Cellulose-Based Hydrogels for Chronic Wound Healing: Bridging Biomaterial Design and Clinical Unmet Needs

Chronic wounds remain a persistent clinical challenge, trapped in a cycle of inflammation, infection, and impaired healing. While traditional dressings offer basic protection, they fail to address the complex pathophysiology of non-healing wounds. This review critically examines cellulose-based hydrogels as next-generation therapeutic platforms, analyzing their structure–property relationships, biofunctionalization strategies, and stimuli-responsive capabilities. We synthesize recent advances in antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and pro-regenerative hydrogels, highlighting how cellulose’s inherent tunability enables precision wound management. Finally, we confront the translational barriers—including scalability, sterilization, and regulatory hurdles—that must be overcome to bridge the gap between promising biomaterial research and clinical reality. By integrating materials science with wound pathophysiology, this review provides a roadmap for developing clinically viable cellulose-based hydrogels.