fig6

Figure 6. (A) When creating a seam between grafts, it is best to create “darts” that break up the straight line between grafts. Straight lines create tension, which leads to hypertrophic scarring. Darts break up that tension. Overlapping the grafts seen inferiorly on the left leads to the best seam. On the right, the upper part of the graft demonstrates how the grafts fold over when placed next to each other; (B) The seam on this forearm graft, taken more than 10 years after placement, demonstrates how a “zigzag” line avoids the hypertrophic scarring and contractures seen with most straight seams.