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5 Benefits of a Topical Drug Delivery System

Posted by: Julie Cardin on 9/9/20 9:30 AM

An incorrect dosage of a topically delivered drug will adversely affect the drug's effectiveness for the patient. Like other drugs, topical medication must be handled and administered properly, as mishandling can result in serious side effects. Many topical drug delivery systems have a systematic or local effect when reaching the body's circulation system after application to the skin tissue. As such, accurate formulation is essential for successful topical drug delivery systems. 

What Is a Topical Drug Delivery System? 

A topical drug delivery system is a way to deliver medication that is applied onto a particular part of the body, typically the skin, to treat various ailments. There are many common forms of topical medication such as lotions, gels, patches, and powders, but they are mainly formulated as creams or ointments.

Benefits of the Topical Route of Drug Administration

Medications delivered via the topical route offer a whole host of benefits. Here are five benefits of using a topical drug delivery system.

1. Alternative to Oral Administration

Many patients struggle with oral drug administration. Some risk vomiting, while others find swallowing pills a near-impossible task. Consequently, if an orally administered drug is rejected, this reduces a drug’s effectiveness, prolonging the ailment. This problem is most common in infants or young children who are not used to swallowing tablets.

Young mother holding a glass of water and giving medicine to sick little daughter lying in bedParents often find it difficult to get their children to take medication. Commonly, this results in wasted doses and slower recovery times. By using a topical medication, parents may be able to avoid these problems and help their children feel better more quickly.

2. Fewer Risks of Gastrointestinal Difficulties

young woman suffering from a stomach ache on sofa at homeDifferent individuals absorb medication at different rates. Oral medications can cause a variety of digestive side effects. Patients who experience these often painful side effects may opt to terminate their medication. A topical drug delivery system overcomes this limitation, improving the patient’s recovery process.

3. Fewer Risks of Abuse

Medication administered through tablets or injections can easily be abused. Drug abuse by patients is far too common, especially with pain medications. Such abuse can lead to addiction. On the other hand, administering medication through ointments or creams greatly lowers the risk of abuse.

Topical medications not only help doctors and patients manage ailments, but also help to prevent the problem of drug abuse.

4. Easy to Administer

Almost everyone has a fear of something. Some people are afraid of injections or of swallowing tablets, but few are fearful of rubbing an ointment on their skin. For this reason, doctors find it easier to encourage their patients to take their medication when using a topical drug delivery system.

Modeling topical medication application with gloved hands

As a patient, you can also easily manage your medication at home. Gone are the days when you had to put up with disgusting pills or painful injections.

5. Reduced Hospital Congestion

Previously, hospitals administered many medications by injection, filling their beds to capacity. Today, if your condition isn’t serious, you can walk into a hospital and walk out again a short time later with your topical medication. This leaves hospital beds free to cater to more serious cases and reduces both hospital and patient medical costs.

Innovating with Topical Drug Delivery

The increased adoption of topical medication in recent years has been impressive. This is largely due to the fact that the medication has proven to have more advantages than drawbacks. After all, the skin is ideal for drug administration, as it produces both systematic and local effects.

Call it a life-changing medical innovation. Topical drug delivery systems have surely changed the way we look at medication. More and more medical institutions and health practitioners are adopting this form of medication in an attempt to improve their services to patients. This medical breakthrough offers a future of health care that is definitely more effective and agreeable for patients.

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Topics: Snap/Snapplicator, Transdermal, MacroPerm, MicroDerm

Julie Cardin