If a wound has not begun to heal within 2 weeks, or has not completely healed in 6 weeks, a visit to a wound care clinic may be in order. Some wounds can take months to heal, while some wounds never completely heal. Commonly, when a wound occurs, red blood cells create collagen, which are white fibers that begin to form new tissue, called granulation tissue. New skin then begins to form over this tissue, and as the wound heals, the wound gets smaller as the edges pull inward. Dead skin and foreign materials can interfere with the healing process. If an infection occurs, the body works to fight the infection, rather than heal the wound. Some people are at a greater risk of non-healing wounds, which include those with diabetes, anemia, cancer, heart disease, varicose veins, or other long-term health conditions. Wound care clinics are medical facilities for treating wounds that do not heal. At a wound care clinic appointment, a doctor will examine and measure the wound, and determine what kind of a wound a person has. The most common wounds are described as follows: Abrasion – A minor wound with minimal bleeding. Puncture wound – May or may not bleed, possible internal damage. Laceration – A deep cut in the skin, with usually heavy bleeding. Avulsion – Wound involves the removal of tissue, usually heavy bleeding. Each wound type will require different types of care and management in order to heal properly, and all involve four primary stages of healing. If the healing process gets stuck at any of the four stages, the wound is considered chronic and will likely require advanced wound treatment. The first stage of the process is immediate and called hemostasis, which is when blood clotting occurs to close off the wound and decrease blood loss. The second stage is inflammation, which also occurs immediately, and is the beginning of the healing process. Next is the proliferative stage, which involves the creation of new tissue, and the skin begins to heal and the wound size decreases. The final stage is maturation, when the wound fully heals, and the skin begins to return to normal.