Sklar LR, Burnett CT, Waibel JS, Moy RL, Ozog DM. Laser assisted drug delivery: a review of an evolving technology.
Lasers Surg Med 2014;
46:249-62. [PMID:
24664987 DOI:
10.1002/lsm.22227]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Topically applied drugs have a relatively low cutaneous bioavailability.
OBJECTIVE
This article reviews the existing applications of laser assisted drug delivery, a means by which the permeation of topically applied agents can be enhanced into the skin.
RESULTS
The existing literature suggests that lasers are a safe and effective means of enhancing the delivery of topically applied agents through the skin. The types of lasers most commonly studied in regards to drug delivery are the carbon dioxide (CO2 ) and erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) lasers. Both conventional ablative and fractional ablative modalities have been utilized and are summarized herein.
LIMITATIONS
The majority of the existing studies on laser assisted drug delivery have been performed on animal models and additional human studies are needed.
CONCLUSIONS
Laser assisted drug delivery is an evolving technology with potentially broad clinical applications. Multiple studies demonstrate that laser pretreatment of the skin can increase the permeability and depth of penetration of topically applied drug molecules for both local cutaneous and systemic applications.
Collapse