Transfollicular Drug Delivery: Current Perspectives

April 2016 in “ Research and reports in transdermal drug delivery ”

Amit Kumar Verma, Ankit Jain, Pooja Hurkat, Sanjay Jain

transfollicular drug delivery pilosebaceous unit hair follicles sebaceous glands lipoidal pathway hair growth cycle androgenetic alopecia endocrine system nanoparticles lipid nanoparticles sebum-drug interactions hair loss hair growth hormones

Studysummary This review discusses the potential of follicular drug delivery systems to target the pilosebaceous unit and reports no new research findings.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

The document from April 2016 reviews transfollicular drug delivery, emphasizing its potential for targeting the pilosebaceous unit and enhancing treatment efficacy for diseases of follicular origin. It acknowledges that hair follicles provide a significant surface area for drug absorption and that sebaceous glands may facilitate a lipoidal pathway for drug permeation. The review also discusses the hair growth cycle, the impact of androgenetic alopecia on hair loss, and the role of the endocrine system in hair growth. It outlines the ideal drug characteristics for follicular penetration and explores various strategies to improve delivery, including the use of nanoparticles and lipid nanoparticles. The document concludes that while transfollicular drug delivery shows promise, further research is needed to optimize this method for therapeutic applications, particularly systemic drug delivery, and to understand the role of sebum-drug interactions. No specific number of people in a study was mentioned, as this is a review of the topic rather than a report on a specific study.

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