State of the Art in Topical Wound-Healing Products

Chronic wounds represent a significant medical burden. Such wounds fail to normally progress through the stages of healing, often complicated by a proinflammatory milieu caused by increased proteinases, hypoxia, and bacterial burden. As a result, several modalities, such as dressings, antimicrobials, growth factors, and human skin substitutes, have been devised in an attempt to correct the chronic wound environment. This review addresses these modalities with a focus on evidence and randomized controlled trials. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 127 (Suppl.): 44S, 2011.)