Progress and Application of Multifunctional Hydrogel in Radioactive Skin Injury

Abstract

Abstract Radiation combined wound injury (RCWI) presents significant healing challenges due to radiation‐induced immune suppression, organ dysfunction, and disruption of growth factors and extracellular matrix dynamics. Conventional dressings like gauze are inadequate for these complex injuries. Hydrogels have emerged as a promising solution for radiation‐induced skin and mucosal injuries, offering superior mechanical strength, cell‐regeneration support, and multifunctional biochemical properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, and adhesive capabilities. They create a moist, biocompatible environment that promotes cell proliferation, migration, and tissue repair, while enabling sustained drug delivery, free radical scavenging, inflammation suppression, and Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA） repair. Despite their potential, a systematic comparison of wound dressings for radiation injuries remains lacking. This review addresses this gap by focusing on multifunctional hydrogels as supportive matrices and therapeutic enhancers, exploring radiation‐impaired healing mechanisms, highlighting hydrogel advancements, and comparing their efficacy in common versus radiation‐induced wounds. It also provides future research directions and clinical practice insights, emphasizing the potential of hydrogels in RCWI treatment. By bridging current knowledge gaps, this review aims to guide future research and improve clinical practices in radiology and trauma medicine.

Keywords

• anti‐inflammatory
• antimicrobial
• hydrogel dressings
• ionizing radiation
• wound healing