Apparatus for Treatment of Dermatological Conditions

Abstract

This invention relates to ultrasound delivery apparatus comprising flexible arrays of transducers and to methods and topical compositions for the treatment of skin, in particular for the treatment of cosmetic skin conditions and to improve the appearance of sun damaged and/or aged skin; the invention further relates to the use of such apparatus and compositions in methods of treating skin, which methods may incorporate the application of ultrasound. The composition may comprise one or more anti-gfycation agent, one or more anti-oxidant, a dermatologically acceptable excipient and optionally one or more substance capable of inducing expression of a molecular chaperone.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] This invention relates to ultrasound delivery apparatus, methods and topical compositions for the treatment of skin, in particular for the treatment of cosmetic skin conditions and to improve the appearance of sun damaged and / or aged skin; the invention further relates to the use of such apparatus and compositions in methods of treating skin, which methods may incorporate the application of ultrasound. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The skin is a potential route for delivery of pharmaceutical or cosmetically active agents to the body. However, the skin is not generally thought of as an efficient delivery route, due to the low permeability of the stratum corneum and the epidermis in general. Traditionally, topical application of pharmaceutical therapeutic agents has been targeted at localized dermatological sites. More recently, transdermal techniques have been used for systemic targeting especially as this route bypasses the hepatic circulation where degra...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0157]FIG. 7 shows the effect of Topical 1 formulation on HSP72 expression in the epidermis.

[0158]FIG. 8 shows the effect of Topical 1 formulation on fibrillin expression proximal to the dermal-epidermal junction following ultrasound treatment.

[0159]FIG. 9 shows the effect of Topical 1 formulatio

Problems solved by technology

However, the skin is not generally thought of as an efficient delivery route, due to the low permeability of the stratum corneum and the epidermis in general.

First, cavitation results from the rapidly oscillating pressure field, causing bubble formation and collapse, which mechanically creates channels through the stratum corneum.

(1 MHz, 2 W/cm2) have been shown to cause skin damage.

Cosmetic treatments that aim to improve skin quality are also hindered by the barrier function of the epidermis and in particular the outer stratum corneum.

Diffusion of substances of molecular weight around 500 Da and above is known to be inefficient.

The very low frequency long wave ultrasound disclosed, 10 to 40 kHz, is in the range generally recognised as being disruptive ultrasound, which may be damaging to cells, and thus for safety reasons this is not suitable for general use except at very low power levels.

Such symptoms include a thinning of both the epidermis and the dermis, a flattening of the j

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