Internal medicine

Organic chemistry

Hair follicle

Sebaceous gland

Follicle

Targeted drug delivery

Follicular phase

Chemistry

Drug delivery

Drug

Medicine

Pharmacology

Research and Reports in Transdermal Drug Delivery

Abstract: The pilosebaceous unit is the collective form of a hair follicle, hair shaft, and sebaceous gland. Within the skin, this three-dimensional composite shows a distinctive biochemistry, metabolism, and immunology. Presently, most researchers in this area are focused on the hair follicles, as they see these as a potential pathway for both localized and systemic delivery of various chemotherapeutics. Better understanding of the configuration of the hair follicle is mulled over in order to design rational drug formulations to achieve targeted follicular delivery. Targeted drug delivery may enhance the efficacy of current therapeutics to treat diseases of follicular origin. The present review covers follicular drug delivery with the potential to target the pilosebaceous unit. Keywords: pilosebaceous unit, hair follicle, sebaceous gland, topical drug delivery

Transfollicular drug delivery: current perspectives