Stiffener for use with a drug patch

A method for delivering a substance through skin of a subject, comprising:

• placing on the skin a frame of an assembly that surrounds at least in part an open portion of the assembly, such that a region of the skin is exposed through the open portion when the frame is placed on the skin;
• bringing a pad into contact, through the open portion, with at least a portion of the region of the skin, the pad having the substance disposed thereon;
• and
• preventing the substance from spreading across the subject's skin beyond the region of the skin, by generating protrusions in the skin at outer edges of the region, by applying pressure, with the pad, to the portion of the region of the subject's skin.

An apparatus for use with skin of a subject, comprising:

• a dried substance configured to be delivered through the skin;
• and
• a patch assembly configured to be placed on the skin, the patch assembly comprising:
• a frame that surrounds at least in part an open portion of the patch assembly, such that a region of the skin is exposed through the open portion when the frame is placed on the skin;
• and
• a pad having a skin-facing non-absorbent layer, the dried substance being disposed on the skin-facing non-absorbent layer, and the skin-facing non-absorbent layer being configured to:
• deliver the dried substance through the skin by being brought into contact, through the open portion, with at least a portion of the region of the skin, the portion of the region of the skin having been wetted, and
• prevent resorption of the substance into the pad after the substance has been wetted,
• the pad being configured to prevent the substance from spreading across the subject's skin beyond the region of the skin, by generating protrusions in the skin at outer edges of the region, by the pad applying pressure to the portion of the region of the skin.

A method for use with skin of a subject, comprising:

• providing a pad having a skin-facing non-absorbent surface, a dried form of a substance being disposed on the surface;
• causing release of fluid from the skin by ablating the skin;
• and
• delivering the substance through the skin, by wetting the substance, by placing the skin-facing non-absorbent surface of the pad on the ablated skin, the non-absorbent surface preventing resorption of the substance into the pad after the substance has been wetted.

Apparatus for facilitating delivery of a substance through skin of a subject, comprising:

• a patch assembly configured to deliver the substance through the skin by being placed on the subject's skin, the patch assembly comprising:
• a frame that surrounds at least in part an open portion of the patch assembly, such that a region of the skin is exposed through the open portion when the frame is placed on the skin;
• and
• a pad comprising the substance, the pad being adapted to be brought into contact, through the open portion, with at least a portion of the region of the skin, the pad being configured to prevent the substance from spreading across the subject's skin beyond the region of the skin, by generating protrusions in the skin at outer edges of the region, by the pad applying pressure to the portion of the region of the skin.