Deeper Skin Layers Research Articles

Preparation and partial pharmacodynamic studies of luliconazole ethosomes.

As a drug carrier, ethosome is found to be efficient in delivering drug to the deep skin layers through stratum corneum, and the purpose of this paper is to develop luridazole ethosomes acting as an optimal choice for transdermal antifungal drugs. The luliconazole ethosomes were prepared by thin-film hydration, and evaluated for morphology, size, entrapment efficiency (EE), stability and deformability. In vitro, the transdermal experiment was performed on excised rat skin by Franz diffusion cell, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was applied to determine antifungal activity. In vivo, the irritation of luliconazole ethosomes was also observed in rats. The luliconazole ethosomes were prepared with 5% (w/v) lecithin, 45% (v/v) ethanol and 8-min ultrasound, and characterised with small and uniform particle size, high EE of about 70%. These ethosomes possessed good deformability, were stable and affected by light and high temperature. The cumulative amount permeated of different dosage forms at 48h from high to low was: ethosome>ointment>liposome>hydroalcoholic solution (p<0.05), and the sum of the luliconazole retention of skin from high to low at 48h was: ethosome/ointment>liposome>hydroalcoholic solution (p<0.05). In the antifungal experiment, the MICs from high to low were: hydroalcoholic solution>liposome>ethosome (p<0.05), and Trichoderma was more sensitive to luliconazole than Candida. There was no skin irritation observed after treatment of luliconazole ethosomes. The luliconazole ethosomes are firstly prepared in our study, which have little stimulation, better permeation effect and antifungal activity, offering a new perspective for choosing clinical antifungal drugs in the Department of Dermatology.

Drug Carriers

In recent years, there has been an exponential interest in the development of novel drug delivery systems using drug carriers. Drug carriers offer significant advantages over the conventional drug delivery systems in terms of high stability, high specificity, high drug loading capacity, controlled release of drug and ability to deliver both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. As a result of their unique behaviors, drug carriers have a wide range of biomedical and industrial applications. Nanospheres are associated with a lot of benefits such as ease of administration to target sites, reduction in toxicity level and ease of passage via the capillary vessels. Hydrogel nanoparticles are useful in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, as bioresponsive hydrogels in drug delivery system and as a carrier in controlled drug delivery system. Carbon nanotubes have a large surface area which has the ability to adsorb or conjugate with a wide variety of therapeutic and diagnostic agents. They are useful in the areas of gene delivery, tissue regeneration and biosensor diagnosis. Liposomes are known to target a drug to a specific site. They entrap drugs which are released for subsequent absorption. They are used to achieve active targeting, increase efficacy and therapeutic index of drugs. Niosomes improve the solubility and oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. They protect drugs from biological environment, increase the stability of entrapped drugs and they can easily reach the site of action. Aquasomes are nanoparticulate carriers that can be characterized for structural analysis. They preserve conformational integrity and biochemical stability of drugs. Ethosomes are noninvasive delivery carriers that enable drugs to reach the deep skin layers and the systemic circulation. They contain phospholipids which could be in form of phosphatidyl choline (PC), hydrogenated PC, phosphatidic acid (PA), Phosphatidyl serine (PS) and phosphatidyl inositol (PI). Ethosomes are known to increase skin permeation of drugs, improve biological activity and pharmacodynamics profile of drugs. This review aims to emphasize the importance of drug carriers in drug delivery system, and applications of drug carriers in various areas of research, technology and treatment.

Tetrahydrocurcumin Lipid Nanoparticle Based Gel Promotes Penetration into Deeper Skin Layers and Alleviates Atopic Dermatitis in 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) Mouse Model.

Treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) is challenging due to its complex pathophysiology. Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) a polyphenolic, colorless compound that is more polar than curcumin. It possesses superior anti-inflammatory properties and has a clinical advantage over curcumin. The present study investigated the therapeutic effectiveness of THC solid lipid nanoparticle (THC-SLN)-based gels in AD. THC-SLNs prepared using microemulsification resulted in a particle size of 109.2 nm as determined by nanoparticle tracking, and FTIR confirmed the entrapment of drug within the lipid matrix. THC-SLNs greatly enhanced skin hydration when tested both ex vivo and in vivo in Lacca mice. Deeper skin penetration was clearly established using dermatokinetics and CLSM. The in vivo pharmacodynamics of THC-SLNs gel in 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD mice showed enhanced bioactivity; reduced levels of TNF-α and IL-6; and complete healing, as evident from histopathological studies. Thus, the novel topical THC-SLN gel has potential to emerge as a safe alternative to conventional corticosteroids for AD and other skin disorders with overbearing inflammation.

Particle Size Effect of Curcumin Nanocrystals on Transdermal and Transfollicular Penetration by Hyaluronic Acid-Dissolving Microneedle Delivery.

Microneedles are one promising penetration enhancement vehicle to overcome the stratum corneum skin barrier, which hampers the penetration of drug nanocrystals by transdermal delivery. In order to clarify the particle size effect of nanocrystals on transdermal delivery, 60 nm, 120 nm, and 480 nm curcumin nanocrystals were fabricated and incorporated into dissolving hyaluronic acid polysaccharide microneedles. The microneedles showed good mechanical strength with 1.4 N/needle, possessing the ability to insert into the skin. The passive permeation results showed that the smaller particle size of 60 nm curcumin nanocrystals diffused faster and deeper than the larger 120 nm and 480 nm curcumin nanocrystals with size-dependent diffusion behaviors. Thereafter, higher concentration gradients and overlap diffusional coronas also formed in the skin layers by the smaller-particle-size nanocrystals. Furthermore, the diffusion rate of the smaller particle size of curcumin nanocrystals to the hair follicle was also higher than that of the larger curcumin nanocrystals. In conclusion, the particle sizes of curcumin nanocrystals influenced the transdermal and transfollicular penetration in deeper skin layers

Enhancing the Bioavailability and Efficacy of Vismodegib for the Control of Skin Cancer: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

Skin cancer is the most frequent cancer throughout the world. Vismodegib (VSD) is a hedgehog blocker approved for the prevention and treatment of skin cancer. VSD, however, is poorly bioavailable and has been linked to side effects. This work focused on designing a nano-invasome gel as a vehicle for enhancing the permeation, bioavailability, and efficacy of VSD. Additionally, the combined effect of terpenes and ethanol was studied on the permeation of VSD compared with liposomes. The prepared VSD-loaded invasomes (VLI) formulation included cineole (1%v/v), cholesterol (0.15%w/w), phospholipid (2%w/w), and ethanol (3%v/v) and displayed an entrapment efficiency of 87.73 ± 3.82%, a vesicle size of 188.27 ± 3.25 nm, and a steady-state flux of 9.83 ± 0.11 µg/cm2/h. The VLI formulation was vigorously stirred into a carbopol base before being characterized in vivo to investigate the permeation, bioavailability, and efficacy of VSD. The VLI gel enhanced the dermal permeation of VSD and, as a result, had 3.59 times higher bioavailability with excellent antitumor action as compared to oral VSD. In summary, as an alternative to oral administration for skin cancer treatment, invasomes are efficient carriers for delivering VSD and enhancing its transdermal flux into deep skin layers.

Formulation, Evaluation, and Optimization of Diacerein Loaded Transferosomal Gel for Arthritis

The objective of the current study was to develop and evaluate diacerein-loaded transferosomal gel to augment the permeation of diacerein into the deeper skin layer and finally to the affected area to treat arthritis. Preliminary studies included the process variable optimization (RPM) and selection of surfactant. The circumscribed central composite design was included to explore the reactions of the amount of phospholipon 90H, cholesterol, and span 60 on dependent variables like % entrapment co

Transdermal Film Loaded with Avanafil Ultra-deformable Nanovesicles to Enhance its Percutaneous Absorption and Bioavailability.

The in vitro dissolution of Avanafil (AVA) is the rate-limiting step for its bioavailability. Also, it undergoes the first-pass metabolism, and its absorption is altered significantly in the presence of food. So, our study aimed to overcome the previous hurdles and improve the AVA bioavailability by its incorporation in the ultra-deformable nanovesicles, transfersomes (TRF), then loading these nanovesicles in transdermal films. The AVA-loaded TRF formulation was optimized using Draper-Lin small composite design (D-LSCD). The optimized AVA-loaded TRF was evaluated for quality attributes and assessed for skin permeation using a fluorescence laser microscope and for pharmacokinetic parameters after topical application on the rats. The optimized AVA-loaded TRF showed a vesicle size of 97.75 nm, a zeta potential of -28.83 mV, and entrapment efficiency of 95.14% with good deformability and release profile. The intense discoloration in the deep skin layers of the rats indicated the permeation efficiency of AVA-loaded TRF films. The pharmacokinetic parameters specified the augmented absorption extent with Cmax of 254.66 ± 8.02 ng/mlversus 70.33 ± 3.05 ng/ml which reflected on the AUC0-inf that has a value of 2050.45 ± 159.14 ng/ml h versus 497.34 ± 102.61 ng/ml h for the optimized AVA-loaded TRF film and raw AVA-loaded film, respectively. These promising results wide open the field for broader clinical application of this alternative delivery pathway for superior bioavailability, efficacy, and patient compliance and satisfaction.

Topical Administration of Drugs Incorporated in Carriers Containing Phospholipid Soft Vesicles for the Treatment of Skin Medical Conditions.

This review focuses on the improved topical treatment of various medical skin conditions by the use of drugs delivered from carriers containing phospholipid soft vesicles. Topical drug delivery has many advantages over other ways of administration, having increased patient compliance, avoiding the first-pass effect following oral drug administration or not requesting multiple doses administration. However, the skin barrier prevents the access of the applied drug, affecting its therapeutic activity. Carriers containing phospholipid soft vesicles are a new approach to enhance drug delivery into the skin and to improve the treatment outcome. These vesicles contain molecules that have the property to fluidize the phospholipid bilayers generating the soft vesicle and allowing it to penetrate into the deep skin layers. Ethosomes, glycerosomes and transethosomes are soft vesicles containing ethanol, glycerol or a mixture of ethanol and a surfactant, respectively. We review a large number of publications on the research carried out in vitro, in vivo in animal models and in humans in clinical studies, with compositions containing various active molecules for treatment of skin medical conditions including skin infections, skin inflammation, psoriasis, skin cancer, acne vulgaris, hair loss, psoriasis and skin aging.

Development of a Tape-Stripping Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Method for Evaluating Skin Deposition of Topical Tazarotene.

Standard in vitro and ex vivo techniques for evaluating topical drug penetration utilize skin that is physiologically unlike living skin and cannot assess intra-dermal drug deposition. We combined tape stripping with liquid chromatography-heated electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) to assess in vivo deposition of tazarotene after application of 0.1% cream and 0.045% lotion formulations. Ten healthy adult female participants had ~0.1 g of tazarotene lotion and cream applied to two sites each on opposite forearms. After 3 and 6 hours, 21 tape strips were used to sample progressively deeper skin layers. LC-ESI-MS was used to determine percent recovery of the applied tazarotene dose and the concentration of tazarotene recovered from even-numbered tape strips. At both sampling times, percent recovery was slightly higher with tazarotene 0.045% lotion versus 0.1% cream, though tazarotene concentrations were approximately 2-fold higher for cream than lotion at both superficial and deep skin layers. Absolute differences in tazarotene concentrations between 0.1% cream and 0.045% lotion decreased in progressively deeper skin layers, from 0.8 &mu;g/mL at tape strip 2 to 0.09 &mu;g/mL at tape strip 20 (6 hours post-application). Tape stripping plus LC-ESI-MS&mdash;a consistent, accurate, and non-invasive method for assessing drug delivery into layers of living skin&mdash;can be used to assess in vivo deposition of topical formulations. Results from this study, when combined with clinical data, suggest that small tazarotene-deposition differences between lotion and cream in deeper skin layers are not clinically relevant; however, lower-dose 0.045% lotion may minimize tazarotene skin exposure versus 0.1% cream, potentially resulting in a more favorable tolerability profile. J Drugs Dermatol. 2021;20(10):1105-1111. doi:10.36849/JDD.6211.

Positively Charged Lipid as Potential Tool to Influence the Fate of Ethosomes

Ethosomes® are one of the main deformable vesicles proposed to overcome the stratum corneum. They are composed of lecithin, ethanol and water, resulting in round vesicles characterized by a narrow size distribution and a negative surface charge. Taking into account their efficiency to deliver drugs into deeper skin layers, the current study was designed to evaluate the influence of different lipids on the physico-chemical features of traditional ethosomes in the attempt to influence their fate. Three lipids (DOPE, DSPE and DOTAP) were used for the study, but only DOTAP conferred a net positive charge to ethosomes, maintaining a narrow mean size lower than 300 nm and a good polydispersity index. Stability and in vitro cytotoxic studies have been performed using Turbiscan Lab analysis and MTT dye exclusion assay, respectively. Data recorded demonstrated the good stability of modified ethosomes and a reasonable absence of cell mortality when applied to human keratinocytes, NCTC 2544, which are used as a cell model. Finally, the best formulations were selected to evaluate their ability to encapsulate drugs, through the use of model compounds. Cationic ethosomes encapsulated oil red o and rhodamine b in amounts comparable to those recorded from conventional ethosomes (over 50%). Results recorded from this study are encouraging as cationic ethosomes may open new opportunities for skin delivery.

No needle mesotherapy device in treatment of corticosteroid induced striae in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Introduction: is a needle free mesotheraputic device that is able to insert analytical pure active substance to the deep layers of skin within cell levels using the most modern electroporation procedure. Objectives: this study aimed to assess electroporation as a method of transdermal administration of medications in treatment of corticosteroid induced striae in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Methods: Twenty female Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) patients suffering from corticosteroid induced striae in different body parts, were included in this study. Patients were subjected to full history taking, complete clinical examination, and assessment of disease activity using systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) score. Each patient received treatment in the form of six weekly successive cessions using electroporation device Mesostyle and photos were obtained after each cession. Results: We found marked improvement of striae appearance with noticeable patients’ satisfaction without any adverse effects. Conclusion: This study supports the role of electroporation which is safe, tolerable, non-invasive, and effective method for transdermal administration of medications.

Exploring the affluent potential of glyceryl mono oleate – myristol liquid crystal nanoparticles mediated localized topical delivery of Tofacitinib: Study of systematic QbD, skin deposition and dermal pharmacokinetics assessment

This study aimed to design and characterize Tofacitinib (TF)-loaded lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles (TF-LCNP) gel using quality by design-driven approach to enhance the skin delivery of TF. The present work investigated the impact of two different liquid lipids on different critical quality attributes of LCNP. The optimized lyotropic liquid crystals system was constructed with the glyceryl monooleate,myristol, Lutrol® and water system. The optimized TF - LCNP showed particle size of 74.82 ± 4.26 nm, polydispersity index of 0.124 ± 0.024, and entrapment efficiency of 68.29 ± 5.24 %. The TF-LCNP showed sustained release for 24 h and followed quasi-Fickian diffusion from non-swellable matrix diffusion with n value of 0.197. The ex vivo permeation studies exhibited that amount of TF permeated through LCNP gel and cream after 24 h were found to be 61.11 ± 1.5 µg/cm2 and 37.7 ± 3.5 µg/cm2, respectively. The penetration mechanism of TF-LCNP gel through skin layers followed the Korsmeyer- Peppas model (n-value of 1.687), indicated Case-II relaxational release of TF. The tape stripping studies showed that TF loaded LCNPs retained 3 fold and 2.81 fold greater TF in stratum corneum and viable skin layers than conventional cream. The coumarin – 6 loaded LCNP study using Fluorescence microscopy confirmed the penetration of TF-LCNP into the deeper layers of skin. The dermal pharmacokinetic studies revealed that the LCNP showed a steady equilibrium state in 5–8 h in epidermis and dermis layers. The total amount of TF permeated with developed LCNP formulation was 3.42 times and 2.19 times higher in epidermis and dermis compared to the TF-cream. The developed formulation exhibited good spreadability and rheology and has not shown any significant changes in stability and scale-up studies. In a nutshell, the developed TF-LCNP strategy poses excellent potential in targeting the viable skin layer.

Real-time deep learning assisted skin layer delineation in dermal optical coherence tomography.

We present deep learning assisted optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging for quantitative tissue characterization and differentiation in dermatology. We utilize a manually scanned single fiber OCT (sfOCT) instrument to acquire OCT images from the skin. The focus of this study is to train a U-Net for automatic skin layer delineation. We demonstrate that U-Net allows quantitative assessment of epidermal thickness automatically. U-Net segmentation achieves high accuracy for epidermal thickness estimation for normal skin and leads to a clear differentiation between normal skin and skin lesions. Our results suggest that a single fiber OCT instrument with AI assisted skin delineation capability has the potential to become a cost-effective tool in clinical dermatology, for diagnosis and tumor margin detection.

Single-beam phase shift tracker with continuous musical palpations for mobile elastography

The maintenance and monitoring of skin health have been an issue of concern for a long time. While many technologies for daily skin monitoring have been proposed, these methods only have the capability to inspect superficial skin layers. Ultrasonic elastography has been used for measuring the stiffness of deeper soft tissue, however, the current technologies are not compatible with the mobile environment. In this paper, we present a solution for quantitative ultrasonic elastography compatible with mobile environments utilizing ubiquitous sound sources, such as voices of the users or music played by a smartphone for remotely palpating the deep skin layer. In addition, instead of using an array ultrasound, the proposed technology only requires a single-element transducer to perform repetitive ultrasonic transmissions and receptions of the tracking echo signals. The proposed algorithm could successfully quantify the stiffness of tissue phantoms and skin regions in human subjects. The performance of the proposed elastography was comparable with that of a commercial system. Owing to the reduction in hardware requirements, single-beam tracking elastography could be integrated into current mobile devices.

Ionic Liquid-Enabled Topical Delivery of Immunomodulators.

Skin is one of the most immunologically active organs of the body due to the presence of diverse immune cells and its active involvement in the innate and adaptive immunity. Because of its unique location and immunological role, skin offers an excellent site for the introduction of immunomodulators to synergize with the active immune microenviroment for the desired outcome. However, delivery of immunomodulators to the skin remains a significant challenge due to the skin's barrier properties. Here, we report an ionic liquid (IL)-based strategy to formulate and deliver immunomodulators to the skin. Using imiquimod (IMQ) and triamcinolone acetonide (TCA) as the respective model immunoactive and immunosuppressive drugs, we demonstrated that ILs significantly enhanced the solubility of immunomodulators. In addition, ILs enabled the formulation of the immunomodulators into stable, topically applicable forms. Our ex vivo skin penetration studies revealed that the IL formulations outperformed respective commercial topical comparators and delivered significantly more immunomodulators to deep skin layers. The lead IMQ formulation exhibited >10-fold better efficacy in delivering IMQ to the deep skin layers as compared to the commercial 5% IMQ cream. Lead TCA formulations achieved a dose level in deep skin layers that is comparable to that by clinically used intralesional injections. Our data collectively suggest that the IL-based strategy can be a simple and effective platform for delivery of immunomodulators to the skin.

The evolution of human skin pigmentation involved the interactions of genetic, environmental, and cultural variables.

The primary biological role of human skin pigmentation is as a mediator of penetration of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) into the deep layers of skin and the cutaneous circulation. Since the origin of Homo sapiens, dark, protective constitutive pigmentation and strong tanning abilities have been favored under conditions of high UVR and represent the baseline condition for modern humans. The evolution of partly depigmented skin and variable tanning abilities has occurred multiple times in prehistory, as populations have dispersed into environments with lower and more seasonal UVR regimes, with unique complements of genes and cultural practices. The evolution of extremes of dark pigmentation and depigmentation has been rare and occurred only under conditions of extremely high or low environmental UVR, promoted by positive selection on variant pigmentation genes followed by limited gene flow. Over time, the evolution of human skin pigmentation has been influenced by the nature and course of human dispersals and modifications of cultural practices, which have modified the nature and actions of skin pigmentation genes. Throughout most of prehistory and history, the evolution of human skin pigmentation has been a contingent and non‐deterministic process.

Revolutionary Approach towards Transdermal Drug Delivery: Ethosomal Gels

The human body is up of the skin which is the largest organ in the body and hence acts as a biological barrier that obstructs drug movement across the stratum corneum into the systemic circulation. The topical drug delivery system serves as a delivery system in which drugs are delivered for systemic circulation through the skin. Low diffusion rate across the stratum corneum is the main disadvantage of this system and for this limitation to be overcome, an Ethosomal formulation can be formulated which acts as a delivery system for the drug to be delivered across the biological barrier of the skin into the body. In ethosomal gel formulation, The prepared Ethosome is converted into a gel that can be applied to the skin what makes ethosomal gel formulation unique which enables drugs to reach the deep skin layers and/or the systemic circulation and enhance the delivery of active agents. In addition to this, it is also a malleable vesicular delivery carrier, soft and non-invasive. There is also a higher influx of drugs transdermally into the skin as ethosomal gel formulation allows drug to penetrate deep into the skin and enters systemic circulation. There is the development of new and novel therapies for the treatment of disease through the ethosomal drug delivery system as it is safe and effective and also easy to prepare. Topics ranging from preparation of ethosomes, Ethosomal gel, advantages and disadvantages, and characterization techniques are focused on in this review article.

Sunscreens Containing Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes for Enhanced Efficiency: A Strategy for Skin Cancer Prevention.

Unprotected exposure of skin to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) may damage the DNA of skin cells and can lead to skin cancer. Sunscreens are topical formulations used to protect skin against UVR. The active ingredients of sunscreens are UV filters that absorb, scatter, and/or reflect UVR. Preventing the formation of free radicals and repairing DNA damages, natural antioxidants are also added to sunscreens as a second fold of protection against UVR. Antioxidants can help stabilise these formulations during the manufacturing process and upon application on skin. However, UV filters and antioxidants are both susceptible to degradation upon exposure to sunlight and oxygen. Additionally, due to their poor water solubility, natural antioxidants are challenging to formulate and exhibit limited penetration and bioavailability in the site of action (i.e., deeper skin layers). Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharides that are capable of forming inclusion complexes with poorly soluble drugs, such as antioxidants. In this review, we discuss the use of CDs inclusion complexes to enhance the aqueous solubility of antioxidants and chemical UV filters and provide a protective shield against degradative factors. The role of CDs in providing a controlled drug release profile from sunscreens is also discussed. Finally, incorporating CDs inclusion complexes into sunscreens has the potential to increase their efficiency and hence improve their skin cancer prevention.

Recent Advances in Nanomaterials for Dermal and Transdermal Applications

The stratum corneum, the most superficial layer of the skin, protects the body against environmental hazards and presents a highly selective barrier for the passage of drugs and cosmetic products deeper into the skin and across the skin. Nanomaterials can effectively increase the permeation of active molecules across the stratum corneum and enable their penetration into deeper skin layers, often by interacting with the skin and creating the distinct sites with elevated local concentration, acting as reservoirs. The flux of the molecules from these reservoirs can be either limited to the underlying skin layers (for topical drug and cosmeceutical delivery) or extended across all the sublayers of the epidermis to the blood vessels of the dermis (for transdermal delivery). The type of the nanocarrier and the physicochemical nature of the active substance are among the factors that determine the final skin permeation pattern and the stability of the penetrant in the cutaneous environment. The most widely employed types of nanomaterials for dermal and transdermal applications include solid lipid nanoparticles, nanovesicular carriers, microemulsions, nanoemulsions, and polymeric nanoparticles. The recent advances in the area of nanomaterial-assisted dermal and transdermal delivery are highlighted in this review.

Lipid Based Nanocarriers: Promising Drug Delivery System for Topical Application

AbstractLipid based delivery system is gaining significant attention of researchers working on the development of novel formulations for improved therapeutic efficacy and safety of drugs. Topical drug delivery is needed in treatment of skin, eyes, rectum, vagina disorders and systemic disorders having skin manifestations. Lipid nanocarriers have widespread application in the topical drug delivery due to the biocompatible, biodegradable, nontoxic and nonirritating nature of the lipid. Microemulsion and nanoemulsion contain lipids in the nanosize range which can lead to penetration of drug to the deeper skin layers. Solid lipid nanoparticles and nanolipid carriers act by forming an occlusive layer on the skin leading to increased hydration and penetration of the drug. Vesicular carriers such as liposomes, niosomes, ultradeformable vesicles, cubosomes etc. are also reported to enhance the penetration of the entrapped drugs in deeper layers of skin. These carrier systems are mainly composed of lipids, surfactants, and co‐surfactants which are safe and quite acceptable by regulatory authorities. The present review article focuses on different types of lipid nanocarriers used in topical drug delivery, their advantages and limitations, mechanism of enhanced penetration, work reported in the related literature, characterization tests and their safety and toxicity concerns.