Researchers have found that human wounds heal significantly slower than those of other mammals, including chimpanzees. A study led by Japanese scientist Akiko Matsumoto-Oda compared wound healing rates among humans and several primate species.
The study involved four primate species: velvet monkeys, Sykes’ monkeys, olive baboons, and chimpanzees. The researchers created wounds on each animal’s skin, covered them with antibiotic ointment, and measured the rate of healing. They found that human wounds healed at a rate of 0.61 millimeters per day, while primate wounds healed at a much faster rate of approximately 1.97 millimeters per day.
The study suggests that humans may have evolved to lose body hair, which could be linked to slower wound healing rates. Higher hair density in other mammals leads to an increase in stem cells, promoting faster healing. In contrast, human skin has less hair density, resulting in slower healing times. The researchers also found that chimpanzees healed wounds at the same rate as other primates, suggesting that humans’ slowed wound healing evolved from our common ancestor with chimpanzees.
Source: https://unn.ua/en/news/human-wounds-heal-three-times-longer-than-in-primates-research