Skin Pretreatment With Conventional Non-Fractional Ablative Lasers Promote the Transdermal Delivery of Tranexamic Acid.
BACKGROUND
Laser pretreatment of skin can be used to enable drugs used in dermatology to penetrate the skin to the depth necessary for their effect to take place.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the permeation of tranexamic acid after conventional non-fractionated ablative Er:YAG and CO2 laser pretreatment in a laser-aided transdermal delivery system.


METHODS
An erbium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Er:YAG) and a CO2 laser were used to pretreat dorsal porcine skin. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine disruption of the skin surface. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to determine the depth of penetration of a reporter molecule (fluorescein isothiocyanate) into the skin. A Franz diffusion assembly was used to examine fluency-related increases in transdermal delivery of transexamic acid.


RESULTS
Transdermal delivery of tranexamic acid increased as Er:YAG laser fluency increased. Transdermal delivery was higher when CO2 laser pretreatment was used than when Er:YAG laser pretreatment was used, but a "ceiling effect" was present and increasing the wattage did not cause a further increase in delivery. CO2 laser pretreatment also caused more extensive and deeper skin disruption than Er:YAG laser pretreatment.


CONCLUSIONS
For conventional, non-fractionated ablative laser pretreatment, the Er:YAG laser would be an optimal choice to enhance transdermal penetration of transexamic acid.
*Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan; †Research Center for Industry of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan; ‡Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; §Department of Cosmetic Science, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan; ‖College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; ¶Department of Dermatology, Aesthetic Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Chien-Yu
CY
Hsiao
Hsin-Ching
HC
Sung
Sindy
S
Hu
Chun-Hsun
CH
Huang
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010539:Permeability; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D062327:Skin Lightening Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D013552:Swine; D014148:Tranexamic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D062327:Skin Lightening Preparations; D014148:Tranexamic Acid