Human Wounds Heal Slower Than Those of Other Primates, Study Reveals

Swift Summary

• Human wounds heal about three times slower than injuries of other mammals, including chimpanzees.
• A study led by Akiko Matsumoto-Oda observed healing rates across four non-human primate species: velvet monkeys, Sykes’ monkeys, olive baboons, and chimpanzees.

– Their wounds healed at a rate of approximately 0.61 millimeters per day.- In comparison, humans healed at about 0.25 millimeters per day after skin tumor surgery.

• Research on mice and rats showed similar healing rates as the non-human primates.
• Findings suggest humans evolved slower wound healing after diverging from their common ancestor with chimpanzees.
• Slower healing might potentially be linked to evolutionary adaptations such as reduced body hair in humans; higher hair density is associated with increased stem cells aiding quicker recovery.
• Social mechanisms like medical care and food sharing may act as compensatory factors for the disadvantages of slowed human healing.

Image: Lesions close up quicker if you’re a chimpanzee than a person (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

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