Objective To review the research progress of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) in skin wound healing. Methods The recent experiments and clinical studies on the role of ADSCs in skin wound healing were extensively retrieved and analyzed. Additionally, possible mechanisms and novel application strategies were proposed. Results As confirmed by in vitro and in vivo experiments and clinical studies, ADSCs promote skin wound healing mainly by two mechanisms: differentiation to target cells that participate in skin wound healing and cytokines paracrine to promote proliferation and migration of various cell lines that are mandatory to promote skin wound healing. Moreover, scaffold materials and cell sheet technology may further add to the potency of ADSCs in promoting skin wound healing. Conclusion Remarkable progress has been made in the application of ADSCs in skin wound healing. Further studies are needed to explore the application methods of ADSCs.