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Home Knowledge Center Wellness Library Cut That Removes All Layers of Skin

Cut That Removes All Layers of Skin

Topic Overview

Cuts may slice off several layers of skin. As long as some of the layers of skin are still in place, new skin will form in the bottom of the wound and along the wound edges. The wound will heal from the bottom up.

When a cut or scrape removes all of the layers of skin (a full-thickness avulsion injury), fat and muscle may be visible. This type of wound will form new skin only on the edges of the wound and heals from the edges into the middle. The larger the wound, the longer it will take to heal, and the greater the risk of infection.

Cutting off the tip of a finger or toe are common avulsion injuries. If this avulsion injury is larger than 0.25 in. (6.5 mm) by 0.25 in. (6.5 mm), evaluation by a doctor is usually needed. If you are able to recover the piece of skin that was cut off, take it with you. It will probably not be reattached, but it will give your doctor more information about your injury.

Avulsion injuries are usually treated in one of the following ways:

  • Allowing the wound to heal on its own, growing new skin from the edges into the middle
  • Stitching the edges of the wound together, if the wound is small
  • Reattaching the avulsed skin
  • Grafting skin over the wound

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Individual and family medical and dental insurance plans are insured by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC), Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, Inc., and Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc. Group health insurance and health benefit plans are insured or administered by CHLIC, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC), or their affiliates (see a listing of the legal entities  that insure or administer group HMO, dental HMO, and other products or services in your state). Accidental Injury, Critical Illness, and Hospital Care plans or insurance policies are distributed exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, are administered by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, and are insured by either (i) Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT); (ii) Life Insurance Company of North America (“LINA”) (Philadelphia, PA); or (iii) New York Life Group Insurance Company of NY (“NYLGICNY”) (New York, NY), formerly known as Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. The Cigna name, logo, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. LINA and NYLGICNY are not affiliates of Cigna.

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