The role of capsaicin in dermatology.

Abstract

Neurogenic pain and pruritus are the common chief complaints at dermatology office visits. Unfortunately, they are also notoriously difficult conditions to treat. Topical capsaicin used as a single therapy or as an adjuvant offers a low-risk option for patients who do not achieve control on other therapies. This chapter presents the evidence behind topical capsaicin use in dermatologic conditions characterized by neurogenic pain or pruritus, including postherpetic neuralgia, notalgia paresthetica, brachioradial pruritus, lichen simplex chronicus, prurigo nodularis, pruritus ani, pruritus of hemodialysis, aquagenic pruritus, apocrine chromhidrosis, lipodermatosclerosis, alopecia areata, and psoriasis. It presents the most common capsaicin formulations, dosages, and durations of treatment for each condition. Additionally, the chapter addresses various adverse effects and limitations in the use of topical capsaicin in dermatology.

• Authors: Katherine Boyd, Sofia M Shea, James W Patterson
• Journal: Progress in drug research. Fortschritte der Arzneimittelforschung. Progres des recherches pharmaceutiques (Prog Drug Res) Vol. 68 Pg. 293-306 ( 2014) ISSN: 0071-786X [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 24941674 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Capsaicin

Topics

• Alopecia Areata (drug therapy)
• Animals
• Capsaicin (therapeutic use)
• Dermatitis (drug therapy)
• Humans
• Neuralgia, Postherpetic (drug therapy)
• Pruritus (drug therapy)
• Scleroderma, Localized (drug therapy)
• Skin Diseases (drug therapy)