SKIN-PIERCING DEVICE FOR TREATMENT OF ACNE

• US 20100185224A1
• Filed: 01/03/2008
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey M. Wu, Justin E. Mcdonough, Nicholas M. Wnek, Raymond J. Hull Jr, Robert A. Mclaughlin, Ronald J. Gillespie
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey M. Wu, Justin E. Mcdonough, Nicholas M. Wnek, Raymond J. Hull Jr, Robert A. Mclaughlin, Ronald J. Gillespie
• Inventors: McLaughlin, Robert A., Wnek, Nicholas M., McDonough, Justin E., Hull, Raymond J. JR., Wu, Jeffrey M., Gillespie, Ronald J.
• Application Number:
  US12/067,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185224A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/182
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets A61B18/00 takes precedence; contraceptive devices, pessaries, or applicators therefor A61F6/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32093 for skin incisions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/50 Instruments, other than pincettes or toothpicks, for removing foreign bodies from the human body locating otherwise A61B5/06; locating by radiation A61B6/00; removing calculi A61B17/22; from the eyes A61F9/00709
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00747 Dermatology

Abstract

The invention features a skin-piercing device having a piercing element and the use thereof of treating acne.

Claims

1. A skin-piercing device comprising:

a housing having a skin-contacting surface, wherein said housing comprises an opening in said skin-contacting surface,

a piercing element disposed within said housing,

a forcing assembly urging the piercing element in a direction to project the tip of said piercing element from within said housing through said opening in said skin-contacting surface of said housing,

a trigger assembly with a portion contained within said housing arranged to retain said piercing element in a retracted position energizing the forcing assembly and a second portion outside said housing manually actuable to release said piercing element to cause said tip to have a momentary position projecting from said opening, and

a fluid-absorbent material affixed to the outside of said housing.

2. A skin-piercing device of claim 1, wherein said skin-piercing device further comprises a restrictor assembly structured to substantially prevent said piercing element from moving completely into said retracted position after said tip to has projected from said opening.

3. A skin-piercing device of claim 1, wherein said forcing assembly is a spring.

4. A skin-piercing device of claim 1, wherein the surface area of said skin-contacting surface is from about 0.5 mm2 to about 25 mm2.

5. A skin-piercing device of claim 1, wherein said skin-contacting surface comprises a concave shape and said opening is within said concave shape.

6. A skin-piercing device of claim 1, wherein the surface of said fluid-absorbent material comprises a structure having a diameter of from about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm.

7. A skin-piercing device of claim 1, wherein said fluid absorbent material comprises an anti-acne agent.

8. A skin-piercing device of claim 6, wherein said anti-acne agent is selected from the group consisting of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide.

9. A skin-piercing device of claim 1, wherein said skin-piercing device is adapted such that the effective length of the tip of the piercing element that projects from the skin-piercing device that is from about 100 to about 500 microns.

10. A skin-piercing device of claim 1, wherein said fluid-absorbent material covers said opening and said fluid absorbent material is capable of being pierced by said piercing element tip.

11. A method of treating acne, wherein said method comprises contacting skin in need of such treatment with the skin-contacting surface of a skin-piercing device including

a housing having a skin-contacting surface, wherein said housing comprises an opening in said skin-contacting surface,

a piercing element disposed within said housing,

a forcing assembly urging the piercing element in a direction to project the tip of said piercing element from within said housing through said opening in said skin-contacting surface of said housing, and

a trigger assembly with a portion contained within said housing arranged to retain said piercing element in a retracted position energizing the forcing assembly and a second portion outside said housing manually actuable to release said piercing element to cause said tip to have a momentary position projecting from said opening,

wherein said method comprises actuating said trigger mechanism to release said piercing element to cause said tip to pierce said skin.

12. A method of claim 11, wherein said skin-piercing device further comprises a fluid-absorbent material affixed to the outside of said housing, and said method comprises absorbing bodily fluids from said pierced skin within said fluid-absorbent material.

13. A method of claim 11, wherein said skin-piercing device further comprises a restrictor assembly structured to substantially prevent said piercing element from moving completely into said retracted position after said tip to has projected from said opening.

14. A method of claim 11, wherein following the release said piercing element said method further comprises repositioning said piercing element into said retracted position and re-actuating said trigger mechanism to release said piercing element to cause said tip to pierce said skin.

15. A method of claim 11, wherein said method further comprises applying to said skin an anti-acne active agent proximate to the time of said piercing the skin with said piercing element.

16. A method of claim 11, wherein said method comprises first positioning a n aiming device over said skin, following which the skin-piercing device is secured to said aiming device prior to actuating said trigger mechanism.

17. A kit comprising a skin-piercing device, said skin-piercing device comprising:

a housing having a skin-contacting surface, wherein said housing comprises an opening in said skin-contacting surface,

a piercing element disposed within said housing,

a forcing assembly urging the piercing element in a direction to project the tip of said piercing element from within said housing through said opening in said skin-contacting surface of said housing, and

a trigger assembly with a portion contained within said housing arranged to retain said piercing element in a retracted position energizing the forcing assembly and a second portion outside said housing manually actuable to release said piercing element to cause said tip to have a momentary position projecting from said opening,

wherein said kit further comprises at least one item selected from the following group of items;

(i) a composition comprising an anti-acne agent, (ii) a re-cocking element to position said piercing element into said retracted position following the release said piercing element, and (iii) an aiming device to assist in positioning the skin-piercing device over the area of skin to be pierced.

18. A kit of claim 17, wherein said kit further comprises at least one of said compositions, wherein said anti-acne agent is selected from the group consisting of salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, retinoic acid, azelaic acid, tazorotene, clindamycin, adapalene, erythromycin, sodium sulfacetamide, and combinations thereof

19. A kit of claim 17, wherein said kit further comprises at lest one of said re-cocking elements.

20. A kit of claim 17, wherein said kit further comprises at least one said aiming devices.

21. A kit of claim 17, wherein said skin-piercing device has a fluid-absorbent material affixed to the outside of said housing.