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Suggest Treatment For Skin Pigmentation After Skin Grafting

Posted on Tue, 3 Jun 2014

Question: Hi Doctor,
I have a skin graft that is a year old now on my lower right leg.It has a dark XXXXXXX as a result of exposing it to sunlight.It really looks odd and i was hoping if you could advice me on making it look better.
Is tanning on skin grafts reversible?
Note:It was a partial skin grafting.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Pigmentation

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to healthcaremagic

I am Dr. Kakkar. I have gone through your query and I have understood it.

Protect it from sun light OR use a broad spectrum sunscreen.
A sunscreen with minimum spf 30 would be good enough.
Reapply every 2-3 hours.

At night I would suggest that you use a cream containing a combination of hydroquinone+tretinoin+steroid (e.g Melalite Plus cream OR Lomela cream) over the affected area. You would notice the difference within a few weeks.

regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (5 hours later)

Thank you doc,
I would like you to advice me on one more query.
Since its a large affected portion,the only option at that time was partial grafting.
Only after my surgery was i told that partial grafting would not give satisfactory results in terms of appearance.I had lost the shape of the calf muscle due to the burn.
so I was hoping if you could give me any other alternatives other than grafting which could help me regain my calf muscle shape and colour.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (11 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Upload a picture

Detailed Answer:
Hi.

Can you upload me a picture?

If it is only discoloration of the graft that s concerning you, then that part can be improved a great deal with skin lightening creams, to give an improved final cosmetic result,

but I guess altering the shape would be difficult without surgery. You need to go in for plastic surgery to alter the shape.

regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (25 minutes later)

Hi Doc,
I hav uploaded the pics.
The calf muscle looks as if a part of it was carved out.
It would look more odd after few days when my knee regains the full muscle strength as am recovering from a fracture.The colour is bothering me but its the shape that bothers me the most.

If surgery is the only possible way to correct the shape,what is the specific type of surgery to be done and what time does it take to recover from this surgery?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (12 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Try topical skin lightening cream first

Detailed Answer:
Hi.

I have looked at the pictures. Though there is definite loss of tissue in that area, but I think the area is more noticeable because of the dark color/hyperpigmentation.

In my view you should give some more time to the natural healing and try the skin lightening cream first.

Once the area becomes lighter and blends with the surrounding normal skin, it would definitely not be as noticeable as it is now and you might not even feel the need for any more surgery.

So just wait for a few months and try a skin lightening cream over the graft.

Review with a nearby dermatologist after a month of application of skin lightening cream

regards
take care

Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar