Recent progress in polymeric biomaterials and their potential applications in skin regeneration and wound care management

In the last few decades, the development of biocompatible polymeric materials for biomedical applications has advanced significantly, which is of utmost necessity for skin regeneration and wound management. Nowadays, natural and synthetic based polymers are more favorable in the management of wound care and possess encouraging properties compared to conventional treatment which include grafting (autografts, allografts and xenografts), but due to its limitations such as lack of skin donor sites, immune rejection and immunological response, thus not act as an appropriate skin substitute in dermal regeneration. The current review highlights the recent advancement in the field of biopolymeric materials (single or in combination) and the various types of dressings used in dermal regeneration and wound management. Moreover, we also summarise the various biopolymer materials accompanying its commercially available wound dressings, their uniqueness, advantages, and disadvantages, and suggest how to overcome the problems associated with individual biopolymers and produce a perfect wound dressing with superior mechanical and cellular characteristics. This review will provide current knowledge in the research of biomaterials used for dermal regeneration and in wound management, including their limitations. We also believed that understanding the correctness of biomaterials for skin regeneration would enable us to provide the best wound dressings based on their specific applications.