Method of examining and diagnosing skin health

• US 20030083558A1
• Filed: 08/01/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Skover, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 6,790,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/306
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2333/54 Interleukins [IL]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2333/65 Insulin-like growth factors (Somatomedins), e.g. IGF-1, IGF-2
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2333/96425 from mammals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5091 for testing the pathological state of an organism
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/6854 Immunoglobulins
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/82 involving vitamins or their receptors

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of examining skin health in a subject, the method including the steps of: accessing a sample of interstitial fluid from the skin of the subject; and measuring the amount of a skin analyte in the sample.

Claims

1. A method of examining skin health in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing a sample of interstitial fluid from the skin of said subject; and

(b) measuring the amount of a skin analyte in said sample.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises creating a opening in the stratum corneum of the skin of said patient and accessing said sample through said opening.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein said opening is created with a needle, a blade, a laser, or an electric arc.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein said opening is created with a laser.

5. A method of claim 2, wherein said sample is extracted through said opening under negative pressure.

6. A method of claim 3, wherein said sample is extracted through said opening under negative pressure.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein said skin analyte is a vitamin, an immunoglobulin, an insulin-like growth factor, an interleukin, an interleukin receptor antagonist, or a metalloproteinase.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein said skin analyte is vitamin C.

9. A method of claim 6, wherein said skin analyte is a vitamin, an immunoglobulin, an insulin-like growth factor, an interleukin, an interleukin receptor antagonist, or a metalloproteinase.

10. A method of claim 6, wherein said skin analyte is vitamin C.

11. A method of diagnosing the skin health in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing a sample of interstitial fluid from the skin of said subject;

(b) measuring the amount of a skin analyte in said sample; and

(c) comparing the amount of said skin analyte to a reference standard.

12. A method of claim 11, wherein said method comprises creating a opening in the stratum corneum of the skin of said patient and accessing said sample through said opening.

13. A method of claim 12, wherein said opening is created with a needle, a blade, a laser, or an electric arc.

14. A method of claim 13, wherein said opening is created with a laser.

15. A method of claim 12, wherein said sample is extracted through said opening under negative pressure.

16. A method of claim 13, wherein said sample is extracted through said opening under negative pressure.

17. A method of claim 11, wherein said skin analyte is a vitamin, an immunoglobulin, an insulin-like growth factor, an interleukin, an interleukin receptor antagonist, or a metalloproteinase.

18. A method of claim 11, wherein said skin analyte is vitamin C.

19. A method of claim 16, wherein said skin analyte is a vitamin, an immunoglobulin, an insulin-like growth factor, an interleukin, an interleukin receptor antagonist, or a metalloproteinase.

20. A method of claim 16, wherein said skin analyte is vitamin C.