Hair Follicle-Targeting Drug Delivery Strategies for the Management of Hair Follicle-Associated Disorders

The document reviews hair follicle-targeting drug delivery systems for managing hair follicle-associated disorders like androgenetic alopecia and acne vulgaris. These systems, including polymeric nanoparticles, lipid nanoparticles, and microneedles, allow for controlled drug release, enhancing therapeutic efficacy with minimal side effects. The hair follicle provides a way to bypass the skin's barrier, offering a large surface area for drug absorption. The review highlights the importance of the physicochemical properties of the drug and the type of carrier in the formulations for preferential deposition in hair follicles. The document also discusses the influence of particle size and surface charge on hair follicle targeting. The review concludes that hair follicle-targeting drug delivery systems are a promising method for managing hair follicle-associated disorders. However, challenges remain, including the complexity of hair follicle cycles, potential toxicity of nanoparticles, and the difficulty of replicating clinical outcomes from lab experiments. Future research should focus on selecting appropriate nanocarrier types, developing reliable skin models that mimic disease states, and understanding the potential dangers and long-term fate of nanomaterials in hair follicles.