journal article·2025-02-08Open access

Wound Dressing Materials: Bridging Material Science and Clinical Practice

Maria Pia Ferraz

Applied Sciences· Volume 15· Issue 4

Abstract

Wound management presents a significant clinical challenge due to the rising prevalence of chronic wounds caused by conditions such as venous insufficiency, diabetes, and obesity, alongside acute injuries and surgical wounds. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of key materials used in wound dressings, contextualizing their origin, chemical structure, and intrinsic properties while emphasizing their roles in promoting wound healing. Particular attention is given to materials’ capacity to stimulate regeneration and incorporate substances such as antimicrobial agents and growth factors to enhance functionality. Additionally, this review examines antimicrobial dressings as a critical tool for controlling bioburden and enhancing healing, detailing their mechanisms of action, advantages, and limitations. By addressing strategies for hydrogel application and the effectiveness of both natural and synthetic polymers, this analysis bridges the gap between material science and clinical practice. This review aims to analyze the development of cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and versatile wound dressings that meet diverse clinical needs. This synthesis of material science and antimicrobial strategies offers a foundational resource for advancing wound care solutions.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Wound Healing and Treatments · Surgical Sutures and Adhesives · Endodontics and Root Canal Treatments

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal

i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal

INEB-Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal

References (100+)

Show source-provided references
1. Microbiology of the skin and the role of biofilms in infection10.1111/j.1742-481X.2011.00836.x ↗
2. Skin Lipid Barrier: Structure, Function and Metabolism10.4168/aair.2024.16.5.445 ↗
3. Antimicrobial peptides: Mechanism of action, activity and clinical potential
4. Skin microbiota: A source of disease or defence?10.1111/j.1365-2133.2008.08437.x ↗
5. The dynamic relationship between skin microbiomes and personal care products: A comprehensive review10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34549 ↗
6. Popescu, V., Cauni, V., Petrutescu, M.S., Rustin, M.M., Bocai, R., Turculet, C.R., Doran, H., Patrascu, T., Lazar, A.M., and Cretoiu, D. (2023). Chronic Wound Management: From Gauze to Homologous Cellular Matrix. Biomedicines, 11.10.3390/biomedicines11092457 ↗
7. Challenges in the Treatment of Chronic Wounds10.1089/wound.2015.0635 ↗
8. Tottoli, E.M., Dorati, R., Genta, I., Chiesa, E., Pisani, S., and Conti, B. (2020). Skin Wound Healing Process and New Emerging Technologies for Skin Wound Care and Regeneration. Pharmaceutics, 12.10.3390/pharmaceutics12080735 ↗
9. Advanced Therapeutic Dressings for Effective Wound Healing—A Review10.1002/jps.24610 ↗
10. Morphological study of burn wound healing with the use of collagen-chitosan wound dressing10.1007/s10517-013-2031-6 ↗
11. All-natural composite wound dressing films of essential oils encapsulated in sodium alginate with antimicrobial properties10.1016/j.ijpharm.2013.10.046 ↗
12. Current wound healing procedures and potential care10.1016/j.msec.2014.12.068 ↗
13. Transition from inflammation to proliferation: A critical step during wound healing10.1007/s00018-016-2268-0 ↗
14. Schilrreff, P., and Alexiev, U. (2022). Chronic Inflammation in Non-Healing Skin Wounds and Promising Natural Bioactive Compounds Treatment. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 23.10.3390/ijms23094928 ↗
15. Chronic wounds: Treatment consensus10.1111/wrr.12994 ↗
16. Huang, Y., and Kyriakides, T.R. (2020). The role of extracellular matrix in the pathophysiology of diabetic wounds. Matrix Biol. Plus, 6–7.10.1016/j.mbplus.2020.100037 ↗
17. A review on wound dressings with an emphasis on electrospun nanofibrous polymeric bandages10.1002/pat.1625 ↗
18. The history of wound care
19. Electrospun nanofibers as dressings for chronic wound care: Advances, challenges, and future prospects10.1002/mabi.201300561 ↗
20. Ribeiro, M., Simoes, M., Vitorino, C., and Mascarenhas-Melo, F. (2024). Hydrogels in Cutaneous Wound Healing: Insights into Characterization, Properties, Formulation and Therapeutic Potential. Gels, 10.10.3390/gels10030188 ↗
21. The properties of an “ideal” burn wound dressing--what do we need in daily clinical practice? Results of a worldwide online survey among burn care specialists10.1016/j.burns.2012.04.007 ↗
22. The ideal wound dressing—Beyond the ideal: A short comment on ‘Properties of an ideal burn dressing: A survey of burn survivors and front-line burn healthcare providers’ by T. Carta, J.P. Gawaziuk et al10.1016/j.burns.2018.11.023 ↗
23. Antibiotic Nanoparticles-Loaded Wound Dressings Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa’s Skin Infection: A Systematic Review10.2147/IJN.S469724 ↗
24. Brumberg, V., Astrelina, T., Malivanova, T., and Samoilov, A. (2021). Modern Wound Dressings: Hydrogel Dressings. Biomedicines, 9.10.3390/biomedicines9091235 ↗
25. Application of gentamicin-collagen sponge shortened wound healing time after minor amputations in diabetic patients—A prospective, randomised trial10.5114/aoms.2014.42580 ↗
26. Gao, Y., Zhang, X., and Jin, X. (2019). Preparation and Properties of Minocycline-Loaded Carboxymethyl Chitosan Gel/Alginate Nonwovens Composite Wound Dressings. Mar. Drugs, 17.10.3390/md17100575 ↗
27. Wound dressings: Curbing inflammation in chronic wound healing10.1042/ETLS20200346 ↗
28. Acute and impaired wound healing: Pathophysiology and current methods for drug delivery, part 2: Role of growth factors in normal and pathological wound healing: Therapeutic potential and methods of delivery10.1097/01.ASW.0000418541.31366.a3 ↗
29. Vitamin C in disease prevention and cure: An overview10.1007/s12291-013-0375-3 ↗
30. Nutrition and youthful skin10.1016/j.clindermatol.2021.05.007 ↗
31. The use of gauze: Will it ever change?10.1111/j.1742-4801.2006.00215.x ↗
32. A histological comparison of acute inflammatory responses with a hydrofibre or tulle gauze dressing10.12968/jowc.2002.11.3.26384 ↗
33. Trucillo, P., and Di Maio, E. (2021). Classification and Production of Polymeric Foams among the Systems for Wound Treatment. Polymers, 13.10.3390/polym13101608 ↗
34. Casado-Diaz, A., La Torre, M., Priego-Capote, F., Verdu-Soriano, J., Lazaro-Martinez, J.L., Rodriguez-Manas, L., Berenguer Perez, M., and Tunez, I. (2022). EHO-85: A Multifunctional Amorphous Hydrogel for Wound Healing Containing Olea europaea Leaf Extract: Effects on Wound Microenvironment and Preclinical Evaluation. J. Clin. Med., 11.10.3390/jcm11051229 ↗
35. Hydrocolloid dressing versus conventional wound care after dermatologic surgery10.1016/j.jdin.2021.11.002 ↗
36. Aderibigbe, B.A., and Buyana, B. (2018). Alginate in Wound Dressings. Pharmaceutics, 10.10.3390/pharmaceutics10020042 ↗
37. Modern collagen wound dressings: Function and purpose
38. Shi, C., Wang, C., Liu, H., Li, Q., Li, R., Zhang, Y., Liu, Y., Shao, Y., and Wang, J. (2020). Selection of Appropriate Wound Dressing for Various Wounds. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., 8.10.3389/fbioe.2020.00182 ↗
39. Drug delivery systems and materials for wound healing applications10.1016/j.addr.2018.04.008 ↗
40. Zhang, M., Xing, J., Zhong, Y., Zhang, T., Liu, X., and Xing, D. (2024). Advanced function, design and application of skin substitutes for skin regeneration. Mater. Today Bio, 24.10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100918 ↗
41. Vecin, N.M., and Kirsner, R.S. (2023). Skin substitutes as treatment for chronic wounds: Current and future directions. Front. Med., 10.10.3389/fmed.2023.1154567 ↗
42. Kondej, K., Zawrzykraj, M., Czerwiec, K., Deptula, M., Tyminska, A., and Pikula, M. (2024). Bioengineering Skin Substitutes for Wound Management-Perspectives and Challenges. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 25.10.3390/ijms25073702 ↗
43. Wang, S., Feng, Y.J., Jia, X.H., Ma, X.R., Chen, W.C., Yang, L.G., and Li, J.W. (2024). Cotton fiber-based dressings with wireless electrical stimulation and antibacterial activity for wound repair. Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 256.10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128496 ↗
44. Smandri, A., Nordin, A., Hwei, N.M., Chin, K.Y., Abd Aziz, I., and Fauzi, M.B. (2020). Natural 3D-Printed Bioinks for Skin Regeneration and Wound Healing: A Systematic Review. Polymers, 12.10.3390/polym12081782 ↗
45. Tavakoli, S., and Klar, A.S. (2020). Advanced Hydrogels as Wound Dressings. Biomolecules, 10.10.3390/biom10081169 ↗
46. Chitosan/Hyaluronic acid/Alginate and an assorted polymers loaded with honey, plant, and marine compounds for progressive wound healing-Know-how10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.07.067 ↗
47. Shu, W., Wang, Y., Zhang, X., Li, C., Le, H., and Chang, F. (2021). Functional Hydrogel Dressings for Treatment of Burn Wounds. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., 9.10.3389/fbioe.2021.788461 ↗
48. Oliveira, C., Sousa, D., Teixeira, J.A., Ferreira-Santos, P., and Botelho, C.M. (2023). Polymeric biomaterials for wound healing. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., 11.10.3389/fbioe.2023.1136077 ↗
49. Zhang, L., Yin, H., Lei, X., Lau, J.N.Y., Yuan, M., Wang, X., Zhang, F., Zhou, F., Qi, S., and Shu, B. (2019). A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Effectiveness and Safety of Hydrogel Dressings in the Management of Skin Wounds. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., 7.10.3389/fbioe.2019.00342 ↗
50. Froelich, A., Jakubowska, E., Wojtylko, M., Jadach, B., Gackowski, M., Gadzinski, P., Napierala, O., Ravliv, Y., and Osmalek, T. (2023). Alginate-Based Materials Loaded with Nanoparticles in Wound Healing. Pharmaceutics, 15.10.3390/pharmaceutics15041142 ↗
51. Calcium alginate/PNIPAAm hydrogel with body temperature response and great biocompatibility: Application as burn wound dressing10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.07.019 ↗
52. Barros, J., Ferraz, M.P., Azeredo, J., Fernandes, M.H., Gomes, P.S., and Monteiro, F.J. (2019). Alginate-nanohydroxyapatite hydrogel system: Optimizing the formulation for enhanced bone regeneration. Mater. Sci. Eng. C-Mater. Biol. Appl., 105.10.1016/j.msec.2019.109985 ↗
53. Alginate: Properties and biomedical applications10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2011.06.003 ↗
54. Pasaribu, K.M., Ilyas, S., Tamrin, T., Radecka, I., Swingler, S., Gupta, A., Stamboulis, A.G., and Gea, S. (2023). Bioactive bacterial cellulose wound dressings for burns with collagen in-situ and chitosan ex-situ impregnation. Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 230.10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.123118 ↗
55. Bacterial cellulose: A versatile biopolymer for wound dressing applications10.1111/1751-7915.13392 ↗
56. Sultankulov, B., Berillo, D., Sultankulova, K., Tokay, T., and Saparov, A. (2019). Progress in the Development of Chitosan-Based Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. Biomolecules, 9.10.3390/biom9090470 ↗
57. Ressler, A. (2022). Chitosan-Based Biomaterials for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications: A Short Review. Polymers, 14.10.3390/polym14163430 ↗
58. Proliferation and mineralization of bone marrow cells cultured on macroporous hydroxyapatite scaffolds functionalized with collagen type I for bone tissue regeneration10.1002/jbm.a.32600 ↗
59. Heparinized hydroxyapatite/collagen three-dimensional scaffolds for tissue engineering10.1007/s10856-010-4097-2 ↗
60. Collagen from Marine Sources and Skin Wound Healing in Animal Experimental Studies: A Systematic Review10.1007/s10126-020-10011-6 ↗
61. Collagen-based formulations for wound healing: A literature review10.1016/j.lfs.2021.120096 ↗
62. Petrovici, A.R., Anghel, N., Dinu, M.V., and Spiridon, I. (2023). Dextran-Chitosan Composites: Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties. Polymers, 15.10.3390/polym15091980 ↗
63. Ndlovu, S.P., Ngece, K., Alven, S., and Aderibigbe, B.A. (2021). Gelatin-Based Hybrid Scaffolds: Promising Wound Dressings. Polymers, 13.10.3390/polym13172959 ↗
64. Hyaluronic acid-Based wound dressings: A review10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116364 ↗
65. Development of silk fibroin/nanohydroxyapatite composite hydrogels for bone tissue engineering10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2015.03.056 ↗
66. Antibacterial silk fibroin/nanohydroxyapatite hydrogels with silver and gold nanoparticles for bone regeneration10.1016/j.nano.2016.08.026 ↗
67. Silk fibroin/nanohydroxyapatite hydrogels for promoted bioactivity and osteoblastic proliferation and differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells10.1016/j.msec.2018.04.034 ↗
68. Bioactive three-dimensional silk composite in vitro tumoroid model for high throughput screening of anticancer drugs10.1016/j.jcis.2021.01.010 ↗
69. Lignocellulosic biomass as renewable feedstock for biodegradable and recyclable plastics production: A sustainable approach10.1016/j.rser.2022.112130 ↗
70. Polymeric biomaterials-based tissue engineering for wound healing: A systemic review10.1093/burnst/tkac058 ↗
71. Engineering retinal pigment epithelial cells regeneration for transplantation in regenerative medicine using PEG/Gellan gum hydrogels10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.01.078 ↗
72. Electrospun poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) membranes with Ag nanoparticles for wound dressings: Production and characterization10.1016/j.jddst.2024.106303 ↗
73. Continuous Optical 3D Printing of Green Aliphatic Polyurethanes10.1021/acsami.6b12500 ↗
74. Heczko, D., Hachula, B., Maksym, P., Kaminski, K., Zieba, A., Orszulak, L., Paluch, M., and Kaminska, E. (2022). The Effect of Various Poly (-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) Polymers on the Crystallization of Flutamide. Pharmaceuticals, 15.10.3390/ph15080971 ↗
75. Principles of Wound Dressings: A Review
76. Management of chronic wounds in patients with pemphigus10.2147/CWCMR.S141948 ↗
77. Do Commonly Used Antimicrobial Topicals Facilitate Venous Leg Ulcer Healing?10.1097/01.ASW.0000926636.51805.d5 ↗
78. Silver. I: Its antibacterial properties and mechanism of action10.12968/jowc.2002.11.4.26389 ↗
79. Treating the chronic wound: A practical approach to the care of nonhealing wounds and wound care dressings10.1016/j.jaad.2007.08.048 ↗
80. MRI compatibility of silver based wound dressings10.1016/j.burns.2018.05.017 ↗
81. Wound dressings10.1136/bmj.332.7544.777 ↗
82. Povidone iodine in wound healing: A review of current concepts and practices10.1016/j.ijsu.2017.06.073 ↗
83. Practical use of povidone-iodine antiseptic in the maintenance of oral health and in the prevention and treatment of common oropharyngeal infections10.1111/ijcp.12707 ↗
84. Role of the antioxidant effect of vitamin e with vitamin C and topical povidone-iodine ointment in the treatment of burns
85. Cambiaso-Daniel, J., Boukovalas, S., Bitz, G.H., Branski, L.K., Herndon, D.N., and Culnan, D.M. (2018). Topical Antimicrobials in Burn Care: Part 1-Topical Antiseptics. Ann. Plast. Surg.10.1097/SAP.0000000000001297 ↗
86. Review on the efficacy, safety and clinical applications of polihexanide, a modern wound antiseptic10.1159/000318264 ↗
87. Guiomar, A.J., and Urbano, A.M. (2022). Polyhexanide-Releasing Membranes for Antimicrobial Wound Dressings: A Critical Review. Membranes, 12.10.20944/preprints202212.0048.v1 ↗
88. Recent advances on antimicrobial wound dressing: A review10.1016/j.ejpb.2018.02.022 ↗
89. Choosing a Wound Dressing Based on Common Wound Characteristics10.1089/wound.2014.0586 ↗
90. Barros, J., Monteiro, F.J., and Ferraz, M.P. (2022). Bioengineering Approaches to Fight against Orthopedic Biomaterials Related-Infections. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 23.10.3390/ijms231911658 ↗
91. Mupirocin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus: A systematic review and meta-analysis10.1016/j.jgar.2019.07.032 ↗
92. Specific non-peroxide antibacterial effect of manuka honey on the Staphylococcus aureus proteome10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2012.03.012 ↗
93. Therapeutic Review: Manuka Honey10.1053/j.jepm.2016.03.007 ↗
94. The antibacterial activities of honey10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.10.017 ↗
95. Case series of use of Manuka honey in leg ulceration10.1111/j.1742-4801.2005.00078.x ↗
96. Chouhan, S., Sharma, K., and Guleria, S. (2017). Antimicrobial Activity of Some Essential Oils-Present Status and Future Perspectives. Medicines, 4.10.3390/medicines4030058 ↗
97. Wound dressings coated with silver nanoparticles and essential oil of Labdanum10.1007/s13204-021-02040-x ↗
98. Nagmetova, G., Berthold-Pluta, A., Garbowska, M., Kurmanbayev, A., and Stasiak-Rozanska, L. (2020). Antibacterial Activity of Biocellulose with Oregano Essential Oil against Cronobacter Strains. Polymers, 12.10.3390/polym12081647 ↗
99. The efficacy of Aloe vera, tea tree oil and saliva as first aid treatment for partial thickness burn injuries10.1016/j.burns.2008.03.012 ↗
100. Yousefian, F., Hesari, R., Jensen, T., Obagi, S., Rgeai, A., Damiani, G., Bunick, C.G., and Grada, A. (2023). Antimicrobial Wound Dressings: A Concise Review for Clinicians. Antibiotics, 12.10.3390/antibiotics12091434 ↗