Wound Healing in the Golden Agers: What We Know and the Possible Way Ahead

Abstract

While "population aging" is an accomplishment that deserves acclamation, it is in itself a tremendous challenge. Age-related skin changes, impaired wound healing, and concurrent comorbidities are the deadly triad that contribute most to the development of nonhealing chronic wounds in the elderly. This imposes enormous medical, social, and financial burden. With the rising trend in the aging population, this problem is likely to exacerbate unless multidisciplinary, rapt wound care strategies are developed. The last decade was dedicated to understand the basic biology underlying the wound healing process but most in vitro and animal model studies translated poorly to human conditions. Forthcoming, the focus is on the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to improve healing in this vulnerable age group. Further, understanding the complex pathobiology of cellular senescence and wound healing process is required to develop focused therapy for these "problem wounds" in the elderly.