The epidermis is the primary interface between marine animals and the environment and serves as a critical barrier against pathogenic infection when healthy. Sharks are able to resist epidermal infection despite frequent injuries to the epidermis, but the mechanisms they utilize are not yet understood. We sampled the epidermis of 64 pelagic sharks (Carcharhinus galapagensis n = 24, Carcharhinus plumbeus n = 18, Carcharhinus obscurus n = 9, Galeocerdo cuvier n = 13) near Norfolk Island in the southwest pacific. Wounded epidermis samples (n = 4) had high numbers of viral particles and fewer bacteria, suggesting bacteriophages (viruses which infect bacteria) are involved in the healing process. To investigate the healing role of bacteriophages, we swabbed healthy and wounded epidermal microbiomes of captive Port Jackson sharks (Heterodontus portusjacksoni, n = 10) at week-long intervals as they healed from surgical incisions. Viral and bacterial counts were estimated using flow cytometry. Viral abundance correlated with bacterial abundance in both healthy and injured epidermis, suggesting viral populations were bacteriophages. Wounded epidermis exhibited higher viral abundance than healthy epidermis, while bacterial populations remained similar across treatments. These results indicate the potential for bacteriophage-mediated wound healing mechanisms in shark skin.