What should you know about infected skin graft?

A graft may become infected when bacteria enter the healing wound. Increasing redness, warmth, swelling, tenderness, cloudy drainage, an unpleasant smell, or separation at the graft edge can be warning signs. Fever, chills, or feeling unusually unwell can indicate that the infection is affecting more than the skin. Some discomfort and mild redness can occur during normal healing, so a change from the expected pattern matters.

Do not peel away dressings, scratch the graft, or apply antiseptics, creams, or leftover antibiotics unless the surgical team has advised you to do so. The graft and the donor area may need separate checks.

Contact the clinician who performed the graft or an urgent dermatology service as soon as you notice concerning changes. Keep the area protected according to the wound instructions, wash your hands before touching nearby skin, and avoid soaking, friction, smoking, or strenuous activity if these were restricted after surgery. A clinician may examine the graft, clean the wound, collect drainage for testing, and prescribe treatment suited to the infection. Do not try to remove a graft or drain a collection yourself.

Seek urgent medical care for rapidly spreading redness, severe or escalating pain, black or grey tissue, heavy bleeding, pus with a bad smell, fever with shaking chills, confusion, faintness, or trouble breathing. Also seek prompt review if the graft suddenly becomes pale, dark, cold, numb, or visibly lifts from the wound, because blood-flow problems and infection can both damage healing.

Ask: Is the graft infected or is another healing problem present? Should the dressing, washing routine, or activity limits change? Does the donor site need treatment too? Which symptoms mean I should return immediately, and when should the wound be checked again?