Wrist Injury

Understanding the Stages of Wound Healing

By Gladiator Therapeutics

January 17, 2020

Wounds can be as simple as a paper cut to as severe as a traumatic fall resulting in injury or a surgical incision. No matter the severity of your wound, the body undergoes the same process to heal your body.

There are four stages of the wound healing process.

Hemostasis

We understand hemostasis as, “the physiological process that stops bleeding at the site of an injury while maintaining normal blood flow elsewhere in the circulation.” During this process, we also begin to see the clotting process take place to stop the blood flow.

Clotting

The body creates a blood clot to stop the bleeding and prevent too much blood loss. This type of clotting also creates scabs. While you may be tempted to pick or itch a scab–don’t! This is the first indicator that healing is taking place.

There are four phases to the clotting process:

  1. Blood vessels narrow around the wound which helps the bleeding stop.
  2. Platelets clump together to block the wound.
  3. It’s time for blood glue, also known as fibrin. This clotting agent creates a barrier to hold the platelet in place and create a scab.
  4. Finally, inflammation begins and cleaning and healing takes place.

Remember, seeing clear fluid in the wound or around its edges is okay. This signifies that the rebuilding process is beginning.

Growth and Proliferative

When your body has signaled that the wound is clean, regrowth can begin. Red blood cells will enter the wound like your own little army to rebuild the area. As the cells rebuild, you may notice the area being red, a raised scar building. Don’t worry, this will (in most cases) fade and fall flatter to your skin.

Strengthening

In this stage also known as maturation, your wound may look completely healed or just pink and itchy to you. But healing is still happening under the surface.

It’s important your body reaches every phase of the healing process. If it does not, the result can be chronic wounds which are wounds that have not healed for more than six weeks since the injury occurred.

With chronic wounds impacted the daily life of millions of Americans, understanding what treatment options are available is imperative. Such healing alternatives include:

  • Wound dressings
  • Compression stockings or bandages
  • Antibiotics
  • Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
  • Electromagnetic therapy
  • Vacuum-assisted closure therapy

Another way to improve your chances of healing is to use far infrared technology. How does it work? By using technology such as that found in The Gladiator Therapeutics Far Infrared Device, for just 30 minutes at a time, vital blood flow will be stimulated, increasing your circulation. And, as we’ve learned, inflammation is part of the healing process.

NOTE: Content included here is not medical advice, and only is intended as information for adults. Always consult with your health care professional before making changes to diet, exercise, medication, or before use of any product or device.