Challenges to laser-assisted drug delivery: Applying theory to clinical practice.

Abstract

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. 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. 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. 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. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.