Other SectionsAbstractINTRODUCTIONMATERIALS AND METHODSRESULTSDISCUSSIONACKNOWLEDGEMENTSCONFLICT OF INTERESTReferences

Acne is a common affliction among many teens and some adults that usually resolves over time. However, the severe sequela of acne scarring can lead to long-term psychological and psychiatric problems. There exists a multitude of modalities to treat acne scars such as more invasive surgical techniques, subcision, chemical peels, ablative lasers, fractional lasers, etc. A more recent technique fo...

Improving drug permeability in skin is considered as one of the most important issues for designing new methods of transdermal drug delivery. Consequently, many techniques have been proposed to more effectively deliver drugs across the stratum corneum, including chemical enhancers or physical enhancer techniques, e.g., iontophoresis and ultrasound. Standard hypodermic injection is an effective ...

Microneedle arrays have been proposed in a wide range of biomedical applications, such as transdermal drug delivery and sensing. However, scalable manufacturing process precise microneedle fabrication the has challenged. This paper demonstrates UV-lithography-based one-step fine-tuned bell-tip microneedles using combination light diffraction self-aligned lens effect. Microscale photopatterns ca...

Microneedles are being fast recognized as a useful alternative to injections in delivering drugs, vaccines, and cosmetics transdermally. Owing to skin's inherent elastic properties, microneedles require an optimal geometry for skin penetration. In vitro studies, using rat skin to characterize microneedle penetration in vivo, require substrates with suitable mechanical properties to mimic human ...

We present a novel microfabrication method for a tapered hollow metallic microneedle array and its complete microfluidic packaging for drug delivery and body fluid sampling applications. Backside exposure of SU-8 through a UV transparent substrate was investigated as a means of fabricating a dense array of tall (up to 400 lm) uniformly tapered SU-8 pillar structures with angles in the range of ...

Light scattering in biological tissues can be reduced by using optical clearing agents. Various physical methods in conjunction with agents have been studied to enhance the optical clearing efficacy of skin for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In this study, we propose a new physical method to enhance the optical clearing potential of topically applied glycerol. A microneedle roller is ...

Despite the development of potent siRNAs that effectively target genes responsible for skin disorders, translation to the clinic has been hampered by inefficient delivery through the stratum corneum barrier and into the live cells of the epidermis. Although hypodermic needles can be used to transport siRNA through the stratum corneum, this approach is limited by pain caused by the injection and...

The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is predominant in women and children especially in developing countries. The disorder affects cognitive functions and physical activity. Although oral iron supplementation and parenteral therapy remains the preferred choice of treatment, gastric side effects and risk of iron overload decreases adherence to therapy. Transdermal route is an establish...