Methods of reducing the appearance of pigmentation with galvanic generated electricity

• US 7,476,222 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Wu, Jeffrey, Sun, Ying, Chantalat, Jeannette, Liu, Jue-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Mendez; Manuel A
• Application Number:
  US10/874,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20050004508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 604/20, 604/19, 604/890.1, 604/892.1, 604/500, 604/501
• US Class Current: 604/501
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0428 Specially adapted for iontophoresis, e.g. AC, DC or including drug reservoirs
• 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 1/30 Apparatus for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body, or cataphoresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428

Abstract

The present invention features a method of reducing the appearance of pigmentation on the skin by applying electricity to skin in need of such treatment wherein said electricity is generated by a first conductive electrode in electric communication with a second conductive electrode, wherein both the first conductive electrode and the second conductive electrode are in ionic communication with the skin, wherein the difference of the standard potentials of the first conductive electrode and the second conductive electrode is at least 0.2 V and wherein the electrons that pass between the first conductive electrode and the second conductive electrode are generated as a result of such difference of the standard potentials.

Claims

1. A method of reducing the appearance of pigmentation on the skin, said method comprising applying electricity to skin in need of such treatment wherein said electricity is generated by a first conductive electrode that is an anode in electric communication with a second conductive electrode that is a cathode, wherein both said first conductive electrode and said second conductive electrode are in ionic communication with said skin, wherein the difference of the standard potentials of said first conductive electrode and said second conductive electrode is at least 0.2 V and wherein the electrons that pass between said first conductive electrode and said second conductive electrode are generated as a result of said difference of the standard potentials, wherein said method comprises applying to said skin a device comprising:

a housing having a skin contacting surface;

said first conductive electrode;

said second conductive electrode; and

a carrier;

wherein said first conductive electrode and said second conductive electrode are in ionic communication with said carrier and wherein said carrier is in communication with said skin through said skin contacting surface, and wherein said device is adapted to be affixed to said skin and to deliver electric current from said first conductive electrode, through said carrier, through said skin, and through said carrier to said second conductive electrode.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein said first conductive electrode comprises zinc.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein carrier is added to said device by the user prior to application to said skin.

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

5. A method of claim 2, wherein said housing is a non-woven substrate.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein said housing is a non-woven substrate.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein carrier is added to said device by the user prior to application to said skin.

8. A method of claim 7, wherein said housing is a non-woven substrate.

9. A method of claim 1, wherein said carrier further comprises a depigmentation agent selected from the group consisting of a soy isoflavone, retinol, kojic acid, kojic dipalmitate, hydroquinone, arbutin, transexamic acid, niacin, vitamin C, azelaic acid, linolenic acid, linoleic acid, and salts thereof.

10. A method of claim 9, wherein said housing is a non-woven substrate.

11. A method of reducing the appearance of pigmentation on the skin, said method comprising applying electricity to skin in need of such treatment wherein said electricity is generated by a first conductive electrode that is an anode in electric communication with a second conductive electrode that is a cathode, wherein both said first conductive electrode and said second conductive electrode are in ionic communication with said skin, wherein the difference of the standard potentials of said first conductive electrode and said second conductive electrode is at least 0.2 V and wherein the electrons that pass between said first conductive electrode and said second conductive electrode are generated as a result of said difference of the standard potentials, wherein said method comprises topically applying a composition to said skin, said composition comprising said first conductive electrode in the form of a particulate and said second conductive electrode partially coated on said particulate.

12. A method of claim 11, wherein said first conductive electrode comprises zinc and said second conductive electrode comprises silver.

13. A method of claim 11, wherein said composition further comprises a depigmentation agent selected from the group consisting of a soy isoflavone, retinol, kojic acid, kojic dipalmitate, hydroquinone, arbutin, transexamic acid, niacin, vitamin C, azelaic acid, linolenic acid, linoleic acid, and salts thereof.