If you’ve ever had a cut on your skin and watched as it slowly repaired itself and was replaced by new skin, then you have already observed the process of wound repair. Wound repair, which is sometimes called wound healing, is a biological process during which the body repairs itself after an injury. Wound repair takes place within the skin, but in many other organs as well.
A wound is repaired in three phases: the inflammatory phase, the proliferative phase, and the remodeling phase. It is important to note that these phases overlap. Some people believe that there is a fourth phase which comes before the inflammatory phase. This phase is the hemostasis phase, which is the period of time when the blood clots to stop active bleeding from the wound.
In the inflammatory phase of wound repair, bacteria and any foreign matter that has entered the wound are fought off by the white blood cells in the blood. This process is meant to decrease the risk of infection. However, depending on the strength and amount of bacteria that enters the wound, infection may still occur.
The proliferative phase is the phase during which the skin or organ that has been affected by the wound begins to rebuild itself. New tissue and blood vessels are formed. Collagen is also deposited in the affected area. In this phase, the wound begins to contract and the skin or organ that is being repaired begins to return to its normal size.
In the remodeling phase, the collagen that was deposited in the wound is remodeled. This is when the area that was wounded begins to look more like it did before the injury or incision. However, depending on the severity of the wound, the affected area may never look exactly as it did prior to the injury. A finger that sustained a paper cut, for example, may look exactly as it did once the wound has been repaired. A more serious injury like a deep scrape, however, might result in a scar.
The process of wound repair is very fragile. If a wound is reopened or exposed to bacteria, the process may be interrupted or compromised. It is for this very reason that it is recommended to protect wounds by using clean bandages and to have a medical professional assess any large wound or wound that seems to be infected or otherwise compromised.
