Nitric Oxide-Releasing Nanomaterials and Skin Care

The gaseous free radical nitric oxide (NO) is a key endogenous found molecule involved in several physiological and pathophysiological processes in different organs and tissues. NO is synthesized by several cell types in the human skin, where regulates diverse homeostatic functions, such as the control of dermal blood flow, the promotion of wound healing, the skin pigmentation, and the anti-aging effects. Due to its unique chemistry structure and biological versatility, NO is also an important mediator of diverse human skin diseases, and plays a defense role against skin pathogens. Therefore, there is an explosive interest on the development of biological friendly vehicles for topical NO release in several dermatological applications. In this scenario, the preparation of NO-releasing nanomaterials, as controllable NO dispenser, is a promising strategy for diverse applications in human skin, as discussed in this chapter.