Hair cycling and wound healing: to pluck or not to pluck?

The incidence of nonhealing wounds (diabetic foot, pressure, venous, and arterial ulcers) is reaching epidemic proportions, underscoring the need for new treatment modalities. Understanding hair follicle biology and its potential to accelerate wound healing may offer new treatment strategies. In this issue, Ansell et al. show that wounds on anagen skin heal faster than those on telogen skin, suggesting that hair cycle stages may influence healing outcome.