TLDR Nanoparticles around 600-700 nm can effectively enter and stay in hair follicles for days, which may help in delivering drugs to specific cells.
The 2015 document explored the use of nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery through hair follicles. It was discovered that nanoparticles with a diameter of around 600-700 nm could efficiently penetrate hair follicles and remain there for days, potentially allowing for the delivery of drugs to specific cells within the follicle. The study also found that the penetration depth of nanoparticles could be influenced by their size and that a triggered release system within the follicles could enable localized drug release at depths of 900-1000 µm. Although nanoparticles alone could not penetrate the follicular barrier, once inside, the released drugs could. This research indicated a promising new method for drug delivery, warranting further investigation. The document did not provide the number of human participants or specify the details of the in vivo and in vitro experiments.
Cited in this study
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39 citations
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January 2013 in “Skin pharmacology and physiology” Nanoparticles show promise for drug delivery through hair follicles but not through healthy skin.
39 citations
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June 2012 in “Journal of controlled release” New method uses hair follicles to deliver drugs deep into the skin.
263 citations
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February 2011 in “Journal of Controlled Release” Medium-sized particles penetrate hair follicles better than smaller or larger ones, which could improve delivery of skin treatments.
33 citations
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August 2009 in “European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics” Pig ear skin is better than human skin for testing how well barrier creams block allergens from entering hair follicles.
119 citations
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May 2009 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” Nanoparticles can deliver vaccines through hair follicles, triggering immune responses and providing protection.
182 citations
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December 2007 in “BJCP. British journal of clinical pharmacology/British journal of clinical pharmacology” Hair follicles significantly increase the speed and amount of caffeine absorbed through the skin.
316 citations
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July 2004 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” Microspheres about 1.5 micrometers in size can best penetrate hair follicles, potentially reaching important stem cells.