Pharmacological treatments for cutaneous manifestations of inherited ichthyoses

Inherited ichthyoses are a group of etiologically heterogeneous diseases that affect the function of the skin and that are classified as syndromic and non-syndromic entities. Irrespective of the type, all these disorders are generally produced by mutations in genes involved in a variety of cellular functions in the skin. These mutations lead to disruption of the stratum corneum and impairment of the skin barrier, producing clinical features such as hyperkeratosis, skin scaling, erythema, fissures, pruritus, inflammation, and skin pain. Despite advances in the knowledge of the pathogenesis of ichthyoses, there is, to our knowledge, no definitive cure for skin manifestations, and current treatments consist of moisturizers, emollients, and keratolytic agents. In this respect, the development of new formulations based on nanotechnology could be useful to enhance their therapeutic effectiveness. In this article, we provide a comprehensive description of pharmacological treatments for cutaneous manifestations in patients with inherited ichthyosis and discuss novel approaches with therapeutic potential for this purpose. Moreover, we offer an overview of toxicity concerns related to these treatments.