RT Journal Article
T1 Nail tattooing: a novel and minimally invasive technique for enhancing drug penetration through the nail
A1 Seoane Viaño, Iria
A1 Bendicho Lavilla, Carlos
A1 Díaz Tomé, Victoria
A1 Seoane Viaño, Iria
A1 Monte Vidal, Vinicius de
A1 Otero Espinar, Francisco Javier
K1 Nail drug delivery
K1 Tattoo-assisted permeation
K1 Onychomycosis treatment
K1 Transungual drug transport
K1 Ciclopirox lacquer
AB Onychomycosis, a prevalent fungal infection, and psoriasis, a chronic immune disorder affecting the nail plate, present therapeutic challenges due to the limited efficacy of current treatments, often leading to prolonged therapy and a high relapse rate. The highly cross-linked keratin network of the nail plate acts as a barrier, impeding effective drug delivery. This pioneering study explores a novel approach using a tattoo device to enhance drug penetration through the nail. Ciclopirox olamine and clobetasol lacquers were selected as the model formulations. Drug permeation tests conducted on non-treated, filed (mechanically abraded), and tattooed nails demonstrated significantly higher drug permeation in tattooed nails, suggesting the potential of this delivery method. Nail tattooing offers a simple method to enhance topical therapy, allowing treatment initiation in the clinic and continuation at home.
PB Springer
YR 2026
FD 2026-03-26
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46878
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46878
LA eng
NO Bendicho-Lavilla, C., Díaz-Tomé, V., Seoane-Viaño, I., Monte-Vidal, V. de, & Otero-Espinar, F.J. (2026) Nail tattooing: a novel and minimally invasive technique for enhancing drug penetration through the nail. Drug Delivery and Translational Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13346-026-02102-z
NO I.S.V. and V.D.T. acknowledge Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Universidade for their Postdoctoral Fellowships (Xunta de Galicia, Spain; ED481D-2024-011, and ED481B-2023-092, respectively). This project has been funded by Axencia Galega de Innovación (Grupo de Referencia Competitiva, ED431C 2025/08).
NO Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. This project has been funded by Axencia Galega de Innovación (Grupo de Referencia Competitiva, ED431C 2025/08).
DS Minerva
RD 9 may 2026