work properly. Skin for use in burn patients is generally procured from undamaged skin of the patient if possible, which can be expanded by growing it in a test tube, or from other sources such as a deceased organ donor, just like many other donated organs. Once consent is obtained from next-of-kin, a thorough medical history is determined, in order to exclude from donation those individuals with risk of disease communication. Donors must be without history of risk factors associated with HIV, malignancy, or autoimmune or infectious diseases. The donor skin must be free of abrasions, scars, and deformities in at least 75% of the body surface area. Recovery of skin from the donor must be performed within 24 hours postmortem, provided the body has been stored in a morgue refrigerator. Only the outer layers are removed, leaving no more of a mark than sunburn. During the past 10 years in the U.S., the transplant waiting list has grown nearly 300%, with more than 67,000 men, women, and children now awaiting heart, kidney, liver, lung, and pancreas transplants. In addition, nearly 1,600 await transplants at the transplant hospitals in Alabama. Tens of thousands of others are in need of donated corneas to restore sight, bone and other tissues to repair injured or diseased bones and joints, and heart valves to replace diseased valves. [health.uab.edu/show.asp?durki=61779&site=734&return=18687] among many other sites I found.... Hugs, Toots

Dame T., Thanks for posting this on the MS Board. I saw the first of it and was already to Reply with the "Urban Legend!" response. I would have never been as complete. Thanks for dropping by the "Muddy Mississippi" Board. There's quite a group of sweetie supporters here. Best Wishes- Dx

Ah my pleasure. I get a hoot out of floating ALL the boards. I'm a Tooter-without-borders

Personally, I think that you should spend more time on our board with us !!! But then again, I tend to be a little greedy at times. Oh well !!! Glad you stopped by & I do hope that you'll be back !!! Tammy

I try and swing by here once a day Greedy..that's cute!

Hey my Toots!!! I loves you!!! Stay with us. I be greedier than Tams!!! Smooch Arlies

How Rude !!! You know as well as I do that I'm the greedier-est !!! Tammy