Skin Substitutes

Skin substitutes can play an invaluable part in helping chronic wounds like diabetic ulcers heal. At Complete Wound Care in Wallingford and Milford, Connecticut, Adrian Wyllie, MD, MBA, CWSP, FAPWH, and Vadim Kurbatov, MD, PhD, use the most advanced, proven skin substitutes. With their wound care expertise, you should see a significant improvement in your ulcers. Call Complete Wound Care to benefit from cutting-edge skin substitutes, or book an appointment online today.

What are skin substitutes?

Skin substitutes are materials that cover nonhealing wounds and promote tissue repair. Some are temporary, while others form a permanent cover.

Skin substitutes work in several ways. They stop wounds from drying out, keeping them moist enough for new tissue growth and helping to prevent infection. Skin substitutes also provide scaffolding that encourages new skin cell growth.

What kinds of skin substitutes are available?

Skin substitutes take numerous forms within several classes:

Class I skin substitutes

Class I skin substitutes are temporary dressing materials with similar functions to skin. Some are naturally occurring, and others are synthetic. 

Human amniotic tissue, such as a placental membrane, is a common class 1 skin substitute. It helps to prevent fluid loss and protect against infection.

Class II skin substitutes

Class II skin substitutes are single layers of durable materials. Some are epidermal, replacing only the upper skin layer, while others are dermal and replace the deeper skin layers. 

An example of a class II skin substitute is cultured epithelial autografts (CEAs) that a specialized lab grows from a patient’s skin.

What are the best skin substitutes?

No single product is the best skin substitute. The many materials have varying properties that are suited to different uses and patients. Complete Wound Care uses the most advanced skin substitutes that offer enhanced healing, including:

EPIEFFECT™

EPIEFFECT from MIMEDX is a freeze-dried human placental-based allograft membrane. It includes the amnion, intermediate, and chorion layers to support the various healing stages. EPIEFFECT also protects the wound bed, promoting new connective tissue and blood vessel growth in chronic wounds.

Affinity®

Affinity is a human placental allograft that consists of a fresh amniotic membrane that hasn’t been frozen or dehydrated. Affinity retains all the proteins and living cells of fresh tissue and is the only fresh amniotic membrane product available.

To determine which skin substitute best suits your needs, your Complete Wound Care provider will likely complete various tests or procedures. These might include an ankle-brachial index (ABI), 3D wound imaging, DNA diagnostics, and/or a wound biopsy.

Your provider discusses each treatment option with you to ensure you participate fully in the decision-making process and understand what the treatments can achieve.

Call Complete Wound Care for further information and advice on skin substitutes. To make an appointment, call the office or request one online today.