Method of treating acne with stratum corneum piercing device

• US 20080009802A1
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Lambino, Danilo, Sun, Ying, McDonough, Justin, Liu, Jue-Chen, Wu, Jeffrey, Maghribi, Mariam
• Application Number:
  US11/113,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20080009802A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/173
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/205 Vaccinating by means of needles or other puncturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00747 Dermatology
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00765 Decreasing the barrier function of skin tissue by radiated energy, e.g. using ultrasound, using laser for skin perforation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0023 Drug applicators using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0046 Solid microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0015 by using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/205 for promoting a biological process
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/30 Apparatus for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body, or cataphoresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/328 for improving the appearance of the skin, e.g. facial toning or wrinkle treatment

Abstract

The invention features a method of treating acne by piercing the stratum corneum of skin in need of such treatment with a stratum corneum-piercing device including a microprotrusion member having a skin-contacting surface and plurality of stratum corneum-piercing microprotrusions thereon.

Claims

1. A method of treating acne, wherein said method comprises piercing the stratum corneum of skin in need of such treatment with a stratum corneum-piercing device, said device comprising a microprotrusion member having a skin-contacting surface and plurality of stratum corneum-piercing microprotrusions thereon, wherein said device is adapted to have an impact pressure when applied to said skin of from about 0.5 lbs/cm² to about 7 lbs/cm².

2. A method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises applying to said skin a composition comprising an anti-acne active agent proximate to the time of said piercing the stratum corneum of said skin with said stratum corneum-piercing device.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein said device further comprises a composition comprising an anti-acne active.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein said composition is coated on (i) at least a portion of said skin-contacting surface, (ii) at least a portion of one or more of said stratum-corneum piercing microprotrusions, or (iii) at least a portion of said skin-contacting surface and at least a portion of one or more of said stratum-corneum piercing microprotrusions.

5. A method of claim 3, comprises a reservoir containing said composition, wherein said skin-contacting surface has at least one opening, and said reservoir is in communication with said at least one opening such that said composition can move from said reservoir, through said at least one opening, and onto said skin.

6. A method of claim 3, wherein said device comprises a composition reservoir containing said composition, wherein at least one of said microprotrusions is hollow, and said composition reservoir is in communication with said at least one hollow microprotrusion such that said composition can move from said composition reservoir and through said at least one hollow microprotrusion.

7. A method of claim 6, wherein said composition moves through said at least one hollow microprotrusion while said at least one hollow microprotrusion is in said skin.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein said device comprises from about 5 to about 100 microprotrusions having a length of from about 100 to about 500 microns.

9. A method of claim 1, wherein device rotates said microprotrusion member lateral to the surface of the skin surface upon contact with said skin.

10. A method of removing pus from a pimple, said method comprising piercing said pimple with a stratum corneum-piercing device, said device comprising a microprotrusion member having a skin-contacting surface and plurality of stratum corneum-piercing microprotrusions thereon, wherein said device is adapted to have an impact pressure when applied to said skin of from about 0.5 lbs/cm² to about 7 lbs/cm².

11. A method of claim 10, wherein said device comprises a collection reservoir for containing pus removed from said pimple.

12. A method of claim 11, wherein said collection reservoir comprises an absorbent material affixed to at least a portion of said skin-contacting surface.

13. A method of claim 11, wherein said skin-contacting surface has at least one openings, and said collection reservoir is in communication with said at least one opening such that said pus can move from said pimple, through said at least one opening, and into said collection reservoir.

14. A method of claim 11, wherein at least one of said microprotrusions is hollow, and said collection reservoir is in communication with said at least one hollow microprotrusion such that said pus can move from said pimple, through said at least one microprotrusion, and into said collection reservoir.

15. A method of claim 10, wherein said method further comprises applying to said skin a composition comprising an anti-acne active agent proximate to the time of said piercing said pimple with said stratum corneum-piercing device.

16. A method of claim 10, wherein said device comprises from about 5 to about 100 microprotrusions having a length of from about 100 to about 500 microns.

17. A method of claim 10, wherein device rotates said microprotrusion member lateral to the surface of the skin surface upon contact with said skin.

18. A method of claim 10, wherein said device is affixed to said skin.

19. A device comprising (i) a microprotrusion member having a skin-contacting surface and plurality of stratum corneum-piercing microprotrusions thereon and (ii) a composition comprising an anti-acne agent, wherein said device is adapted to have an impact pressure when applied to said skin of from about 0.5 lbs/cm² to about 7 lbs/cm².

20. A device of claim 19, wherein said composition is coated on (i) at least a portion of said skin-contacting surface, (ii) at least a portion of one or more of said stratum-corneum piercing microprotrusions, or (iii) at least a portion of said skin-contacting surface and at least a portion of one or more of said stratum-corneum piercing microprotrusions.

21. A device of claim 19, wherein said device comprises a reservoir containing said composition, wherein said skin-contacting surface has at least one opening, and said reservoir is in communication with said at least one opening such that said composition can move from said reservoir, through said at least one opening, and onto said skin.

22. A device of claim 19, wherein said device comprises a composition reservoir containing said composition, wherein at least one of said microprotrusions is hollow, and said composition reservoir is in communication with said at least one hollow microprotrusion such that said composition can move from said composition reservoir and through said at least one microprotrusion.

23. A device of claim 19, wherein said composition moves through said at least one microprotrusion while said at least one microprotrusion is in said skin.

24. A device of claim 19, wherein said device comprises from about 5 to about 100 microprotrusions having a length of from about 100 to about 500 microns.