The evaluation of relevant factors influencing skin graft changes in color over time.
BACKGROUND
Objective studies evaluating the relevant factors that affect skin graft changes in color over time have yet to be published.


OBJECTIVE
Therefore, the patterns of the grafted skin's color changes and the presence of relevant factors were analyzed statistically.


METHODS
The study included 107 skin grafts in 107 subjects. Using a chromameter, the colors of skin graft, the area adjacent to the recipient site, and the donor site were measured. The grafted skin's color changes and the color difference were analyzed with respect to several factors.


RESULTS
Over time, the grafted skin became lighter, redness decreased, yellowness increased, and the color difference decreased. As the donor site was lighter, the grafted skin was lighter and less red. The grafted skin was lighter in females than in males. The skin graft type was not related to the lightness and the redness. The grafted skin was lightest in the upper arm and darkest in the lower leg. The grafted skin was lighter in Fitzpatrick Skin Type III, followed by Type IV and then Type V.


CONCLUSIONS
The factors that affected the skin graft's lightness were time, the lightness of the donor, sex, the hand, the foot, and Fitzpatrick skin type.
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Hospital, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea.
Jun Sik
JS
Kim
Sang Woo
SW
Park
Tae Hyun
TH
Choi
Nam Gyun
NG
Kim
Kyung Suk
KS
Lee
Jang Rak
JR
Kim
Sang-Il
SI
Lee
Dawon
D
Kang
Ki Hwan
KH
Han
Dae Gu
DG
Son
Jun Hyung
JH
Kim
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003116:Color; D003124:Colorimetry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing