July 2026 in “Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology” This review highlights advancements in drug delivery systems for treating psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, focusing on their ability to enhance transdermal drug efficacy and safety by overcoming skin barriers and enabling precise, on-demand drug release at target sites.
November 2025 in “OPAL (Open@LaTrobe) (La Trobe University)” This study found that transdermal delivery of finasteride using biomimetic Platycladi cacumen-derived nanovesicles enhanced hair regrowth in a mouse model of androgenetic alopecia, outperforming minoxidil by improving skin permeation, reducing oxidative stress, and boosting local drug retention.
In this study on mice, a baricitinib-loaded microneedle patch enhanced hair growth in alopecia areata lesions (68% vs control: 33%, p < 0.05), suggesting it may deliver treatment effectively and pain-free, with fewer systemic side effects.
June 2023 in “Dermatologic Surgery” This review highlights the promising potential of mesotherapy for delivering dutasteride and minoxidil as treatments for androgenetic alopecia, emphasizing the need for more research on drug preparation, delivery, and maintenance to establish its safety and effectiveness.
January 2021 in “Social Science Research Network” In this study, researchers developed and optimized ethanol-free microemulsion systems for transdermal finasteride delivery, finding that the predicted formulations closely matched their physical and chemical characteristics, potentially reducing adverse effects compared to oral administration.
January 2017 in “Isan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences” This study explored microemulsion formulations for delivering finasteride through the skin, finding that higher water concentrations increased permeation, which may inform optimal transdermal delivery for treating androgenetic alopecia.
94 citations
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September 2014 in “Therapeutic Delivery” This review describes recent advances in using nanoparticles for drug delivery to hair follicles, with potential applications in treating skin diseases such as alopecia and acne, but reports no new findings.
27 citations
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January 2018 in “Drug Delivery” In this study, researchers investigated a new local drug delivery system using glycol chitosan hydrogel and doxorubicin (GC10/DOX) for thyroid cancer in mice, finding it produced a stronger antitumor effect compared to conventional treatment methods.
15 citations
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November 2020 in “Pharmaceutics” In this ex vivo and mouse model study, Tofacitinib-loaded nanoparticles demonstrated enhanced delivery of the drug into hair follicles and reduced inflammatory effects compared to conventional forms, indicating potential for safer, topical use in treating alopecia areata.
14 citations
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November 2018 in “Journal of drug delivery and therapeutics” This article reviewed the preparation, application, and characterization of ethosomes as drug delivery transporters and reported that in a double-blind randomized clinical study, ethosomal acyclovir significantly improved all evaluated parameters in skin delivery, highlighting potential for novel therapies.
11 citations
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May 2010 in “Journal of Medicinal Chemistry” This study introduced a novel nonsteroidal androgen receptor antagonist that effectively controls sebum production in the golden Syrian hamster ear model through targeted follicular delivery.
7 citations
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January 2022 in “Bioengineering” This study found that a lipid-based nanoparticle formulation with oleic acid for delivering dutasteride showed lower skin permeation compared to a formulation without oleic acid, indicating its potential for targeted dermal delivery.
5 citations
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March 2016 in “Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy” This article reviews the promising ease of drug administration via transdermal and other topical routes, highlighting their potential for high patient compliance and reduced side effects but provides no new clinical results.
4 citations
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May 2025 in “International Journal of Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine” This review highlights recent advances in the design of nanocarrier systems for transdermal drug delivery, detailing their potential to improve treatment precision for dermatologic conditions despite challenges like formulation stability and scalability.
2 citations
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January 2018 in “Elsevier eBooks” This review discusses the use of lipid nanoparticles for topical and transdermal delivery of pharmaceuticals and cosmeceuticals and reports no new clinical results.
1 citations
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January 2023 in “Journal of pharmaceutical and biological sciences” This review examines ethosomal structures and their mechanisms as skin delivery systems, outlining preparation methods and applications but presents no new experimental findings.
1 citations
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April 2016 in “Journal of Reproductive Health and Medicine” This article reviews challenges in diagnosing new-onset SLE during pregnancy, emphasizing the complexity of distinguishing it from normal pregnancy changes and preeclampsia, and reports no new results.
April 2026 in “ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces” In this study, researchers developed a fast-dissolving microneedle patch delivering minoxidil nanoparticles and plant-derived vesicles, which improved hair regrowth and follicle health in a mouse model of androgenetic alopecia by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation without causing skin irritation or systemic toxicity.
March 2026 in “ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces” This study described a novel three-dimensional-printed microneedle system designed for improved transdermal delivery of minoxidil to treat hair loss, demonstrating effective hair regrowth and safety in a mouse model while allowing sustainable needle base recovery.
November 2025 in “Dermatology Reports” This review found that microinfusion of medications using tattoo devices (MMP®) shows potential as a minimally invasive method for treating ailments like alopecia and basal cell carcinoma, offering notable improvements with minimal side effects due to localized drug delivery.
July 2025 in “Pharmaceutics” This review discusses the application of transdermal drug delivery systems for androgenetic alopecia and explores new technologies to enhance drug penetration but reports no clinical results.
The researchers reported that a 4-aminopyridine-loaded gel promoted wound healing and hair follicle regeneration in burn models, suggesting it might be a promising alternative to existing burn treatments.
August 2018 in “Jundishapur journal of natural pharmaceutical products” Transfollicular drug delivery can improve medication absorption through hair follicles.
10 citations
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April 2016 in “Research and reports in transdermal drug delivery” This review discusses the potential of follicular drug delivery systems to target the pilosebaceous unit and reports no new research findings.
2 citations
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November 2025 in “Pharmaceutics” This review explores the potential of cell-mediated drug delivery systems in dermatology, highlighting their ability to target inflamed or diseased skin while discussing applications in diseases like atopic dermatitis and melanoma, along with challenges such as immunogenicity and manufacturing.
1 citations
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January 2001 in “Journal of Toxicology-cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology” This review discusses the roles of hair follicles and sebaceous glands in percutaneous transport and reports no new results, noting a lack of adequate models and methodologies.
60 citations
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February 1997 in “Journal of Dermatological Science” This study demonstrated that phosphatidylcholine liposomes can deliver calcein and melanin into hair follicles and shafts in mice without significant penetration into the dermis, epidermis, or bloodstream.
9 citations
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October 2018 in “Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy” This study reviewed eight studies investigating transcutaneous drug delivery via fractional laser and microneedling for alopecia treatment, with six studies showing improved hair regrowth over topical therapy alone, suggesting its potential as a promising treatment strategy, although further research is needed to refine treatment parameters.
8 citations
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March 2025 in “Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology” Dissolvable microneedles are a promising, painless method for effective skin treatments.
3 citations
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January 2022 in “Pharmaceutics” This review examines new formulations for delivering 5-α-reductase inhibitors to improve targeted drug delivery in androgenetic alopecia, but reports no new clinical results.