Unlocking Hair Follicles as Drug Reservoirs: Advances in Transfollicular Drug Delivery

April 2026 in “ Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) ”

Sheetal Singh*, Shani Vishwakarma, Vanita Lokhande, Sayali Shelke

This review discusses the potential of hair follicles as drug reservoirs, offering an alternative pathway for drug delivery that bypasses the stratum corneum barrier. It highlights recent advances in transfollicular drug delivery, emphasizing the effectiveness of nanoparticles, particularly those sized 300-400 nm, in enhancing drug delivery to hair follicles. Stimulus-responsive delivery systems, such as nanostructures activated by near-infrared light, have improved controlled and targeted drug release, which is beneficial for conditions like androgenic alopecia, acne, and psoriasis. The review also addresses methodological challenges and innovations in evaluating these delivery systems and explores the role of hair follicles in regenerative medicine, including the use of hair follicle organoids and biomaterial scaffolds. The goal is to establish hair follicles as strategic drug reservoirs that integrate topical therapy with regenerative medicine.

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research Unlocking Hair Follicles as Drug Reservoirs: Advances in Transfollicular Drug Delivery

April 2026 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)”

This review discusses the potential of hair follicles as drug reservoirs, offering an alternative pathway for drug delivery that bypasses the stratum corneum barrier. It highlights recent advances in transfollicular drug delivery, emphasizing the effectiveness of nanoparticles, particularly those sized 300-400 nm, in enhancing drug delivery to hair follicles. Stimulus-responsive delivery systems, such as nanostructures activated by near-infrared light, have improved controlled and targeted drug release, which is beneficial for conditions like androgenic alopecia, acne, and psoriasis. The review also addresses methodological challenges and innovations in evaluating these delivery systems and explores the role of hair follicles in regenerative medicine, including the use of hair follicle organoids and biomaterial scaffolds. The goal is to establish hair follicles as strategic drug reservoirs that integrate topical therapy with regenerative medicine.