ABSTRACT
Polymeric hydrogels exhibit unique physicochemical properties making them highly promising for application as dressing materials in wound management. This chapter considers physiological features of skin and wounds, presents classification of different wounds, and provides an overview of the mechanisms involved in wound healing process. It briefly discusses the classification of wound dressings and describes hydrogel-based products for wound care applications. All hydrogel products exhibit specific characteristics, such as very high absorption capacity, moisture donation capability, transparency, good mechanical properties and biocompatibility to ensure their best performance as wound dressings. Special attention in this chapter is paid to commercially-available hydrogel dressings and also to future hydrogel technologies.
