Methods of treating acne and rosacea with electrochemically generated zinc ions

• US 20040267237A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Sun, Ying, Hauschild, James E., Wu, Jeffrey M., Liu, Jue-Chen
• Granted Patent: US 7,476,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/501
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/044 Shape of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0448 Drug reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0468 Specially adapted for promoting wound healing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/205 for promoting a biological process
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/303 Constructional details electrodes for external use A61N1/0428
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/328 for improving the appearance of the skin, e.g. facial toning or wrinkle treatment

Abstract

The present invention features a method of treating acne or rosacea by applying to the skin electrochemically generated zinc ions. In one embodiment, the method includes topically applying a device including an anode containing zinc.

Claims

1. A method of treating acne or rosacea on the skin, said method comprising applying to said skin electrochemically generated zinc ions.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises topically applying a device comprising an anode comprising zinc.

3. A method of claim 2, said method comprising applying to said skin a device, said device comprising:

a housing having a skin contacting surface;

a first conductive electrode comprising zinc;

a second conductive electrode; and

a carrier;

wherein said first conductive electrode is in electric communication with said second conductive electrode, wherein said first conductive electrode is in ionic communication with said carrier, and wherein said carrier is in communication with said skin contacting surface.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein said device further comprises a power source wherein said power source is in electric communication with said first conductive electrode and said second conductive electrode.

5. A method of claim 3, wherein the difference of the standard potentials of said first conductive electrode and said second conductive electrode is at least 0.5 V and said device does not comprise an additional power source.

6. A method of claim 4, wherein said second conductive electrode is also in ionic communication with said carrier.

7. A method of claim 5, wherein said second conductive electrode is also in ionic communication with said carrier.

8. A method of claim 7, wherein the ratio of the distance between the first conductive electrode and the second conductive electrode and the distance between the first conductive electrode and the barrier membrane contacting surface is at least about 1.

9. A method of claim 7, wherein the ratio of the distance between the first conductive electrode and the second conductive electrode and the distance between the first conductive electrode and the barrier membrane contacting surface is at least about 5.

10. A method of claim 3, wherein said housing is a non-woven substrate.

11. A method of claim 5, wherein said housing is a non-woven substrate.

12. A method of claim 3, wherein carrier is added to said device by the user prior to application to said skin.

13. A method of claim 11, wherein carrier is added to said device by the user prior to application to said skin.

14. A method of claim 3, wherein said carrier further comprises an anti-acne agent.

15. A method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises applying a composition to said skin, said composition comprising said electrochemically generated zinc ions.

16. A method of claim 15, wherein said composition comprises zinc and a second metal, wherein the difference of the standard potentials of zinc and said second conductive electrode is at least 0.5 V.

17. A method of claim 15, wherein said composition comprises zinc and silver.

18. A method of claim 17, wherein said zinc and said second metal are suspended in said composition.

19. A method of claim 17, wherein said zinc and said silver are suspended in said composition.

20. A method of claim 15, wherein said composition further comprises an anti-acne agent.