A skin bank in Mumbai, India, is looking for supporters to donate their skin after death for future use in burn patients.

Skin Donation, a programme initiated by the National Burns Centre in India, is working towards increasing the numbers of donations it receives in order to save more lives. The National Burn Centre in India reports that patients with 60% burn wounds or more have a 100% mortality rate, which could be prevented with skin donations. By raising awareness through events such as lectures, camps and programmes, Skin Donation hopes to open up more centres around India, creating a network of skin donation programmes.

Cadaveric skin can be extremely useful in treating severe burn wounds. The National Burns Centre reports that 80% of severe burn patients could be saved if more skin donations are acquired. The cadaveric skin is grafted onto burn patients, controlling the loss of fluid and body heat, relieving pain, as well as protecting the patient from deadly infections.

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Image: Burnt arm. Credit: Rosenwald on Flickr.