The impact of treatment density and molecular weight for fractional laser-assisted drug delivery

Topically applied methotrexate is rapidly delivered into skin by fractional laser ablation

“…AFXL has previously been used for topical delivery of test molecules with a wide range of molecular weights from 240 to 4300 Da [14] and thus, may presumably enable topical delivery of MTX. Quantitative analyses of MTX transport kinetics were performed by the well-proven method of HPLC.…”

Ablative fractional laser intensifies treatment outcome of scalp actinic keratoses with ingenol mebutate: a case report

“…Ingenol mebutate (IngMeb) is a topical agent approved for field‐directed treatment of AK with only 2–3 daily treatments . Pretreating the skin with ablative fractional CO 2 laser (AFXL) has shown promise as an anti‐cancer treatment, whereby uptake of topical photosensitizers is increased, and clinical outcome from photodynamic therapy is enhanced . AFXL pretreatment may have the same potential to enhance treatment outcome with IngMeb, and it is therefore essential to evaluate safety and efficacy of treating AK with IngMeb delivered through AFXL channels.…”

Laser‐assisted drug delivery: mode of action and use in daily clinical practice

“…Application of topical agents immediately after AFXL treatment allows for active substances to more effectively penetrate the stratum corneum through the MAZ and to increasingly accumulate in the skin, thereby enhancing their bioavailability underneath the stratum corneum (Figure c). In vitro studies show that the absorbed quantity of applied topical agents can be increased by increasing the number of MAZ per unit area (treatment parameter density ) . Moreover, several studies have demonstrated that impaired integrity of the stratum corneum is the key mechanism for effective penetration, and that MAZ extending deep into the dermis do not further improve the bioavailability of applied agents .…”