TLDR Different factors like pH, gel type, and chemical enhancers affect how well hydrocortisone gets into hair follicles, and less hydrated skin doesn't work well with the test method.
In the 2008 study using the in vitro human skin sandwich system, researchers investigated how formulation variables such as pH, viscosity, and the presence of chemical enhancers (carvone, menthone, oleic acid, and sodium lauryl sulphate) affected hydrocortisone permeation into hair follicles. They also examined the effect of varying hydration levels of the skin tissues on the method's efficacy. The study found that increasing the pH from 3 to 8.8 slightly decreased hydrocortisone flux into follicles. The use of HPMC gels instead of aqueous solutions significantly reduced intrafollicular penetration, and pretreatment with chemical enhancers decreased follicular flux, likely due to increased permeability of the stratum corneum. Additionally, the skin sandwich method could not be effectively modified to work with less hydrated skin tissues.
141 citations,
November 2005 in “International journal of pharmaceutics” Hair follicles may soon be used more for targeted and systemic drug delivery.
64 citations,
April 2005 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Topical oligonucleotide therapy targets hair follicles effectively.
82 citations,
January 2002 in “Journal of drug targeting” Drugs penetrate scalp skin better than abdominal skin, with scalp hair follicles aiding in higher drug delivery.
34 citations,
July 2010 in “Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery” The document concludes that there is no agreed-upon best method for measuring drug delivery within hair follicles and more research is needed to validate current techniques.
17 citations,
June 2017 in “Journal of pharmaceutical sciences” Researchers developed a nanomedicine for acne treatment that delivers medication with less irritation and is non-irritating for oily skin.
40 citations,
January 2018 in “Pharmaceutics” Eucalyptol and oleic acid in nanoemulsions improve minoxidil delivery to hair follicles, potentially enhancing hair loss treatment.
2 citations,
August 2023 in “Pharmaceutics” New skin disease treatments using TDDS are improving but face challenges like side effects and high costs.
1 citations,
February 2024 in “Pharmaceutics” Nanovesicles improve drug delivery through the skin, offering better treatment outcomes and fewer side effects.
36 citations,
September 2019 in “Journal of Herbal Medicine” Herbal nano-formulations show potential for effective skin delivery but need more research.
