Acne vulgaris is a skin disorder resulting from clogging hair follicles with dead skin cells and oils from the skin. Although it is not a fatal disease, it seriously affects the patients physical and emotional states due to the fear of permanent scars, reduces self-confidence, causes depression, avoidance of social interactions and even causes the proneness to commit suicide. 

Topical retinoids remain the first-line treatment for most forms of acne vulgaris. Poor aqueous solubility, along with physical or chemical instability, restricts the applications of retinoids for anti-acne therapy. Nanoformulations of retinoids have the potential to overcome many problems associated with conventional retinoid formulations by improving solubility, and stability, reducing skin irritation, improving drug targeting and enhancing therapeutic efficacy. 

These newer nanoformulations products are expected to be commercially available in the future as investigations on these technologies are nearly in completion. Incorporating nanocarriers in suitable vehicles such as gel, aqueous media and creams is expected to improve patient compliance with the formulations and increase patient acceptance. Using GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) listed excipients and a synergistic approach by co-administrating with antioxidant compounds will provide strategies that improve the acne treatment with anti-aging. This will further direct the nanoformulations towards instant development in cosmeceuticals.

Source: Lalrengpuii J, Raza K, Mishra A, et al. Retinoid nanoparticulates: approachable gateway for acne treatment. Health Sci Rev. 2022;4:100042.