Uptake of topical drugs on the skin is usually limited by the protective epidermis of the skin. Epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin [1].
Fractional CO2 can disrupt this barrier with the ablation of columns of the epidermis and allow better penetration of topical drugs on the skin.
Lasers do show great enhancement of skin permeation [2]. It is also proven that lasers help to achieve higher upper uptake within a shortened amount of time with minimal skin barrier [3].
References:
1. Alkilani A, McCrudden MT, Donnelly R. Transdermal Drug Delivery: Innovative Pharmaceutical Developments Based on Disruption of the Barrier Properties of the Stratum Corneum. Pharmaceutics. 2015;7(4):438-470. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics7040438
2. Lee W-R, Shen S-C, Wang K-H, Hu C-H, Fang J-Y. Lasers and Microdermabrasion Enhance and Control Topical Delivery of Vitamin C. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2003;121(5):1118-1125. doi:10.1046/j.1523-1747.2003.12537.x
3. Lim HK, Jeong KH, Kim NI, Shin MK. Nonablative fractional laser as a tool to facilitate skin penetration of 5-aminolaevulinic acid with minimal skin disruption: a preliminary study. The British journal of dermatology. 2014;170(6):1336-1340. doi:10.1111/bjd.12817
