Cellulose and Its Derivatives-Based Skin Dressings: Design, Smart Advances and Applications

This review explores the potential of cellulose and its derivatives in developing advanced skin dressings, emphasizing their biocompatibility, structural modifiability, and biomimetic properties. Cellulose-based materials, such as films, nanofibrous scaffolds, hydrogels, and aerogels, are highlighted for their applications in wound healing, infection control, and tissue regeneration. The review discusses smart responsive systems that adapt to microenvironmental conditions, enhancing drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy. Innovations include functionalization with antimicrobial agents, integration of clay nanoplatelets for controlled drug release, and the development of multi-responsive systems for precise drug release. Despite significant laboratory progress, challenges remain in clinical translation, including production standardization and long-term safety evaluation. The review underscores the need for large-scale human clinical trials and future research to integrate multiple responses and develop AI-based systems to enhance clinical applications.