The development of functional wound dressings has progressed from simple passive barriers into active therapeutic tools for regulating the wound microenvironment and stimulating tissue regeneration. In this article, we evaluate the application effects of functional dressings on postoperative wound repair by analyzing their mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy, and comparison against conventional dressings. Functional dressings, including antimicrobial, anti‑inflammatory, analgesic, pro‑healing, and regenerative dressings, show remarkable clinical benefits in various surgical settings. Clinical studies demonstrate significant reduction in surgical site infection rates using functional dressings, faster wound healing, improved cosmetic outcome, and enhanced patient quality of life. These results highlight the critical role of functional dressings as an essential component of modern postoperative wound management strategies. We discuss issues related to practical implementation, cost-effectiveness, and emerging technologies that hold great promise to further augment their therapeutic potential.