Insight into Topical Preparations for Wound Healing: Traditional and Modern Dressings

The authors conducted an extensive literature search of the Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. Published studies and original articles published in reputed peer-reviewed journals reporting original research were considered. Different wound dressings show different properties and may have different applications depending on the types of wounds. Traditional wound dressings (like gauze), mainly used for clean and dry wounds with mild exudate, are cheap and affordable, however, they suffer from many limitations; including adherence to the skin, pain in removal, contamination with bacteria, and other obstacles. On the other hand, modern dressings have many advantages, such as the fact that they do not adhere to the wound, they are easily removed, and many other advantages. The introduction of nanotechnology in the field has accelerated the discovery and the applications, and many new pharmaceutical products for wound treatment will enter the market soon. Therefore, evaluating the advantages and limitations of different types of dressings and determining a suitable type of wound dressing to be applied is crucial. This article aims to explain the different types of wound healing agents or dressings available to treat acute or chronic wounds.