Hydrogel Applications in Treating Skin Diseases: A Gel-Based Approach to Dermatological Therapies

Hydrogels, owing to their biocompatibility, tunable physical properties, and ability to retain moisture, have emerged as promising materials for dermatological applications. These gel-based systems provide innovative solutions for the treatment of various skin diseases, including wounds, burns, eczema, psoriasis, and microbial infections. This review explores the properties of hydrogels, their mechanisms of action, and their applications in skin disease therapies. Additionally, challenges and future perspectives in hydrogel-based treatments are discussed to highlight their potential in advancing dermatological care. Patients frequently seek both inpatient and outpatient medical care for skin infections. Skin infections are affecting more and more individuals worldwide, and they have the potential to cause both physical and mental harm. Because skin infections can present with a wide range of symptoms, doctors must diagnose them aggressively and accurately in order to prescribe the right symptomatic antibiotics. The majority of the time, oral or topical anti-infective medications are used to treat skin infections. However, some of the traditional anti-infective medications have drawbacks, like low bioavailability, poor targeting efficiency, and poor water solubility, which can result in side effects, drug resistance, and poor efficacy. Therefore, the creation of novel materials for more efficient drug delivery systems should be the main focus of research goals. One extremely versatile family of medical materials that may find use in dermatology is hydrogel. A number of anti-infective hydrogel dressings have been developed and shown to somewhat increase the effectiveness and tolerance of topical or oral traditional anti-infective medications. This paper provides a valuable theoretical reference for future research on skin infection treatment choices by methodically reviewing the medicinal applications of hydrogels for the treatment of diverse skin infections.