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Dermatological Applications of Drug Delivery Systems

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Drug Delivery in Dermatology

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Abstract

Effective topical drug delivery is crucial for the successful treatment of several dermatological conditions. Topical drug delivery systems can temporarily increase skin permeability by creating microchannels which allow for enhanced transepidermal/transdermal penetration of topically applied substances, maximizing their effects. These techniques include iontophoresis, ablative (AFL) and non-ablative fractional lasers (NAFLs), intense pulsed light (IPL), microneedling, fractional radiofrequency, and ultrasound. The most widely used AFLs are 2940 nm erbium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er: YAG) and 10600 nm carbon dioxide (CO2). The indications for IPL and laser-assisted drug delivery include treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer and actinic keratosis, vitiligo, scars, alopecia, skin rejuvenation, melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, onychomycosis, and infantile hemangioma. Other techniques used are microneedling, fractional radiofrequency, and ultrasound. Applications of these techniques range from the treatment of scars and blemishes to skin rejuvenation, alopecia, and even the enhanced penetration of topically applied substances.

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Abbreviations

ALA:

5-aminolevulinic acid

CO2 :

Carbon dioxide

EGF:

Epidermal growth factor

Er: YAG:

Erbium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet

FAL:

Fractional ablative laser

IGF:

Insulin growth factor

IPL:

Intense pulsed light

MAL:

Methyl-aminolevulinic acid

MMP®:

Microinfusion of medication into the skin

MTZ:

Microthermal zones

NAFL:

Non-ablative lasers

NB-UVB:

Narrow-band ultraviolet B

PCI:

Percutaneous collagen induction

PDT:

Photodynamic therapy

Q:

Quality

RF:

Radiofrequency

US:

Ultrasound

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dermatology Department of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Analupe Webber & Gabriela Mosena

  2. Dermatology Department of Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Mariana Silveira Ferreira Mylius

Authors
  1. Analupe Webber
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  2. Mariana Silveira Ferreira Mylius
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  3. Gabriela Mosena
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Federal University of Fronteira Sul - Campus, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Célia Luiza Petersen Vitello Kalil

  2. Medical University of Jundiaí, Dermatology, Jundiaí, Brazil

    Valéria Campos

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Webber, A., Mylius, M.S.F., Mosena, G. (2021). Dermatological Applications of Drug Delivery Systems. In: Kalil, C.L.P.V., Campos, V. (eds) Drug Delivery in Dermatology . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81807-4_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81807-4_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-81806-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-81807-4

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