Method of promoting skin care products

• US 20030138249A1
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Gregory Payonk, Jeffrey S. Pote, Kenneth Merola, Nikiforos Kollias
• Inventors: Kollias, Nikiforos, Payonk, Gregory, Merola, Kenneth, Pote, Jeffrey S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,922,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/661
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 1/00 Film strip handling
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/00 Special procedures for taking photographs; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 5/00 Means for displaying samples packaging per se B65

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of assessing the efficacy of skin care products by comparing images of the skin prior to and after use of said skin care product.

Claims

1. A method of assessing the efficacy of a skin care product, said method comprising:

(i) taking a first standard photograph of the skin of a person prior to use of said skin care product by said person;

(ii) taking at least one first additional photograph of the skin of said person prior to use of said skin care product by said person, said first additional photograph selected from the group consisting of an ultraviolet photograph, a blue fluorescence photograph, and a polarized photograph;

(iii) taking a second standard photograph of the skin of a person after use of said skin care product by said person;

(iv) taking at least one second additional photograph of the skin of said person after use of said skin care product by said person, said second additional photograph selected from the group consisting of an ultraviolet photograph, a blue fluorescence photograph, and a polarized photograph; and

(v) comparing said first standard photograph and said at least one first additional photograph to said second standard photograph and said at least one second additional photograph to determine the efficacy of said skin care product.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises taking a polarized photograph.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises taking an ultraviolet photograph.

4. A method of claim 2, wherein said method comprises taking an ultraviolet photograph.

5. A method of claim 2, wherein said polarized photograph is taken with a camera by (i) filtering light emitted from a light source with a polarizing filter and (ii) not filtering the light entering said camera with a polarizing filter prior to such light entering said camera.

6. A method of claim 3, wherein said ultraviolet photograph is taken by filtering light emitted from a light source with an ultraviolet A filter.

7. A method of claim 4, wherein said ultraviolet photograph is taken by filtering light emitted from a light source with an ultraviolet A filter.

9. A method of claim 1, wherein the light entering said camera is not filtered with a polarizing filter prior to such light entering said camera.

10. A method of claim 9, wherein said polarizing filter is a linear polarizing filter.

11. A method of claim 10, wherein said linear polarizing filter is arranged such that the electric field of the emitted light is about perpendicular to the plane formed by said light source, said person'"'"'s skin, and said camera.

12. A method of claim 10, wherein said linear polarizing filter is arranged such that the electric field of the emitted light is about vertical and the plane formed by said light source, said person'"'"'s skin, and said camera is about horizontal.

13. A method of claim 1, wherein said angle formed by said light source, said skin, and said camera is about 45 degrees.

8. A method of assessing the efficacy of a skin care product, said method comprising:

(i) prior to use of said skin care product by said person, illuminating said skin with at least one light source, where the light emitted from said light source is filtered using a polarizing filter, and capturing a first image of such illuminated skin with a camera, wherein the angle formed by said light source, said skin, and said camera is from about 35 degrees to about 55 degrees;

(ii) after use of said skin care product by said person, illuminating said skin with at least one light source, where the light emitted from the light source is filtered using a polarizing filter, and capturing a second image of such illuminated skin with a camera, wherein the angle formed by said light source, said skin, and said camera is from about 35 degrees to about 55 degrees; and

(iii) comparing said first image with said second image to determine the efficacy of said skin care product.

14. A method of assessing the efficacy of a skin care product, said method comprising:

(i) prior to use of said skin care product by said person, illuminating said skin with at least one light source, wherein said light source either emits substantially only light having a wavelength from about 380 to about 430 nm or emits light through a filter that emits substantially only light having a wavelength from about 380 to about 430 nm and capturing a first image of said illuminated skin with a camera, wherein the light entering said camera is also filtered with a long pass filter, wherein said long pass filter substantially eliminates light having a wavelength below about 430 nm;

(ii) after use of said skin care product by said person, illuminating said skin with at least one light source, wherein said light source either emits substantially only light having a wavelength from about 380 to about 430 nm or emits light through a filter that emits substantially only light having a wavelength from about 380 to about 430 nm and capturing a second image of said illuminated skin with a camera, wherein the light entering said camera is also filtered with a long pass filter, wherein said long pass filter substantially eliminates light having a wavelength below about 430 nm; and

(iii) comparing said first image with said second image to determine the efficacy of said skin care product.

15. A method of claim 14, wherein said light source emits light through a filter that emits substantially only light having a wavelength from about 380 to about 430 nm.

16. A method of claim 14, wherein said long pass filter filters such light prior to entering the lens of such camera.

17. A method of claim 14, wherein said long pass filter substantially eliminates light having a wavelength below about 440 nm.

18. A method of claim 15, wherein said long pass filter substantially eliminates light having a wavelength below about 440 nm.

19. A method of claim 14, wherein said camera is a digital camera and said subject is presented with an image showing only the green channel of the RGB image captured by said digital camera.

20. A method of claim 18, wherein said camera is a digital camera and said subject is presented with an image showing only the green channel of the RGB image captured by said digital camera.