Hyperpigmentation, a common and major skin problem, affects people with all skin types. Despite the availability of various depigmentation active ingredients for skin hyperpigmentation disorder, none are entirely satisfactory due to their poor permeability to the skin layer and significant toxicity, rendering severe side effects like irritative dermatitis, erythema, itching and skin flaking. 

Nanotechnology is vital in advancing cosmeceutical formulation by enhancing the active ingredients solubility, stability, safety, loading efficiency and dermal permeability. The present review offers a comprehensive discussion on applying various nanomaterials in improving cosmeceutical formulations used to treat hyperpigmentation, focusing on explaining the advantages that nanotechnology can bring to some common hyperpigmentation active ingredients like hydroquinone, arbutin, kojic acid, azelaic acid and retinoic acid to improve their efficacy in treating hyperpigmentation. The study filed and analyzed 44 reported patents and articles on depigmenting nanoparticle-enclosed compounds and found lipid nanoparticles as the most widely used nanomaterial in treating hyperpigmentation.

Source: Tangau MJ, Chong YK, Yeong KY. Advances in cosmeceutical nanotechnology for hyperpigmentation treatment. J Nanopart Res. 2022;24:155.