ABSTRACT
Skin being a cardinal organ of the body needs adequate nourishment and care. Following a skin care regimen, appropriate and timely treatment can lead to a considerable decline in the prevalence of skin diseases. Considering the lipoidal nature of human skin, a number of lipid-based dermatological carriers have been explored in the past, but the invention of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) in the 1990s could be considered as a landmark in the arena of dermal drug delivery. SLNs, which are colloidal carriers formulated by using lipids that are solid at room temperature, not only offers the advantage of modified drug release and epidermal targeting but are also devoid of problems associated with drug loading, stability, and scale-up. The large surface area, occlusive property, skin hydration and ultraviolet resistance of these nanocarriers make them ideal for dermal application. Ease of fabrication and characterization further augment their commercialization potential. Owing to their inherent merits, SLNs have been used for cosmetic application of several active moieties, such as CoQ10, retinol and tocopheryl 338acetate. The present chapter provides a detailed account of SLNs as dermal carriers, covering their composition, production, characterization, release profile, cosmetic benefits and studies carried out. A list of recent patents on SLNs for drug delivery in skin care has also been included.
