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Wound Healing & Growth Factors
Most wounds heal on their own, but some — such as diabetic or pressure ulcers — are slow to heal. Growth-factor and regenerative dressings can help selected wounds, alongside proven wound care.
Causes & risk factors
- Diabetes (poor circulation and nerve damage)
- Poor blood supply to the legs
- Pressure sores from limited movement
- Infection in the wound
- Some medicines and poor nutrition
- Smoking (slows healing)
Common symptoms
- A wound that does not heal over weeks
- Increasing redness, swelling or discharge
- Surrounding skin changes
- Fever (suggests infection)
- Increasing pain or a bad smell from the wound
Tests & diagnosis
- Wound examination and measurement
- Swab if infection is suspected
- Blood sugar / HbA1c in diabetes
- Circulation tests for leg wounds
Treatment & management
- Proven wound care first — cleaning, dressings, pressure relief
- Treating the underlying cause (diabetes, circulation, infection)
- Good nutrition and stopping smoking to aid healing
- Growth-factor and regenerative dressings can help selected wounds
- Specialist wound clinics for complex or non-healing wounds
When to see a doctor urgently
- A wound that is not healing after a couple of weeks
- Spreading redness, swelling, discharge or fever
- Any wound in someone with diabetes or poor circulation
Frequently asked questions
Why is my wound not healing?
Slow healing often has an underlying cause — such as diabetes, poor circulation, pressure or infection. Finding and treating that cause is usually more important than any single dressing.
Do growth-factor treatments really help?
For certain hard-to-heal wounds, some regenerative dressings and growth-factor products can help as part of good wound care. They are not a cure-all, and standard wound care and treating the cause come first.
Explore more
Sources & further reading
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- MedlinePlus — U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Reviewed by Dr. Sanjay Anbu, MBBS. MedDroid is an AI medical assistant and can make mistakes. It provides general health information, not a diagnosis or medical advice — always consult a qualified clinician. In an emergency, contact your local emergency number immediately.