Copper Dressings as part of the armamentarium in the fight against wounds – much more than an antimicrobial

Abstract

Copper plays a critical role in all wound-healing processes. Examples of these include stimulation of angiogenesis, dermal  fibroblasts proliferation, and secretion of extracellular matrix proteins and their cross-linking. Copper furthermore has potent wide-spectrum antimicrobial properties. These two key properties of copper endow this mineral as an excellent active ingredient to be used in the effective treatment of both acute and chronic wounds with or without infection. These dressings directly stimulate wound-healing processes, at all wound healing stages, from skin rupture to skin closure and seem to have endless possibilities within the wound management armamentarium. This review will highlight the mode of action of copper and how it could be utilised as a valuable resource in treating hard-to-heal wounds.