Wound Healing Stages

Wound healing is a dynamic process consisting of complex series of events. Damaged cellular structures and tissue layers are restored during different stages of wound healing. The process begins at the moment of injury and may continue for months to years. You are expected to treat open wounds in a very careful way; as the wound may catch an infection, leading to complications.

Different Stages of Wound Healing

Wounds usually affect the outer most skin layer 'epidermis'. Wounds can be experienced in hundreds of different situations. Healing would be slow or fast, depending upon the cause and type of wounds and upon your physical fitness. For instance, elevated blood sugar levels can slow down the healing process. Ordinary scrapes, burns, lacerations, punctures and cuts are mended fast. Wounds are treated differently, depending upon the severity and type of wound. The healing process is divided into four wound healing stages.

The Inflammatory Phase
The inflammatory phase begins with the injury itself. You must have noticed that the wound starts bleeding in the first phase. The blood vessels start narrowing right away. At the same time, small clots are formed at the site of the wound. Certain chemical substances produced by the body, are released right into the wound for the healing process to begin. Some special cells complete the task of clearing the debris from the wound.

The Proliferative Phase
During the proliferative phase, formation of cell latticework or matrix accumulation can be observed. New skin cells and new blood vessels are formed on the matrix formation. Newly formed blood vessels are responsible for the pink or red color of the wound. These newly formed blood vessels, known as capillaries, provide nutrients and oxygen to the rebuilding cells. Thus, new cells grow. Proteins, mainly collagen is supplied by the body which functions like a support for new tissue formations.

The Remodeling Phase
The remodeling phase begins some days after the injury. By the time, collagen is better organized at the site and the tissues are strengthened by collagen. As the blood vessels become less dense, the wound loses its pink color. As the injured area becomes strong, the wound heals up to 70% of the original skin.

Epithelialization
Epithelialization involves the laying down of epithelial cells for the formation of new skin. Among the four stages of wound healing, this is the last stage, during which skin forms a protective barrier between the body and its outer environment. This barrier protects the wound from bacterial infection and excessive loss of water. This stage begins within a few hours from the injury. In the end, you can see a clean skin over the wound.

An open wound takes more time to heal (7 to 10 days) as the inflammatory phase is extended. This generally leads to scarring. Scarring occurs only when the injury goes deep into the skin layers and reaches the dermis layer of the skin. Deep cuts are required during surgery or deep wounds can be observed in cases of burns also. Healing stages of surgical wounds or deep wounds involve more wound care and may require intake of antibiotics too. Small wounds are taken care of with first aid but deep wounds or surgical wounds require proper medication and care as they take more time to heal. Skin grafts may also be needed, depending upon the situation. As deep wounds are closed with stitches or staples, wound care is important for avoiding infections or wound dehiscence. The internal stitches dissolve automatically but the external stitches are removed by the doctors. These days, dissolvable external stitches are usually used.

Age, bad diet, infection, hemorrhage, medical conditions like diabetes, anemia, etc. influence the wound healing stages. Dressing keeps the wound warm and promotes fast healing. You should consult your physician in case of pus, bleeding, increased pain or fever, as these can lead to complicated situations. Take care!