Understanding the Wound Healing Process

The healing process is a natural recovery response to damaged body tissues. Minor injuries can heal with self-care at home, but there are medical conditions that cause poor wound healing.

Injury injuries involve damage to body tissues and usually occur on the skin. The skin is the largest organ of the human body and plays a role in protecting the body against germs (viruses, fungi, bacteria). If the skin is injured, bacteria can easily enter the skin and cause infection.

Abrasion, puncture, wounds and burns are a type of wound. In addition, this operation also ranks the stitches on the wound. The most common causes of injuries are sharp objects, falls, scalded, and accidents.

How is the wound healing process?

The injury can heal itself through self-care at home. Regardless wound care can be done if the wound is not too deep, not in dangerous parts of the body, for example on the face, and the bleeding stops in a short time, about 10 minutes.

The wound healing process requires several steps, namely:

• inflammation of the steps

In the early stages of the wound healing process, blood vessels constrict to stop the bleeding. (Cells involved in platelet blood clotting) clots in wounds. After the clotting is complete, blood vessels dilate to drain blood into the wound. This is why hot sores, swelling and redness.
Then, white blood cells flood the area to prevent infection by killing bacteria and other microbes. White blood cells also produce chemicals that help repair damaged tissue. In addition, cells grow new skin and cover the wound area.

• Stage fibroblasts

This step is the step of scarring after injury. At this stage of wound healing, collagen begins to grow in the wound. Collagen is a protein fiber that gives strength to the skin. The presence of collagen pushes the edge of the wound to shrink and close. In addition, small blood vessels (capillaries) are formed in the wound to provide blood supply to the newly formed skin.

• maturation phase

Collagen production continues to grow so that the damaged tissue slowly recovers. The maturation process can take months or even years. Therefore during the scars fade.

In order for a wound to heal properly it needs proper care of the wound. If necessary, certain types of injuries may require bandages. After the damaged tissue is fully healed, the skin will be as strong as before the injury. However, the appearance of skin scars may differ from normal skin. Indeed, the skin consists of two proteins, namely collagen which gives strength to elastin and skin, giving skin elasticity. Scar, the skin cannot produce new elastin, so the scar is made entirely of collagen. The skin on the scar is stronger, but less flexible than the surrounding skin.


Specific conditions are difficult because they heal wounds

There are several conditions that cause poor wound healing, namely:

• bleeding

Bleeding, it's hard to close the wound, so it's hard to recover.

• foreign object

foreign bodies, including dead skin tissue, inhibit the wound healing process. Dirty cuts are also susceptible to infection by bacteria so the healing process can be interrupted. Therefore, it is important to properly clean the wounds and treat them.

• friction

Friction wounds with clothing can worsen the condition. It is recommended to use soft tissue and close the wound to avoid friction.

• age

Heal wounds tend to last longer in older adults.
malnutrition
nutritional deficiencies such as vitamin C, protein and iron, can inhibit the wound healing process.

• smoke

Research shows that the healing process of wounds in smokers is much longer and imperfect compared to nonsmokers. This is believed to be related to the effects of smoking which can disrupt white performance and disrupt blood cell flow, and high levels of toxins in the blood.

• the voltage

Physical and psychological stress have been shown to affect the inhibition of the wound healing process. This is believed to be related to the effect of stress on the small amount of oxygen in the blood so that the wound healing process becomes longer. Under stress, a person must also undergo more likely unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, the impact of contributing to wound healing.

• treatment

Injuries in patients undergoing dialysis procedures, chemotherapy, treatment with corticosteroids or blood thinning drugs, tend to be more difficult to cure.

• disease

The process of wound healing is greatly influenced by blood flow and the role of white blood cells in the immune system. blood-related diseases, such as anemia and vascular disease, can reduce blood supply to scar tissue which slows the recovery process.

Diabetes is a condition that causes wound healing. Injuries in diabetics tend to be more difficult to cure. Even minor injuries can get worse quickly and become a dangerous infection if not treated immediately. Foot injuries are the injuries that occur most often in people with diabetes. In severe cases, foot amputation must be done so that the infection does not spread.

the slow process of wound healing caused by high blood sugar levels. too high blood sugar decreases blood flow, inhibits cells from receiving nutrients and oxygen, disrupts the immune system and increases the risk of ignition. This condition will certainly slow down the healing process.

The time needed for a wound to fully heal depends on the state of the wound. The condition of the wound is large and deep and dirty, plus the healing process. If you experience a serious injury or bleeding from a non-stop wound, you should seek help from the wound to your doctor or health worker and get treatment at the hospital.

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