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Dermaroller™ as an alternative means to breach the stratum corneum Barrier. Chandra Sekhar Kolli, Haripriya Kalluri, Nishil N. Desai and Ajay K. Banga. College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Mercer University, Atlanta GA 30341, USA, 2007

Purpose

The Purpose of this study was to assess the ability of the Dermaroller to disrupt the stratum corneum to increase skin permeability. 

Materials and Method

Dermaroller™ ( Model CIT 8 ) ( DERMAROLLER S.A.R:L., Friesenheim, France ) epuipped with 192 needle, each 500 µm tall was used for this study. Needles, made from stainless steel were stacked in 8 rows and the assembly is about 20mm wide (Fig. 1). Microchannels created by Dermaroller™. in full thickness hairless rat skin were abserved using methylene blue staining. Cryostat sections were prepared and stained using hematoxylin and eosin to observe the disruption of the stratum corneum. Diffusion pattern of calcein aroun the microchannels was observed using confocal scanning laser microscopy. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurements were made to quantitatively study the skin barrier disruption following treatment with Dermaroller™.

Fig.1: Stereomicroscopic image (LEICA, MZ6) of the metal microneedles on the Dermaroller™  ( 500 µm).

Fig.2:  Stereomicroscopic image of hairless rat skin after treatment the Dermaroller™ (Model CIT8) 3X and following application of methylene blue dye to check the presence of micropores; the arrows indicate the micropores by the Dermaroller™.

 Fig.3: Histology; Cryostat sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin to observe the disruption of the stratum corneum; the arrows indicate the region where the dermaroller breached the stratum corneum.

 Fig.4: Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopic ( LSCM ) image of hairless rat skin pretreated with Dermaroller™ showed fluorescent heprain at a depth of 140 µm from the surface of the stratum corneum. Courtesy: Shankar Lanke, Mercer University.

Fig.5: TEWL increased from a base value of 14.7g/m2/hr to 56.6.g/m2/hr after the Dermaroller was passed 15x on a hairless rat model.

Results and Discussion

Miconeedls from Dermaroller™  penetrated the skin while creating microchannels. The areas of the skin breached by Dermaroller™ took up methylene blue dye whereas the rest of the skin  remained impermeable (Fig.2) Disruption of the stratum corneum was observed from the hematoxylin and eosin stained cryosections (Fig.3). The area away fom microchannels served as control for the confocal microscopy studies and results reveals that no dye was imaged in lower epidermal tissue below the control. In contrast, in the region of skin  that was perturbed by the Dermaroller™ to breach the stratum corneum, along the microchannels (Fig.4). An increas in TEWL (56.6g/m2/hr) was measured from base value (14.7g/m2/hr) immediately following treatment ( 15 passes ) with Dermaroller™. A measurable difference from the baseline is indicative of disruption of the SC and increased permeability of skin (Fig.5).

Conclusion

Dermaroller™ was shown to create microchannels in the skin an may provide an alternative approach of skin microporation.