An apparatus structured to contact external tissue, such as skin, of a user includes a portion that has a component, which is effective to stimulate keratinocytes in the skin of the user. The portion is structured to directly or indirectly engage the external tissue. The portion can include a coating applied to a surface of the apparatus or, alternately, the portion can include a piece or part of the apparatus that has the component incorporated in its material composition. In one implementation, the component is an agonist of olfactory receptors which are expressed by skin cells, and the component is effective to stimulate the skin cells for enhanced wound healing.
