Help please after skin graft!!

Hello all i broke my ankle 3 years ago 9 months later metal work was taken out which got infected had a flap done(muscle taken from my inner thigh) and a skin graft done. Got infected again with a open wound of 3cms by 7cms then i met a tissue viability nurse who put me in compression it took 9 months to then heal up. I am trying to do exercise on it now but the skin spits every so often only about 5mm long thankfully as of yet it hasn't got infected again. I was wondering if anyone out there has any suggestions to make the skin stronger I moist it every 3 hours with E45. I have a very good diet dont drink alcohol and dont smoke. Any help with this I would be really greatfull I am only 30 and it has effected my life so much soo I could also be losing my job as I need to do a fitness test for it. Many thanks

[Dr J Singh]

Hello,
What can be seen is that the skin is not infected yet it splits up. In that case, keep the area as clean as possible, apply antibiotic cream like Neosporin on the split skin so as to prevent any infection and apply plain Vaseline on the surrounding skin. If there is any discharge from the wound then any infection should be ruled out by sending the discharge from the split skin for culture sensitivity and get the antibiotics prescribed.

I hope it helps. Take care and regards.