Table 1.

Classification of wound dressings according to their physical form.

Dressings Material Form	Materials/Polymers	Bioactives	Results	Limitations	References
Bandages	Cotton wool; gauze cotton with polymers as PCL	Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory agents	Primary and secondary dressings	Discomfort during dressing changes, poor adhesive properties, and low drainage level for the wound	[37]
Lyophilized wafers	Synthetic polymers: PU	Antibiotics and growth factors	Adhesive dressings	Quite fragile, difficulty in application, lack of flexibility	[142]
Hydrogels	Natural and synthetic polymers capable of creating tridimensional network: PEG, chitosan, PVA, PVP	Antimicrobial agents and several actives	Secondary dressings in the form of insoluble aqueous gels facilitated autolytic debridement, protecting against desiccation and creating an environment conducive to effective wound healing	Limited absorption capacity, need to be reapplied relatively frequently, low mechanical strength	[78,79,80,87,92,96,98,109,121,127,153]
Films	A translucent, typically PU, thin film	Antimicrobial agents	Moist environment. Waterproof and transparent Semi-permeable to oxygen and water vapor while effectively blocking liquids and bacterial contamination, eliminating the need for an additional dressing	Insufficient mechanical strength, removal can be painful, limited absorption of odor and exudate	[56,91,145,154]
Patches	Combination of biomaterials: chitosan, cellulose, HA, PVA, PCL	Antiseptics such as AgNPs and other agents as polyhexamethylene biguanide, gold NPs, bacitracin, and metronidazole. Antioxidant agents isolated from plants such as Bletilla striata, Calendula officinalis	Possessing therapeutic attributes such as adhesion, absorption, mechanical support, and robustness within a multi-layered structure	Can be occlusive thus trapping moisture against the wound, limited exudate management capabilities, allergic reactions to the adhesive used in patches	[146]
Scaffolds	Natural and synthetic polymers such as chitosan, PVA, and surfactants.	Active drugs such as anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, and antiseptics.	Primary and secondary dressings designed to replicate the characteristics of the skin, effectively acting as skin mimics or pseudo-skin	Difficulty in application, can provide surfaces where bacteria can colonize, increasing the risk of infection	[62,67,85,102,155]
Hydrocolloids	Gel with agents such as elastomers, Gelatine, pectin, and adhesive elements	Local anesthetics as lidocaine	Occlusive dressings. Used in dried, black eschars and for grade 1 and 2 pressure ulcers and moisture lesions	Do not absorb blood or bacterial infection, do not promote autolytic debridement, difficulty in removal	[150]
Foam dressing	Hydrophilic PU	Antimicrobials and other actives to form a barrier from microorganisms	Utilized for wounds with moderate to high drainage levels, these dressings are exceptionally absorbent, offering cushioning, protection, and conformability to various body contours. Their absorbent nature reduces the need for frequent replacement, while their easy removal adds to their convenience	Limited adhesion to dry wound surfaces, might saturate quickly if the wound has very high exudate levels, skin irritation or allergic reactions to the adhesive or foam material used in these dressings	[134,135]
Sponges	Hydrophilic natural and synthetic polymers such as cellulose, collagen, sodium alginate, PVA or PEG	Antimicrobial or hemostatic bioactive molecules	Used to absorb exudate or blood and to clean the wound	Poor mechanical property, variable absorption capacity, “macrosponge” formation, do not maintain a controlled-moisture environment	[57]
Membranes	Chitosan, alginate, PVA	Antimicrobial or growth factors encapsulated	Used for non-adherent wound, secondary damage, and injury without scarless wound healing	Limited adsorption, might not conform well to wounds with deep crevices or irregular shapes, might not make full contact with the wound bed	[73,90]
Fibers	Cellulose	Antibacterial agents	Tissues engineered	Poor mechanical properties, easy to saturate thus requiring frequent dressing changes, variable absorption capacity	[69,70,128,156]