Hydrogel-Based Active Substance Release Systems for Cosmetology and Dermatology Application: A Review

Abstract

Hydrogels are playing an increasingly important role in medicine and pharmacy. Due to their favorable physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and designed interaction with living surroundings, they seem to be one of the most promising groups of biomaterials. Hydrogel formulations from natural, semi, or synthetic polymeric materials have gained great attention in recent years for treating various dermatology maladies and for cosmetology procedures. The purpose of this review is to present a brief review on the basic concept of hydrogels, synthesis methods, relevant mechanisms, and applications in dermatology or cosmetology. This review discusses transdermal therapies and the recent advances that have occurred in the field.

Preparation and characterization of enzymatically cross-linked gelatin/cellulose nanocrystal composite hydrogels

“…1,2 Due to their tunable properties, considerable biocompatibility, and similarity with tissue and cell environments, hydrogels have demonstrated great potential as one of the most promising groups of biomaterials. 3,4 Especially in the biomedical eld, hydrogels have been used for a wide range of medical applications such as drug and gene delivery, synthetic extracellular matrix and as scaffolds for tissue engineering. 5 Nevertheless, for biomedical use, the hydrogel components must be safe and compatible with the biological system.…”

Hydrogel Films Based on Chitosan and Oxidized Carboxymethylcellulose Optimized for the Controlled Release of Curcumin with Applications in Treating Dermatological Conditions

“…The treatments performed aim to improve the skin’s external appearance by treating various diseases and pathological conditions. Although skin disease incidence is lower than other diseases, they significantly impact life quality, and skin cancer or severe infections are life-threatening [ 1 ]. The most common skin diseases reported during a patient’s lifetime were warts (41.3%), acne (19.2%), and contact dermatitis (15.0%), followed by other forms of eczema or atopic dermatitis and urticaria [ 2 ].…”

“…Natural polymer-based (proteins and polysaccharides) hydrogels are most often used in biomedical applications due to their biocompatibility, non-toxicity, biodegradability, the similarities of their physical properties to natural tissues, low immunogenicity, and their functional groups could be modified to obtain release systems with improved properties [ 1 ].…”

Poly(chitosan-ester-ether-urethane) Hydrogels as Highly Controlled Genistein Release Systems

“…Hydrogels are a group of biomaterials that are perceived as a valuable tool in both cosmetology and dermatology, as they are efficient carriers of various therapeutic substances used in the treatment of a wide range of skin diseases [ 1 , 2 ]. This is mainly due to their ease of use and minimal range of possible side effects that are often observed in oral or intravenous drug administration.…”

“…This can be achieved through the formation of inclusion complexes, the production of nanoparticles, liposomes, microspheres and/or micelles [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Hydrogels based on natural and synthetic polymers, owing to their high biocompatibility, non-toxicity, biofunctionality, biodegradability, relatively low immunogenicity as well physical properties similar to natural tissues, are used for materials with many biomedical applications [ 1 ], namely, for the production of contact lenses, artificial organs and materials for the reconstruction and regeneration of cartilage, for tissue engineering and reconstructive surgery, as dressings for the healing of wounds as well as release systems for various compounds with therapeutic effects [ 1 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. In recent years, hydrogel biomaterials that are characterized by static properties or play the role of “smart” hydrogels that can respond to different types of stimuli have been more and more dynamically developed [ 14 ].…”