Forty-six patients had split thickness skin grafts harvested from the upper inner thigh. Calcium alginate (Kaltostat) and scarlet red dressings were applied to each half of the wound. Dressings were changed after 10 days and healing of the donor site was assessed. Seventy-two per cent of wounds dressed with calcium alginate and 84% of wounds dressed with scarlet red were healed at 10 days. Scarlet red was shown to be significantly better than Kaltostat in the healing of split thickness skin graft donor sites when assessed at 10 days (p less than 0.04).