Impairments to wound healing.

Impaired wound healing is a complication faced by all physicians, regardless of their field of practice. Plastic surgeons are frequently called on to help treat patients who fail to heal properly. Therefore, plastic surgeons must be well versed in the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that can impair wound healing, such as nutrition, drugs, radiation, smoking, and hypoxia. Only by limiting detrimental factors can wound healing progress in a beneficial fashion.