Skin Donation

I am looking for hospitals in the area that you can donate your skin to after you have plastic surgery. I have heard that if you donate your skin you can get the surgery done for free or a reduced cost. Any help would be appreciated.

I was told this is an urban legend and so do not get your hopes up. This comment was from the PS at a support meeting. Sorry

Donna, Try calling the Shriners Burns centers. I also had heard that due to the lack of elasticity of the skin, others can not use it. But it's worth a try. -V

I actually asked the nurse at the surgeons office about this. They do not do that. I am not sure where that started but I don't even know where you would donate it to. She said every once in a while this resurfaces and they have to tell people that they don't do that. I would be interested to find out if someone has indeed contacted the burn centers to find out about it. Anyone?? Inquiring minds want to know! Val

I have heard that there are places that you can donate your excess skin for scientific purposes...but not for payment or for surgery...just out of the goodness of your heart. I don't any information for theses places though. But I would think there all this skin could be good for something...experiments, research...something.

I too would like to know if there is such a place. There must be some truth because my physician was in a tizzy about it. She said the reason the physicians and hospitals are against it is because they would not be able to bill the insurance companies for the very expensive procedure of growing the patient's skin in the lab.

Hi Donna, years ago I saw an article about using the extra tissue left over from a tummy tuck for breast augmentation in the same patient instead of using artificial implants. I don't know if they are doing this at this time or not. I have not heard of donating that extra skin for someone else and getting the "harvest" surgery done free or at a reduced cost, but it sounds like it might be a good idea. There would be the rejection issues to deal with if the skin is taken from one person and used on another...... I'll watch for more info on this. It is very interesting. Alice

This is an urban legend. The skin that is removed during plastic surgery can't be used because it has lost it's elasticity and is scarred. Beyond that, skin, being an organ, must be typed and matched to the person who needs it. There are banks for cadaver skin that are used - the skin is processed and typed for use on burn patients and so forth. As far as using it for breast reconstruction, that is done - like when a woman has a mastectomy. It is simply not true that you would get any credit for the removed skin toward the cost of your surgery. There would be people lined up for miles do donate skin if that was true! (I've still got some on my upper arms and thighs I would donate!) Sue