What is the third phase of tissue healing?

• A. Remodeling phase (2 weeks to 6 months)
• B. Maturation phase
• C. Proliferative phase (2 days to 2 weeks)
• D. Inflammatory phase

Answer: (A)

In tissue healing, after the initial inflammation and the growth of new tissue during the proliferative phase, the wound enters the remodeling phase. This stage reshapes and strengthens the scar by organizing the collagen fibers along the direction of mechanical stress. It typically starts around two weeks after injury and can continue for several months, even up to six months or longer. During remodeling, collagen type III laid down earlier is replaced by the stronger type I collagen, vascularity decreases, and the scar becomes more organized and less cellular, gradually increasing tensile strength. Some sources refer to this late stage as maturation, but the standard term used for the third phase in most curricula is remodeling.