Novel treatment of alopecia areata with shooting-type candlelit-dissolving microneedle

•A novel patchless triamcinolone acetonide-encapsulated candlelit-dissolving microneedle (TCD) with an applicator has been developed for effective alopecia areata (AA), overcoming limitations of conventional therapies.•The TCD applicator ensures uniform insertion and targeted delivery of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) to the skin dermis and hair follicles, offering improved patient compliance and reduced side effects.•In vivo efficacy using AA-induced C3H/HeJ mice suggests that TCD could serve as a promising alternative treatment for AA, potentially surpassing the efficacy of conventional TA injections and cream methods.