Morphology design of polymer microneedle arrays: Key factors from the application perspective

Microneedles invade skin tissue in a minimally invasive manner, with a small traumatic surface and slight pain. There is growing interest in the potential application of microneedle technology in diagnostic and treatment devices because they offer advantages unmatched by traditional diagnostic and treatment methods. The excellent biocompatibility and convenient processing methods have opened the door for the broad application of microneedle devices. The morphological design of the polymer microneedle array and the geometric shape are critical factors that determine the performance and therapeutic effect. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the critical elements in the morphology design of polymer microneedle arrays from the perspective of practical applications. The internal relations between the design parameters and application properties are highlighted. The current advances, trends, and challenges observed in the morphological design of polymer microneedle arrays are summarized at the end of this article. This review presents strategies for future research on polymer microneedle arrays.