Microneedle-mediated drug delivery for scar prevention and treatment

Drug Discov Today. 2023 Oct 17:103801. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103801. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTScars are an inevitable natural outcome of most wound healing processes and affect skin functions, leading to cosmetic, psychological and social problems. Several strategies, including surgery, radiation, cryotherapy, laser therapy, pressure therapy and corticosteroids, can be used to either prevent or treat scars. However, these strategies are ineffective, have side effects and are typically expensive. Microneedle (MN) technology is a powerful, minimally invasive platform for transdermal drug delivery. This review discusses the most recent progress in MN-mediated drug delivery to prevent and treat pathological scars (hypertrophic and keloids). A comprehensive overview of existing challenges and future perspectives is also provided. Teaser: Microneedle systems are a new technology with the potential to be effective in scar prevention and therapeutic applications.PMID:37858631 | DOI:10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103801
Source: Drug Discovery Today - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Source Type: research