Self-Assembled Nanomaterial-Based Wound Dressings for Cutaneous Wound Healing: A Structured Narrative Review

Self-assembled nanomaterial-based wound dressings are emerging platforms for cutaneous wound repair. These materials have been reported to provide antimicrobial activity, antibiofilm effects, hemostatic support, wound monitoring, and tissue-regenerative functions. This structured narrative review summarizes primary studies evaluating self-assembled or self-assembling nanoscale materials for cutaneous wound applications. A structured PubMed search was conducted on 9 June 2026 using predefined Boolean terms and PubMed filters for Free full text, English, Humans, and Other Animals. Eligible studies assessed a dressing, scaffold, hydrogel, film, patch, bandage, or topical biomaterial containing at least one nanoscale component and reported at least one wound-related outcome. Reviews, non-cutaneous wound studies, inaccessible full texts, and studies limited to synthesis or characterization without wound-related testing were excluded. The unfiltered search retrieved 367 records; after filters, 67 records were screened, and 23 primary studies were included. Five broad material groups were represented: self-assembling peptide systems, supramolecular small-molecule systems, polymer/polysaccharide/protein-based systems, nanocellulose-based systems, and hybrid nanocomposites. Most studies were preclinical: 17 combined in vitro testing with animal models, four were limited to in vitro or ex vivo models, and two were animal-only in vivo studies. No human clinical studies meeting the eligibility criteria were identified among the included studies. Overall, self-assembly provides a flexible design principle for multifunctional wound dressings, but the current evidence remains predominantly preclinical and requires further translational validation.