Nanomedicine in dermatology: Benefits and emerging applications

Applications of nanomedicine in dermatology include new direction in medical diagnosis, monitoring and treatment. Gold nanoparticle, quantum dots and magnetic nanoparticles are used in noninvasing nanoimaging of skin high-resolution dermoscopy, microscopy, nanopunch and spectroscopy offering advance diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. The main areas of nanotherapeutics are drug therapy, genetherapy and immunotherapy. In drug therapy, because of size reduction or encapsulation of drug particle, the therapeutic potential of water insoluble and unstable drug improves and facilitates the delivery of small molecules across blood, skin, nails, and pilosebaceous unit. Nanotherapeutics found application in both topical and systemic treatments and benefits are relevant in esthetic dermatology, treatment of malignancies and inflammatory skin diseases.