A Drug-Free, Hair Follicle Cycling Regulatable, Separable, Antibacterial Microneedle Patch for Hair Regeneration Therapy

July 2022 in “ Advanced healthcare materials/Advanced Healthcare Materials ”

Yan Shi, Jiaxuan Zhao, Hu Li, Miao Yu, Wenxue Zhang, Di Qin, Kaijin Qiu, Xiguang Chen, Ming Kong

TLDR A drug-free microneedle patch significantly promotes hair growth and prevents infections.

The study presents a drug-free microneedle patch for hair regeneration therapy, utilizing chitosan lactate (CL) and exosomes (EXO) from adipose-derived stem cells. The patch, upon insertion, dissolves its hyaluronic acid substrate quickly, leaving behind polyvinyl alcohol needles that release EXO to activate dermal papilla cells (DPCs) via the Wnt signaling pathway and promote cell proliferation. CL further enhances cell growth by activating lactate dehydrogenase. Animal tests showed that this method significantly promotes hair regeneration within 7 days, outperforming topical minoxidil with lower dosing frequency. Additionally, the antibacterial properties of CL help prevent infections, making this approach a simple, safe, and efficient strategy for treating hair loss with promising clinical potential.

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