Abstract
Background: The percutaneous penetration of topically applied compounds can be enhanced using external chemical or physical sources and thus laser-assisted drug delivery is a burgeoning area of interest within the field of dermatology. Objectives: This article briefly discusses the mechanism of laser-assisted drug delivery and expands upon the challenges and safety issues that may arise in the clinical implementation of this modality. Results: The existing literature demonstrates that investigators and clinicians in dermatology have successfully delivered anti-inflammatory, anti-neoplastic, and anti-oxidative medications transdermally for the treatment of a variety of conditions including scarring, photoageing, and cutaneous neoplasia. Despite growth of the field, much remains to be learned about the applicability of laser-assisted drug delivery in humans, and practitioners are faced with new safety concerns that may be associated with this treatment modality. Conclusions: Challenges in laser assisted drug delivery include unpredictability of dosing and response to therapy, possibility of inducing local and systemic reactions, and variability in treatment regimens. Lasers Surg. Med. 50:20–27, 2018.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Lasers in Surgery and Medicine |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Pages (from-to) | 20-27 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| ISSN | 0196-8092 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 2018 |
Keywords
- Administration, Cutaneous
- Drug Delivery Systems/instrumentation
- Humans
- Lasers, Gas
- Lasers, Solid-State