Abstract
Hydrogels, swellable hydrophilic polymer networks fabricated through chemical cross-linking or physical entanglement are increasingly utilized in various biomedical applications over the past few decades. Hydrogel-based microparticles, dressings and microneedle patches have been explored to achieve safe, sustained and on-demand therapeutic purposes toward numerous skin pathologies, through incorporation of stimuli-responsive moieties and therapeutic agents. More recently, these platforms are expanded to fulfill the diagnostic and monitoring role. Herein, the development of hydrogel technology to achieve diagnosis and monitoring of pathological skin conditions are highlighted, with proteins, nucleic acids, metabolites, and reactive species employed as target biomarkers, among others. The scope of this review includes the characteristics of hydrogel materials, its fabrication procedures, examples of diagnostic studies, as well as discussion pertaining clinical translation of hydrogel systems.
Highlights
Hydrogels are 3D hydrophilic polymer networks that do not dissolve but swell considerably in an aqueous environment
Hydrogel microneedles (MNs) composed of polystyrene core were shown to achieve increase in adhesion strength compared to skin stapler, poly(styrene)-block-poly(acrylic acid) 3.5-fold tips and non-swellable polystyrene core were shown to through swelling and mechanical interlocking with nearby tissue
The with a thickness of 100–150 μm, which protects the human body from toxins, bacteria, epidermis of thin skin is composed of four distinct sublayers, the stratum basale (SB), stratum spinosum and fluid loss
Summary
Hydrogels are 3D hydrophilic polymer networks that do not dissolve but swell considerably in an aqueous environment. Hydrogel its ability to form hydrogen bonds with the mucosa layer are explored to achieve prolonged oral and microneedles (MNs) composed acid) tips and non-swellable vaginal delivery [13,14]. Hydrogel microneedles (MNs) composed of polystyrene core were shown to achieve increase in adhesion strength compared to skin stapler, poly(styrene)-block-poly(acrylic acid) 3.5-fold tips and non-swellable polystyrene core were shown to through swelling and mechanical interlocking with nearby tissue [15]. The with a thickness of 100–150 μm, which protects the human body from toxins, bacteria, epidermis of thin skin is composed of four distinct sublayers, the stratum basale (SB), stratum spinosum and fluid loss. Atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis are inflammatory skin conditions occurringoccurring primarily in the epidermis layer. The remaining challenges and outlook of hydrogel technology for skin applications will be discussed
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