Can severed skin still have sensation if it's stitched back onto the body?

[byukubkyvjyvujibn]

Like say the scrotom skin is completely severed--in other words, completely off the body--and it is stitched back onto the body, will the person still be able to have the same amount of sensation in that skin?

[Jenna Marie]

It's really not about the skin, it's about the nerves underneath the skin. If that skin is laid over functioning nerves, then yes, you will likely have some sort of sensation. (Now, once the nerves are cut, those might *not* grow back.)

I have a scrotal skin graft - scrotal skin that was cut completely away and then stitched back in a new place - and I do have some limited sensation, but it's largely pressure/fullness rather than the sensation that I used to have from the scrotum. I believe that that is because the original scrotal nerves have been moved around; the graft is now sending nerve signals from the nerves underlying the place that it ended up, instead.

(On the other hand, once my brain remapped that the nerve signals from, say, the penile glans were coming from the clitoris, it became hard to imagine that I'd ever felt anything else from those nerves. And the glans was also severed completely and restitched in a new place, but over the existing nerve bundle; I have, well, let's just say "more than full sensation" from that area. )

[Fresas con Nata]

I have a scrotal skin graft - scrotal skin that was cut completely away and then stitched back in a new place - and I do have some limited sensation, but it's largely pressure/fullness rather than the sensation that I used to have from the scrotum. I believe that that is because the original scrotal nerves have been moved around; the graft is now sending nerve signals from the nerves underlying the place that it ended up, instead.

There are different nerves for touch, pressure, temperature, pain and maybe others. You may have lost the sensation for touch but not for pressure, which would explain the change in what you feel.

[Jenna Marie]

Fresas con Nata, that would make sense, but since the scrotal skin was definitely separated from all of the original nerves, the only way it could be transmitting anything would be if it were overlaid on different nerves where it is (it's now part of the vaginal canal).

[byukubkyvjyvujibn]

It's really not about the skin, it's about the nerves underneath the skin. If that skin is laid over functioning nerves, then yes, you will likely have some sort of sensation. (Now, once the nerves are cut, those might *not* grow back.)

I have a scrotal skin graft - scrotal skin that was cut completely away and then stitched back in a new place - and I do have some limited sensation, but it's largely pressure/fullness rather than the sensation that I used to have from the scrotum. I believe that that is because the original scrotal nerves have been moved around; the graft is now sending nerve signals from the nerves underlying the place that it ended up, instead.

(On the other hand, once my brain remapped that the nerve signals from, say, the penile glans were coming from the clitoris, it became hard to imagine that I'd ever felt anything else from those nerves. And the glans was also severed completely and restitched in a new place, but over the existing nerve bundle; I have, well, let's just say "more than full sensation" from that area. )

Thank you so much, Jenna Marie. I'm sure your info will help people who are needing or considering skin grafts (especially trans males). If you or anyone else have/has anything further to mention on this subject, please do. Thank you so much. ^_^

Also, I'll think about whether I have any more questions. And thank you to Fresas con Nata too.

[LizK]

I'm sure your info will help people who are needing or considering skin grafts (especially trans males).

Sorry how could this help trans males?

[kelly_aus]

Sorry how could this help trans males?

The graft for a phalloplasty is completely detached from the body..

[Devlyn]

Pictured in this article: https://www.susans.org/wiki/Phalloplasty

[LizK]

The graft for a phalloplasty is completely detached from the body..

Thank you I am not familiar with the procedure

[LizK]

Pictured in this article: https://www.susans.org/wiki/Phalloplasty

Thanks wasn't sure exactly what the poster meant...thanks for clarifying

[byukubkyvjyvujibn]

Sorry how could this help trans males?

Yes based on what I understand, trans men need skin grafts--that is, pieces of skin that a surgeon removes from the body of their trans male patient. Many trans men wonder whether they still will have sensation in a piece of skin after that piece of skin is severed.