Interface-Engineered Nanocarriers for Translational and Patient-Centric Topical Therapy in Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated dermatological disorder characterized by keratinocyte hyperproliferation and persistent inflammation, representing a significant therapeutic challenge. Conventional topical therapies are often limited by inadequate skin penetration, poor drug stability, and systemic toxicity, necessitating the development of advanced drug delivery platforms. Recent progress in colloid and interface science has enabled the design of nanocarrier systems including solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, nanoemulsions, and liposomes that optimize drug-skin interactions at the nanoscale. Through interface engineering, these carriers improve drug solubility, stability, and controlled release, while enhancing epidermal localization and minimizing off-target exposure. Lipid-based nanosystems, in particular, leverage the skin's lipid pathways to achieve higher drug accumulation in psoriatic lesions, thereby improving therapeutic outcomes and patient compliance. Preclinical and early clinical studies with drugs such as methotrexate and cyclosporine have demonstrated enhanced lesion resolution, reduced side effects, and superior safety profiles when delivered via nanocarriers. Nevertheless, the clinical translation of these systems is often hindered by challenges such as large-scale reproducibility, formulation stability, and regulatory complexity. Interface-engineered nanocarriers address these limitations by employing biocompatible materials, scalable synthesis techniques, and targeted design strategies that enhance safety, efficacy, and translational feasibility. This review integrates mechanistic insights from colloid and interface engineering with translational perspectives on formulation scalability, regulatory pathways, and long-term safety evaluation. Collectively, interface-tailored nanocarriers represent a transformative approach for precision-driven, effective, and patient-centered topical therapy of psoriasis.