Consider the skin replacement developments over the past centuries. Acellular skin substitutes
Cellular allogenic skin substitutes
Cellular autologous skin substitutes
How do each of these methods differ?

What risk exists with each? Benefit?

Which would you promote in your surgical unit for skin repair?

Replacing skin defects has witnessed several developments over the centuries. It started with the introduction of skin grafting by Reverdin in 1871. Since then, varieties of skin grafting techniques have been used successfully. Despite being clinically useful, skin grafts have many limitations including the availability of the donor site especially in circumstances of extensive skin loss, immune rejection in allogenic skin grafts, pain, scarring, slow healing and infection.1,2 For these reasons, scientist have worked hard to find skin substitutes to replace skin defects without the need for a "natural" skin graft. These materials which are used to cover skin defects are called "Skin substitutes". This article briefly discusses the common types of skin substitutes and their clinical uses.