Wound closure represents a primary goal in the treatment of very deep and/or large wounds, for which the mortality rate is
particularly high. However, the spontaneous healing of adult skin eventually results in the formation of epithelialized scar and scar
contracture (repair), which might distort the tissues and cause lifelong deformities and disabilities. This clinical evidence suggests
that wound closure attained by means of skin regeneration, instead of repair, should be the true goal of burn wound management.
The traditional concept of temporary wound dressings, able to stimulate skin healing by repair, is thus being increasingly replaced
by the idea of temporary scaff olds, or regenerative templates, able to promote healing by regeneration. As wound dressings, polymeric
hydrogels provide an ideal moisture environment for healing while protecting the wound, with the additional advantage of
being comfortable to the patient, due to their cooling eff ect and non-adhesiveness to the wound tissue. More importantly, recent
advances in regenerative medicine demonstrate that bioactive hydrogels can be properly designed to induce at least partial skin
regeneration in vivo. The aim of this review is to provide a concise insight on the key properties of hydrogels for skin healing and
regeneration, particularly highlighting the emerging role of hydrogels as next generation skin substitutes for the treatment of fullthickness
burns.