WO2003037263A2

WO2003037263A2 - Sunspot skin cream

Info

Publication number: WO2003037263A2
Application number: PCT/US2002/034661
Authority: WO
Inventors: Brian Penick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-10-29
Filing date: 2002-10-29
Publication date: 2003-05-08
Anticipated expiration: 2004-04-29
Also published as: AU2002342190A1; WO2003037263A3

Abstract

A composition for treating skin conditions includes sulfur combined with a carrier vehicle such as, Vaseline, petroleum jelly, lard or the like. At least fifty % by weight of the sulfur is used in combination with the Vaseline, petroleum jelly or lard to create an effective skin cream for curing skin conditions such as, tinea versicolor, sebhorrheic keratosis and other kind of dermatitis. The skin cream generally requires one application, unless the condition is severe, thereby avoiding daily and multi-daily expensive regimens.

Description

SUNSPOT SKIN CREAM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tinea versicolor is a very common skin condition, especially in sub tropical regions.

It appears as a patch or patches of white, brown or light pink, finely flaking skin. This condition can get worse enough to cover the entire upper body including the face, sometimes causing itching and burning.

Tinea versicolor is caused by the yeast pityrosporon orbiculare. People who have tinea versicolor are genetically predisposed to developing a rash when this germ is present on the skin. When the yeast grows on untanned shin, the rash is pink to brown. When the yeast grows on tanned skin, the rash looks white because the yeast blocks out the sunlight and the skin where the yeast is growing does not tan. When growing on Asian or African-American skin, the rash can look darker or lighter than the surrounding skin depending on the patient. Conventional treatments of tinea versicolor are commonly ineffective. Oral ketaconazole may be prescribed in doses of 200 g daily for 2 to 4 weeks. Various treatment regimes utilizing oral ketaconazole have been reported to be effective in preventing relapse, but such regimens may not be as effective as reported. This oral prescription has many side effects and past history of liver disease and abnormal liver function test are relative contraindications. Fulminating hepatitis has been reported to be associated with oral ketaconazole and it thus should not be used to treat the skin infection tinea versicolor.

Another conventional treatment is through the use of Selsun Shampoo (selenium sulfide). Selsun Shampoo is applied to the affected areas before bed and washed off the next morning. This procedure is repeated for several days. Some treatments make use of Lamasil (terbinafine hydrochloride) as a pill or as a topical solution. As a topical solution, Lamasil must be applied several times per day for several weeks and even then may be an ineffective treatment. The use of oral medication is undesired as well, because the oral medications conventionally prescribed for these skin disorders have side effects and do not offer a permanent solution to the problem. Needs exist for a safe and efficient treatment of skin irritations such as tinea versicolor and sebhorrheic keratosis. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an effective alternative to conventional treatments of tinea versicolor. The present skin cream may be used to treat skin conditions including, but not limited to, tinea versicolor and sebhorrheic keratosis. The skin cream preferably requires one application, unless the condition is severe, to cure the condition. In contrast, conventional treatments require daily and multi-daily regimens for days or months making them expensive and ineffective if a strict regimen is not followed.

The present invention uses sublimed sulfur in a greater percentage than is currently used in any conventional treatment. Conventional treatments expressly avoid excessive sulfur content and advocate minimal amounts of sulfur to be used in the creams and lotions.

In a preferred embodiment, the skin cream mixture or composition is topically applied to the irritated skin and is generally effective in treating the skin disorder after one application. The cream may generally be applied after the subject showers and before bedtime. The cream is applied to all affected areas. Upon waking, the subject showers to remove any excess residual cream.

The present invention, when applied topically, is effective in treating many different skin disorders, but in particular is significantly effective in treating tinea versicolor (sunspots) and seborrheic keratoses. These and further and other objects and features of the invention are apparent in the disclosure, which includes the above and ongoing written specification, with the claims and the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In a preferred embodiment the present invention includes a composition having a vehicle or carrier and sulfur. Preferably, the mixture or composition comprises approximately equal parts of the carrier vehicle and sulfur in the absence of water.

Preferably, equal parts of sublimed sulfur and the carrier vehicle, i.e. in ratios of I 1, are used to form the cream. The carrier vehicle includes, but is not limited to, Vaseline, petroleum jelly, or lard or any similar component or combinations thereof, with the same overall end effect. The important component is the sulfur in the composition.

In another preferred embodiment, the sulfur is combined with the carrier, such as Vaseline, in a ratio in which the sulfur is greater than the carrier.

The preferred skin cream is applied directly to the skin to cure skin irritations, dermatitis, and diseases such as, but not limited to, tinea versicolor (sunspots) and seborrheic keratoses. The skin cream may be in any form suitable for topical application such as, but not limited to, gels, creams, lotions, ointments, powders, pastes, sprays or the like.

A preferred method of treating skin conditions includes preparing the composition, preferably as a non-aqueous topical application composition by mixing sulfur and a carrier vehicle, and applying the topical composition to areas of interest on the skin for treating skin conditions. Preferably, equal percents by weight of the sulfur and the carrier vehicle are mixed together, such that the percent by weight of sulfur is greater than the percent by weight of the carrier vehicle.

The sulfur may be in the form of sublimed sulfur and the carrier vehicle may include, but is not limited to, Vaseline, lard, petroleum jelly, etc. The composition may be prepared for use as a topical application and may be in any suitable form such as, but not limited to, lotions, creams, ointments, powders, gels, pastes, sprays, and combinations thereof. The following exemplify various compositions of the inventive skin cream:

EXAMPLE 1:

Sulfur 50-100 % wt. or % vol.

Carrier 50-greater than 0% wt. or % vol

EXAMPLE 2:

Sulfur 50-100 % wt. or % vol.

Vaseline 50-greater than 0% wt. or % vol

EXAMPLE 3:

Sulfur 50-100 % wt.

Petroleum Jelly 50-greater than 0% wt. or % vol EXAMPLE 4: Sulfur 50-100 % wt. or % vol.

Lard 50-greater than 0% wt. or % vol.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, modifications and variations of the invention may be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS I claim:

1. A topical composition for treatment of skin conditions comprising, sulfur and a carrier vehicle, wherein a weight percent of the sulfur is at least equal to or greater than a weight percent of the carrier vehicle.

2. The topical composition of claim 1, wherein the sulfur is sublimed sulfur.

3. The topical composition of claim 1, wherein the carrier vehicle is Vaseline.

4. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the carrier vehicle is petroleum jelly.

5. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the carrier vehicle is lard.

6. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a lotion.

7. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a cream.

8. The topical composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is an ointment.

9. The topical composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is a powder.

10. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a gel.

1 1. The topical composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is a paste.

12. The topical composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises at least about fifty percent by weight sulfur.

13. The topical composition of claim I, wherein the composition comprises at least about sixty percent by weight sulfur.

14. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least about seventy percent by weight sulfur.

15. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least about eighty percent by weight sulfur.

16. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least ninety percent by weight sulfur.

17. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises about 50- 100 percent by weight sulfur.

18. The topical composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is non-aqueous.

19. A method of treating skin conditions comprising preparing a non-aqueous composition by mixing sulfur and a carrier vehicle, and applying the topical composition to areas of interest on the skin for treating skin conditions.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the mixing comprises mixing equal percents by weight of the sulfur and the carrier vehicle.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the mixing comprises mixing a percent by weight of sulfur greater than a percent by weight of the carrier vehicle.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the treating comprises treating dermatitis.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the treating comprises treating skin conditions selected from a group consisting of tinea versicolor or sunspots and seborrheic keratoses.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the mixing comprises mixing sublimed sulfur with the carrier vehicle.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the mixing comprises selecting the carrier vehicle from a group consisting of Vaseline, lard, petroleumjelly, and combinations thereof.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein preparing the composition comprises preparing a composition for topical application selected from the group consisting of lotions, creams, ointments, powders, gels, pastes, sprays, and combinations thereof.