*3.7.1 Transfersomes*

Transfersomes are elastic or deformable liposomes (discussed in Section 2.7) [122]. These were developed to overcome the localization of liposomes on the skin. The membrane of transfersomes is formed by phospholipid and a single chain surfactant molecule (sodium cholate, sodium deoxycholate, Tween 20, Tween 60, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, etc.). Transfersomes, by virtue of its tendency to avoid dry surroundings, enter into deeper layers of the skin that have higher moisture content than the surface layer. The elasticity of the membrane helps to breach the narrow gap on the surface of the skin. The enhanced drug transport by the transfersomes can be explained by its distribution on the skin surface after the adsorption on the skin [123]. The ability of transfersomes to transport protein or peptide therapeutics (e.g., insulin) has been reported [124, 125]. Encouraging results were obtained in the case of low molecular weight heparin [126].
