The impact of psychological stress has been the subject of controversy for many years, with its true impact yet to be clearly delineated. Two seminal theories laid the  oundation of our current understanding of the impact of stress on wound healing and form the basis for many clinical investigations. Challenges associated with the study of stress and wound healing include differences in definitions as well as pragmatic challenges quantifying stress. This article critically discusses the original theories related to stress and physical health in the context of wound healing, as well as contemporary evidence indicating the impact of stress on the normal wound healing response.