A skin patch in development is able to deliver wrinkle-fighting ingredients deeper into the skin than topical creams can. What looks like a small bandage is lined with hundreds of tiny, biodegradable needles that painlessly pierce the top layer of skin and then dissolve within 30 minutes to release their contents. When 24 women applied the patches, which were loaded with vitamin C or a retinoid, every other day for 12 weeks, they experienced significant reductions in crow's-feet, according to a study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science. The technology can also be used to administer treatments that otherwise would require an injection, says Hyungil Jung, a professor of biotechnology at Yonsei University in South Korea, who worked on the research. Jung says the patches will be available commercially in 2015, but in the meantime, using a microneedle-roller device before applying skin creams also improves absorption of anti-aging compounds.