Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• Microneedles (MNs) provide a minimally invasive, painless, and targeted drug delivery platform for treating various skin diseases, overcoming limitations of conventional methods. • Intelligent MNs fabricated from biocompatible materials with specialized properties enhance treatment efficacy and enable controlled release of therapeutics. • MNs have been applied to a wide range of skin conditions including psoriasis, vitiligo, alopecia, hypertrophic scarring, atopic dermatitis, melanoma, acne, and skin infections. • Despite progress, challenges such as low drug loading and poor mechanical strength hinder clinical translation, underscoring the need for further research.
Abstract
The use of microneedles (MNs) has been established as an effective transdermal drug delivery strategy that has been extensively deployed for treating various diseases, including skin diseases. MNs can surpass the constraints of conventional drug delivery methods by their superior safety and efficacy through precise targeting, while simultaneously enabling painless delivery. Currently, MNs are increasingly used as carriers for drug delivery, with the loading of insoluble drugs to improve their treatment efficiency or combining with bioactive substances for the construction of an efficient drug delivery system to maximize the effects of bioactive substances. The methods used for preparation MNs are diverse, enabling them to meet the requirements of most applications. The emergence of MNs has addressed the shortcomings associated with insoluble drugs, expanded the applications of bioactive substances, and improved their use in clinical practice. This review summarizes current information on the application of MNs in a variety of skin diseases, such as psoriasis, vitiligo, alopecia, hypertrophic scarring, atopic dermatitis, melanoma, acne, and skin infections. The current clinical applications and future opportunities for MNs in the treatment of skin diseases are also discussed. Despite substantial progress in the clinical application of MNs as delivery vectors, issues such as low drug loading and poor mechanical strength during MNs preparation remain the main challenges. Therefore, clinical implementation of MNs-based therapies remains limited, highlighting key opportunities for future research.
1. Introduction
The skin is the largest organ in the body and represents a barrier that serves as the initial line of defense against external physical, chemical, and biological stimuli. Only 10%–20% of topically applied drugs can diffuse into the skin because of these barrier functions. Furthermore, the skin can act as a reservoir for drugs that can penetrate the skin for extended periods of time. This enables the controlled and sustained release of specific drugs with shorter biological half-lives, which would otherwise require frequent administration to maintain effective pharmacological concentrations [1]. Therefore, it is evident that the development of drug delivery systems that can enhance drug bioavailability would be advantageous, as it increases the efficacy of treatments and reduces the probability of adverse effects [2].
In recent decades, a variety of strategies have been employed to address the barrier functions of the stratum corneum (SC), the outermost layer of the epithelium. These strategies include physical and chemical methods that can enhance and regulate the transport of drugs across the skin, such as the use of chemical enhancers [3], iontophoresis [4], electroporation [5], and sonophoresis [6]. In this context, microneedles (MNs) have attracted much attention because of their novel properties, such as the potential for painless self-administration of drugs with improved efficiency and the lack of biohazardous waste production [7]. MNs are minimally invasive, making them a successful transdermal drug delivery platform. They are capable of achieving superior drug bioavailability and delivery efficiency, while improving patient compliance due to their simplicity of use and lack of associated pain [8]. MNs arrays consist of a series of needle-like structures, several micrometers in diameter, that can disrupt the outermost cutaneous layers to achieve transdermal drug delivery. The unique minimally invasive characteristics of these MNs combine with the beneficial effects of conventional intradermal injection strategies to enable the effective delivery of drugs under the skin surface [9]. MNs have been extensively investigated as tools for the delivery of a variety of chemicals and biological macromolecules, as they have the potential of being a m
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Yanhua Han, Xiaoyu Qin, Weisen Lin, Chen Wang, Xuanying Yin, Jiaxin Wu, Yang Chen, Xiaojia Chen, Tongkai Chen (2025). Microneedle-Based Approaches for Skin Disease Treatment. Nano-Micro Letters. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-025-01662-y
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are microneedles and how do they work for skin disease treatment?
Microneedles are minimally invasive devices consisting of arrays of tiny needles that create microchannels in the skin, enabling enhanced transdermal delivery of drugs. They offer painless administration, improved drug bioavailability, and targeted delivery, making them effective for treating various skin diseases.
Which skin diseases can be treated using microneedle-based approaches?
Microneedle-based approaches have been applied to treat psoriasis, vitiligo, alopecia, hypertrophic scarring, atopic dermatitis, melanoma, acne, and skin infections, among others.
What are the main advantages of microneedles over conventional drug delivery methods?
Microneedles provide superior safety and efficacy through precise targeting, painless delivery, improved patient compliance, and the ability to deliver both insoluble drugs and bioactive substances effectively.
What are the current challenges in the clinical application of microneedles?
Challenges include low drug loading capacity, poor mechanical strength during preparation, and limited clinical translation, which require further research to overcome.
What future opportunities exist for microneedle technology in dermatology?
Future opportunities include developing intelligent microneedles with responsive materials, improving drug loading and mechanical properties, and expanding clinical applications for personalized and targeted skin disease treatments.
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