Actually, I can imagine someone like Saddam Hussein wanting a victim to survive a flaying, however feebly, as an object lesson to others.
I’ve worked in several burn units, and I’ve worked with bone marrow transplants, who can, simply put, reject their skin. I’ve seen one 99% full thickness burn survive for 1 year. He remained in the burn ICU for that year. He was one of the first to have skin culture grafts. They were taken from the soles of his feet, the only part not burned.
He was transfered to a long term care facility after that year, but died within a week of the transfer.
The skin does more than hold one together. It regulates temperature, it helps to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. It is the last line of defense against infection.
Here’s a little insite into how difficult it is to keep a full thickness large percentage burn alive. For the first 24 hours they require at least 6 liters of fluid PER HOUR. Miss one hour, and they will go into profound shock and be DRT (dead right there)