What are the three primary phases of wound healing?

• A. Inflammatory, Proliferative, Remodeling
• B. Acutes, Subacute, Chronic
• C. Hemostasis, Inflammation, Proliferation
• D. Primary, Secondary, Tertiary

Answer: (A)

Wound healing progresses through three overlapping phases: inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling.

The inflammatory phase is the immediate response to injury, aiming to stop bleeding and prevent infection. Blood vessels constrict briefly, then dilate to allow immune cells to enter. Neutrophils arrive first to clear debris and bacteria, followed by macrophages that continue cleaning and release signals that recruit other cells. This phase sets the stage for tissue formation and typically lasts a few days.

The proliferative phase focuses on rebuilt tissue. Granulation tissue forms, new blood vessels grow (angiogenesis), fibroblasts lay down collagen and other matrix components, and epithelial cells migrate across the wound surface to re‑epithelialize it. Wound contraction also helps close the gap. This phase generally spans roughly days 4 to 21.

The remodeling (maturation) phase involves realignment and remodeling of collagen fibers to increase tensile strength of the scar. Collagen type III is replaced by stronger type I, and overall strength increases gradually over weeks to months, sometimes up to a year or more. Nutrition, oxygen, infection control, and mechanical stress can influence how effectively this phase proceeds.

Other options describe different concepts: one lists broader timew frames rather than true healing phases, another places hemostasis as a separate phase alongside inflammation and proliferation, and another refers to wound closure methods (primary, secondary, tertiary) rather than the healing process itself.