What type of injury involves ripping or tearing away all layers of skin, often creating a flap?

Avulsion is a type of injury that specifically involves the ripping or tearing away of skin, including all of its layers. This can result in the skin being pulled back to form a flap. Avulsions can occur in various circumstances, such as accidents or surgical procedures, and they often require immediate medical attention to manage bleeding and prevent infection.

In contrast to avulsion, other types of injuries do not meet this specific criterion. For instance, a contusion refers to a bruise caused by blunt force trauma, which affects the tissues beneath the skin but does not result in the tearing away of skin layers. A laceration, while also a form of skin injury, typically entails a jagged or irregular cut rather than a complete tearing away of the skin. A friction burn results from skin being scraped or rubbed against a rough surface, again causing damage but not characterized by the complete detachment of skin layers as seen in an avulsion. Hence, avulsion is correctly associated with the condition described in the question.