Transfollicular drug delivery.

The hair follicle, hair shaft, and sebaceous gland collectively form what is recognized as the pilosebaceous unit. This complex, three-dimensional structure within the skin possesses a unique biochemistry, metabolism and immunology. Recent studies have focused on the hair follicle as a potential pathway for both localized and systemic drug delivery. Greater understanding of the structure and function of the hair follicle may facilitate rational design of drug formulations to target follicular delivery. Targeted drug delivery may enhance current therapeutic approaches to treating diseases of follicular origin. Presented here is a review of follicular drug delivery and a discussion of the feasibility of the pilosebaceous unit as a target site.