While organ donation has gained significant awareness in India, but an another potential life-saving act remains relatively unknown compare to skin donation. This selfless act can offer a second chance to countless individuals suffering from burns, chronic wounds, and other skin diseases. Human’s skin is the largest organ of the body. It acts as a buffer & protect us from heat and cold, as well as environmental impacts like chemical substances, sun’s UV-radiation and bacteria etc.

Whenever due to unwanted reasons the skin gets badly burnt or damaged, in that circumstances it is unable to repair itself and require immediate medical aid. For patients with severe burn injuries, one way to promote healing is by covering the wound with allografts skin from an organ donor. Skin is also needed to prevent infections, decrease pain and provide protection, as well as helps faster healing to save lives. If the burnt area is not instantly covered with some skin substitutes, then patients are prone to infection, fluid loss and ultimately leads to death.

In case of smaller percentage of burns, skin from the un-burnt area of the patient is taken out and put on the burn wound to cover it. But when burns percentage is more than 40% to 50%, and the patient’s own skin is not available to cover the burn wound. Therefore, the need for skin substitutes is required. In emergencies when skin is not available, often relatives of patients offer their own skin, as a live donor. Skin is the best substitute for skin. Therefore, Skin donated by the patients after death is the best and cheapest substitute as compared to artificial skin substitutes.

Why Skin donation is required?

in India more than seven million people suffer from burn injuries every year. 80% of these are women and children. Amongst these are acid victims, dowry victims, accident victims and others whose skin has been badly burnt. It is a second largest group of injuries after road accidents, and every year nearly 1.5 lakh people get crippled and require multiple surgeries and prolonged rehabilitation due to burn injuries. Out of the 10% of these which are life threatening, around half succumb to their injuries.

80% of such patients can be saved if we have enough skin in skin banks. The skin donation after once death, instead of burning or burying your body would be a great service to millions who are suffering.

How can be skin donated in skin bank?

Many people do not realise that skin can be donated in the same manner as corneas, organs & tissues upon death. A skin bank is a place where cadaveric skin is processed and preserved under optimal conditions from where it can be used for the benefit of burn victims. Donor’s skin can be frozen and stored for long periods of up to five years. After harvesting of skin is evaluated, processed & screened at the skin bank, and then supplied to the burns Surgeon for transplanting on burn patients. The donated skin is only taken from the back, thighs and legs within 6 to 8 hours of death and it is a procedure of mere 30 to 45 minutes. The donated skin preserved in 85% Glycerol and under 4-5 degrees Celsius.

As Our skin has 8 layers, but only 1/8th of the uppermost layer of the skin is harvested. Thickness of skin to be removed is very small and there is no disfigurement of the body & it is not even visible to persons who come to pay their homage. However, the Consent of relatives will be taken before the skin donation. At the time of skin harvesting, blood sample from the body of the deceased is also taken and necessary test for HIV, Viral markers & Hepatitis is carried out at the Skin Bank. Currently there are skin banks available at Mumbai, Pune Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi and Chandigarh.

Who Can be a Donor?

Anyone can donate skin irrespective of sex & blood group. The minimum age of the donor should be 18 years but there is no upper age limit and even a 100-year-old person can donate his skin and it can be used for treatment. Only those suffering from HIV & Hepatitis B & Hepatitis C, STD’S, generalized infection & Septicaemia (Pneumonia, T.B, Etc.), & any kind of skin infection, malignancy and having evidence of skin cancer, cannot donate.

What is skin graft and why it is done?

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

Most skin grafts involve general anaesthesia, which means you’ll be asleep throughout the procedure and won’t feel any pain.

Challenges and Solutions:

Despite its significance, skin donation faces several challenges in India. Lack of awareness among the general public about the importance of skin donation is a major hurdle. Many people are unaware that skin can be donated, or they may have misconceptions about the process. Addressing these misconceptions through education and awareness campaigns is crucial for encouraging more people to consider skin donation.

Conclusion:

Skin donation holds immense potential to alleviate the suffering of burn victims, patients with dermatological disorders, and those in need of reconstructive surgeries. The country like India, where there is a high demand for skin grafts requires a intensive promotion of skin donation. Through concerted efforts to raise awareness, improve infrastructure, and facilitate of donation processes, we can foster a culture of skin donation and make a positive impact on countless lives. Let us recognize the value of this noble act and work towards making skin donation a mainstream practice in India.

Some Facts on Skin Donation:

• You don’t have to pay anything to the Skin Donation team, selling & buying organs is illegal as per Transplant of human organ & tissues act (THOA) act 1994. Anyone’s skin can be transplanted on any one, there is no blood matching, no colour matching, no age matching is required.
• The consent of the “next to kin” of donor and a witness is required before skin harvesting procedure to be initiated.
• Skin is commonly harvested from both the legs, thighs and back.
• there is no bleeding from the site where skin is harvested from and there is no disfigurement to the body. After the procedure, the area is bandaged properly. After skin harvestation, another organ can also be donated.
• The individuals with diabetes & hypertension can also donate skin.
• To register as a skin/organ donor one can visit at www.notto.nic.in or can scan QR code for quick pledge.