Nutrition an important factor in wound healing, diet management, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, copper, selenium, antioxidants, micronutrients, iron, Dr Alexander, plastic surgeon, cosmetic surgeon, cochin, Kochi, Kerala, India +

For any tissue or body cell to repair and heal- proteins are needed. Amino acids (proline, glycine, lysine, etc) the building blocks for proteins are extremely crucial for cell function and repair. For repairing the cell wall fatty acids are needed. Carbohydrates are needed to provide energy for the regular metabolic processes that take place. High protein and high calorie diets can be tailored and provided by the nutritionist to enhance the wound healing. Vitamins and minerals play a great role in many chemical reactions that occur during various body metabolic processes and in wound healing.
For example,
Vitamin A (retinoic acid) – important for collagen production and epithelisation (surface cell growth).
Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) – antioxidant that destroys free radicals and helps healing.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) – Helps collagen formation
Iron, copper – helps collagen formation.
Zinc- zinc is a constituent of many enzymes treated for wound healing as well as it is a potent antioxidant.

  

Antioxidants usually are reducing agents and examples include: superoxide dismutase, catalase,  peroxidasesglutathione, vitamin C, vitamin A,  vitamin E etc. Antioxidants are substances that inhibit the oxidation process induced by other substances. Oxidation reactions can be detrimental at the cellular level since they can produce free radicals which can damage the cell and lead to cell death. Antioxidants stop these processes by removing the free radicals. Antioxidants can help the healing processes that are required to heal complex wounds.

If the patient has anemia (low hemoglobin), this will affect the oxygen carrying capacity of blood and the wound will get less oxygen resulting in poor healing. Albumin is another protein in the blood that is important for wound healing. Low levels of albumin can be detrimental to the wound healing process and should be corrected.

In a patient with a non healing wound these factors need to be treated aggressively as they all contribute to non- healing.