Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2010 Sep;43(Suppl):S23-8.
doi: 10.4103/0970-0358.70712.

Biologic and synthetic skin substitutes: An overview

Affiliations

Biologic and synthetic skin substitutes: An overview

Ahmad Sukari Halim et al. Indian J Plast Surg. 2010 Sep.

Abstract

The current trend of burn wound care has shifted to more holistic approach of improvement in the long-term form and function of the healed burn wounds and quality of life. This has demanded the emergence of various skin substitutes in the management of acute burn injury as well as post burn reconstructions. Skin substitutes have important roles in the treatment of deep dermal and full thickness wounds of various aetiologies. At present, there is no ideal substitute in the market. Skin substitutes can be divided into two main classes, namely, biological and synthetic substitutes. The biological skin substitutes have a more intact extracellular matrix structure, while the synthetic skin substitutes can be synthesised on demand and can be modulated for specific purposes. Each class has its advantages and disadvantages. The biological skin substitutes may allow the construction of a more natural new dermis and allow excellent re-epithelialisation characteristics due to the presence of a basement membrane. Synthetic skin substitutes demonstrate the advantages of increase control over scaffold composition. The ultimate goal is to achieve an ideal skin substitute that provides an effective and scar-free wound healing.

Keywords: Skin substitute; biological dressing; burn.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

References

    1. Shores JT, Gabriel A, Gupta S. Skin substitutes and alternatives: a review. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2007;20:493–508. - PubMed
    1. Shakespeare P, Shakespeare V. Survey: use of skin substitute materials in UK burn treatment centres. Burns. 2002;28:295–7. - PubMed
    1. Sheridan RL, Moreno C. Skin substitutes in burns. Burns. 2001;27:92. - PubMed
    1. Kumar P. Classification of skin substitutes. Burns. 2008;34:148–9. - PubMed
    1. Khoo TL, Halim AS, Saad AZ, Dorai AA. The application of glycerol-preserved skin allograft in the treatment of burn injuries: An analysis based on indications. Burns; 2010;36:897–904. - PubMed