Cutaneous Drug Delivery: An Update
December 2013
in “
Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings
”
cutaneous drug delivery stratum corneum transcellular intercellular follicular alopecia acne chemical enhancers peptides nanovehicles ultrasound microneedles nanoparticles microparticles hair follicle targeting alopecia areata skin drug delivery skin barrier hair loss skin pimples skin enhancers small proteins nano carriers sound waves tiny needles nano particles micro particles patchy hair loss
TLDR New methods like nanoparticles and microneedles show promise for better skin drug delivery, especially for hair disorders.
The 2013 document reviews the state of cutaneous drug delivery, focusing on the difficulty of passing large hydrophilic drugs through the stratum corneum. It outlines three skin penetration routes: transcellular, intercellular, and follicular, the latter of which is promising for treating alopecia and acne. The paper examines methods to enhance delivery, such as chemical enhancers, peptides, nanovehicles, ultrasound, and microneedles. It highlights the potential of follicular delivery, especially with nanoparticles and microparticles, for increased penetration and sustained release, which could be optimized for hair follicle targeting and effective in treating hair disorders. However, the limited number of effective cutaneous drugs indicates a need for more research to improve large molecule skin delivery. The document underscores the need for technological progress to advance treatments for conditions like alopecia areata.
