|| Degloving and Skin Avulsion Injuries ||

A degloving injury is a severe trauma where skin and tissues are torn away from the underlying structures, exposing bone, muscle, or tendons.

“In the worst degloving injuries, the flesh peels away from your body as if you removed a glove.”

A 24-year-old woman was driving at 100km/h on the highway with her left arm outside the car window. She lost control of the vehicle, which then flipped onto its side and slid 20-30 meters. Paramedics found her hand trapped between the car door and the asphalt.

Penile and scrotal skin degloving injuries are rare, often linked to farm machinery accidents.

A 26-year-old man's pants caught in a tractor's driveshaft, degloving his penile and scrotal skin and exposing internal structures. He reached the hospital 14 hours later…

Within 48 hours, he had a successful skin graft surgery and was discharged in 6 days. At his 8-week follow-up, his grafts were well-healed, with restored sexual function and normal urination. (I would never want to jerk off again if this happened to my penis or my clit.)

Car accidents can sometimes cause severe injuries, including facial degloving. Facial degloving is when the skin and soft tissue on your face gets severely torn away, exposing the underlying structures like bones, muscles, and nerves. This type of injury is very serious and requires immediate medical attention and often surgery to repair the damage. It can lead to scars and long-term effects.

A 30-year-old white woman sustained significant facial trauma in a rollover car accident. The small vehicle, lacking airbags, carried five passengers. The woman, who was seated in the back without a seatbelt, appears to have been ejected, as her injuries indicate a high-impact collision with a hard object, such as a guard rail. This contradicts reports claiming no ejections. The other passengers had only minor injuries.

She was awake, alert, pale, and had a fast heartbeat and breathing. A head scan showed no brain injuries. Her face had a large cut full of dirt and food, stretching from one cheek, under her chin, to the other temple. Her upper jaw was barely attached. The injuries broke many bones in her face, especially around her nose, cheeks, and eye sockets leading to major fractures and bone loss. A fracture in her mouth interrupted some blood vessels, reducing blood flow to her upper jaw. Despite these injuries, her vision was fine.

Degloving injuries to the top of the foot occur when the skin and tissue are stripped away. This can happen if the foot gets caught in machinery or under heavy objects. It's a serious injury that needs fast medical treatment to prevent infection and promote healing.

A 72-year-old white man injured his right foot when it got caught between a car door and a metal cupboard in his garage, tearing off the skin and tissue on the top.

This is his foot 9 months post-op.

Degloving injuries may be serious, but they're definitely avoidable. To keep yourself safe, always be cautious around machinery, avoid placing delicate areas like your penis in tight or dangerous spaces, and stay mindful of your surroundings. Simple safety steps can go a long way in preventing injuries. Stay safe and protect yourself!