April 2026 in “BioNanoScience” A new microneedle system may improve hair loss treatment by delivering ketoconazole directly to hair follicles.
1 citations
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June 2023 in “Chemical engineering journal” In this laboratory study, a novel minoxidil-loaded microneedle patch demonstrated potential for treating alopecia areata by promoting slow drug release and reducing application frequency, while exhibiting antibacterial properties to prevent infection during use.
March 2024 in “Chinese medicine and natural products” In this study, microneedle combined with 5% topical minoxidil significantly increased hair count in androgenetic alopecia, suggesting it as a potential additional therapy option; however, microneedle alone had limited effects.
May 2023 in “Current Medicinal Chemistry” This review highlights the potential of microneedle devices in dermatology for conditions like skin aging and autoimmune skin diseases, emphasizing their ability to facilitate targeted drug delivery by creating temporary skin pathways.
5 citations
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February 2016 in “Hanbang an i bi inhu pibugwa hakoeji/Hanbang an'i'bi'in'hu pibu'gwa haghoeji” This study found that HRHDT combined with microneedle therapy improved hair growth in a mouse model of alopecia more effectively than microneedle therapy alone.
4 citations
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December 2021 in “Journal of Pharmacopuncture” This study reports that the microneedle therapy system has demonstrated significant effects on acne, acne scars, and hair loss treatment without serious side effects in Korean studies over the past decade.
4 citations
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May 2014 in “Daehan hanbang so'a'gwa haghoeji/Daehan hanbang soagwa hakoeji” In this study, Ganoderma lucidum extract combined with microneedle therapy promoted hair growth more effectively than microneedle therapy alone in a mouse model of alopecia.
3 citations
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January 2019 in “Česká a slovenská farmacie” This review discusses various types of microneedles and their potential to expand the range of drugs delivered via the skin, but reports no new clinical results.
91 citations
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August 2024 in “Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B” This review explores how microneedles can improve the delivery of dermatological treatments by bypassing the skin's outer barrier, discussing their potential use in managing skin diseases, cosmetic applications, and challenges related to clinical adoption.
14 citations
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December 2024 in “Pharmaceutics” This review examines hydrogel microneedles for transdermal drug delivery, discussing their applications and challenges but reports no new clinical results.
4 citations
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January 2022 in “Yonsei Medical Journal” This article discusses the potential of novel microneedle transdermal systems for enhanced drug and vaccine delivery through the skin, but reports no clinical results and emphasizes ongoing trials.
April 2025 in “Biomacromolecules” This study developed microneedles loaded with Platycladus orientalis leaf extract to treat androgenic alopecia, finding that they can effectively deliver active ingredients into the dermis, promote hair follicle growth by removing free radicals, and activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
This study reports that a novel ketoconazole-loaded microneedle array significantly enhances drug delivery and retention in the skin, demonstrating improved hair growth in animal models, suggesting a promising treatment for androgenic alopecia that addresses current topical therapies' limitations.
41 citations
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August 2024 in “Drug Delivery and Translational Research” This review discusses the development and applications of microneedles, particularly through 3D printing, highlighting their potential in transdermal drug delivery but reporting no new results.
April 2025 in “OPAL (Open@LaTrobe) (La Trobe University)” In this study, Platycladus orientalis leaf extract loaded into hyaluronic acid microneedles was found to promote hair follicle growth by enhancing the environment for hair cell proliferation and activating repair pathways, suggesting potential as a treatment for androgenic alopecia.
51 citations
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September 2013 in “JEADV. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology/Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” This study found that fractional radiofrequency microneedle treatment was safe and effective for improving acne scars in Asians, with minimal adverse effects reported at 6-month follow-up.
April 2026 in “Journal of Nanobiotechnology” In this study, researchers developed a leech-inspired microneedle platform for targeted delivery of metformin to hair follicle cells, which showed promising results in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress and promoting hair growth, offering a potential new treatment strategy for androgenetic alopecia.
26 citations
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July 2023 in “International Journal of Nanomedicine” The researchers suggest that combining microneedle technology with nanocarriers could enhance drug delivery systems for treating central neurological diseases due to nanoparticles' ability to prolong blood circulation time and improve brain targeting.
July 2026 in “Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology”
April 2026 in “International Journal of Nanomedicine” This review explores quercetin's potential in multifunctional theranostic systems, highlighting its bioactivity and the challenges of improving its clinical application through innovative strategies like nanoencapsulation, while noting that research in this area is underdeveloped.
This study found that women with genetic hair loss experienced significant improvements in hair density, count, and thickness when treated with both Rehmannia root extract and microneedling therapy, with the combination showing the greatest benefits compared to each treatment alone.
June 2026 in “International Journal of Drug Delivery Technology” In this review, researchers discussed various novel drug delivery systems, including lipid nanocarriers and polymeric nanoparticles, that may enhance treatment for alopecia by improving drug localization in hair follicles and reducing systemic exposure, potentially offering better outcomes than conventional treatments.
76 citations
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January 2022 in “Journal of Tissue Engineering” This review summarizes recent progress in microneedle-based drug delivery systems and discusses their potential impact on cellular mechanisms and immunization signaling pathways, highlighting the need for further development in fabrication methods.
42 citations
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June 2021 in “Pharmaceutics” This review summarizes the use of 3D printing technologies for creating microneedles and evaluates their associated benefits, challenges, and regulatory considerations, but does not present new experimental results.
April 2026 in “bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)” This study introduced hydrogel microneedles loaded with palladium nanoparticles, which utilize the inherent cytotoxicity of polyethyleneimine to enhance the effectiveness of doxorubicin in treating melanoma, achieving a tumor inhibition rate of up to 98% in a murine model.
January 2025 in “Journal of Pharmaceutical Research Science & Technology” This review explores the potential, challenges, and recent advancements of dissolving microneedles in drug delivery, summarizing their varied applications and current limitations without providing new clinical results.
10 citations
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February 2022 in “Pharmaceuticals” This study found that smaller curcumin nanocrystals (60 nm) enhanced transdermal and transfollicular penetration more effectively than larger sizes, influenced by particle size.
December 2021 in “The Korean Society of Beauty and Art” In this study, a microneedle patch system using pullulan as a polymer was found to efficiently deliver finasteride, promising convenience and effectiveness in treating hair loss.
263 citations
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February 2013 in “Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. Nanomedicine and nanobiotechnology” This review discusses nanoparticle-based topical delivery systems for treating skin diseases and presents no new clinical findings; it emphasizes natural polymer-based nanoparticles and future applications like targeted drug delivery.
2 citations
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April 2024 in “Advanced Materials” This study tested a hydrogel microneedle patch delivering T reg attractants in mice with alopecia, finding it boosted regulatory T cell numbers at the site, leading to hair regrowth without causing peripheral immunosuppression, suggesting a potential new approach for autoimmune skin disease treatment.