Method and product for applying skin treatments and ointments

A method for producing and a product comprising adding an encapsulated color disappearing or color changing indicator to a topical skin lotion, spray, or other similar skin product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field 
This invention pertains to color changing dyes and markers for admixing 
with skin treatments, ointments, and other skin products to ensure uniform 
application to the skin for complete coverage of a desired area. 
Specifically, it relates to a method and product for producing a topical 
skin lotion, spray, or other similar skin product having color 
disappearing or color changing indicators which change after a short 
period of time after the topical product is applied to the skin. 
2. State of the Art 
A number of skin lotions or treatment products are transparent. These 
transparent skin products and treatment applications, such as suntan or 
skin softening lotions, are often administered haphazardly in a hit and 
miss fashion leaving portions of a user's skin untreated or unprotected, 
because a user cannot see where the transparent lotions have been applied. 
One solution to ensure complete skin coverage, is for a user to use opaque 
skin lotions or treatments which show where the skin lotion or skin 
treatment product has been applied. These opaque lotions or skin treatment 
products are not cosmetically attractive, leaving a user covered with a 
white or colored film. Thomas, U.S. Pat. No. 2,366,759 is an example of a 
brushless shaving cream in stick-like form which leaves an opaque layer 
for shaving purposes. 
Another solution for use with transparent skin lotions or treatment 
products, is the admixing of permanent dyes with various skin products to 
indicate if a desired area of the skin has been completely coated. For 
example, betadine is presently admixed with local anaesthetics to ensure 
that a desired area of the skin is deadened with anaesthetic prior to 
injection or cutting. These types of admixed permanent dye anaesthetics 
not only stain the skin and have to be subsequently removed from the 
patient after surgery; but, if spilled, leave difficult to remove stains 
on furniture, carpets, and other fixtures. 
Coler, U.S. Pat. No. 2,496,270 discloses a colorless insect repellent 
employing phenolphthalein and an alkaline agent which changes from red to 
colorless upon exposure to the atmosphere and skin acids, when applied on 
human skin. This indicator color change is very rapid, making it difficult 
to determine if the skin has been fully coated. 
Of general interest is Siccama, U.S. Pat. No. 2,948,657 which is a coloring 
tanning agent for human skin which actually changes the color of the skin 
itself. 
There thus remains a need for a skin treatment, ointment, or topical 
product which does not immediately change colors, or become transparent, 
after application. The method and product described below provides such an 
invention. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A method for manufacturing skin treatment products, ointments, sunblock, 
topical anesthetics, and drugs with a disappearing indicator which changes 
color or becomes colorless after a pre-determined period of time upon 
exposure to air, heat, light, or skin acid, comprises admixing with a skin 
treatment product, ointment, sunblock, topical anaesthetic, drug, and the 
like, a disappearing indicator which changes color or becomes colorless 
after a predetermined period of time upon exposure to air, heat, light, or 
skin acid. These pH indicators are admixed with the skin treatment 
product, ointment, sunblock, topical anaesthetic, drug, and an 
encapsulated acid or base which is not harmful to the skin in a 
decomposable coating which time releases the acid or base upon 
decomposition to change the indicator color or become transparent. 
Alternatively, the indicator may be encapsulated in a decomposable coating 
which releases the indicator upon decomposition to change color or become 
transparent upon exposure to the air or skin acidity. It has been found 
that without the encapsulation of the indicator or acid or base, the color 
or transparency change occurs too quickly during application to be of use, 
particularly with light sensitive indicators. With encapsulation, the 
timing of the color change can be adjusted by adjusting the thickness and 
type of coating. For example, with sunblock, the color change should occur 
after approximately 2-5 minutes to give a user time to apply a coating 
over the entire body. This is accomplished by encapsulating glycolic acid 
and lactic acid within an internal polysaccharide matrix and an outer 
polypeptide shell. An indicator, such as quinoline blue, is then added to 
the suntan lotion. As the suntan lotion is rubbed on or exposed to the 
light and heat of the sun, the encapsulated acid is released, changing the 
color of the indicator. By varying the thickness of the encapsulated 
layers, the time release rate of the indicator or acid is varied to suit 
the usage, For example, other products, such as anaesthetics should employ 
much faster color change coatings, requiring a thinner encapsulation 
layer. 
An example of preferred encapsulation materials are the peptide delivery 
systems produced by Lipotec SA to entrap alpha-hydroxyacids in micro or 
millicapsules preventing unwanted side reactions with the rest of 
ingredients in a cosmetic formula. The alpha-hydroxyacids are harmless to 
the skin, and act as a moisturizer. The micropsheres produced by Lipotec 
SA under the tradename MAHA-2000 appear as a white viscous emulsion and 
have an oily external phase encapsulating 5% glycolic acid, 5% lactic acid 
in a 1% polysaccaride matrix. These micro particles are approximately 1 to 
10 microns. A larger millicapsules produced by Lipotec SA under the 
tradename MAHA-2010 appear as red balls suspended in a gel. They have an 
external pH of 5.5 with a polypeptide shell encapsulating a similar 
glycolic acid, 5% lactic acid in a 1% polysaccaride matrix. These 
encapsulated alpha-hyroxyacids are added to the suntan lotion made of 3% 
Glucate SS, 8% Promulgen G, 1% Solulan 75, 3% Solulan 98, 1% Amerchol BL, 
3% Escalol 507, 3% Glucamate SSE-20, 1% MAHA-2000, 0 to 1% Quinoline Blue, 
and 76L% water. The Quinoline Blue indicator changes from blue to clear 
after the lotion is rubbed on and the encapsulated shell breaks down 
releasing the alpha-hydroxyacids. 
The product comprises the skin treatment product, ointment, sunblock, 
topical anaesthetic or drug, and the like prepared in accordance with the 
above method.

Examples of preferred disappearing indicators are encapsulated pH sensitive 
color indicators such as phenolphthalein, trimethylphenolpththalein, 
cyanine, etc., which change from a colored form to a clear colorless form 
at the pH range normally encountered on the skin. These pH indicators are 
added to the skin product encased in slightly alkaline colored micro 
capsules and then admixed with skin treatment products, such as sun block. 
Upon breakdown and release from the micro capsules, the encapsulated 
indicators change from an alkaline colored form to a colorless acidic form 
upon contact with the acids in skin perspiration. Consequently, a user can 
see where the skin ointment or sunblock is initially applied to ensure 
complete coverage of the skin. After a short period of time, the acid in 
the skin then turns the colored indicator into a transparent form which 
does not have to be removed by a user. An example of a preferred sunblock 
is: 
From 1 to 25% UV light absorber 
From 74.99 to 98.9% filler 
From 0.01 to 0.50% phenolphthalein.sub.-- encapsulated in 10 mm. 
microcapsules. 
In another formulation, 0.01 to 0.50% thymolphthalein is used in addition 
to, or as a substitute for the phenolphthalein. In still another 
formulation, 0.01 to 0.50% cyanine is used in addition to, or as a 
substitute for phenolphthalein or thymolphthalein. 
When these disappearing colored pH indicators are used with colorless 
topical disinfectants, a medical provider is assured that the disinfectant 
is applied to the desired skin areas before administration of a medical 
treatment. However, a patient does not then have to wash the stain from 
the treated area as is the case of betadine additives, as the colored pH 
indicator becomes colorless after exposure to the skin acids. 
Further, in the event of accidental spillage, the colored pH indicators can 
be made to disappear with a mild acidic soap or cleaner, thus saving 
considerable clean-up expense. 
An example of a preferred anaesthetic is 
From 0.1 to 6% benzocaine 
From 0.1 to 6% dibucaine 
From 0.1% to 6% lidocaine or other anaesthetics such as salicylates, 
ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and other anti-inflammation medication. 
0.01 to 0.5% encapsulated phenolphthalein with the remainder being a 
filler. 
Although the above indicators are used with slightly alkaline encapsulation 
coatings, it is also contemplated that slightly acidic encapsulation 
coatings may be use. When using disappearing pH sensitive color 
indicators, which change from a colored form to a clear colorless form at 
the pH range normally encountered on the skin, these pH indicators change 
upon encapsulation release from the slightly acidic colored form to a 
colorless form upon contact with the acid pH in skin perspiration. 
Topical drugs are often applied to treat skin disorders with minimal 
systemic side effects. Antibiotic creams or ointments are used to treat 
skin infections, and adrenocorticosteroids are used to treat inflammatory 
skin conditions. Another common dermatologic skin problem is acne, often 
treated with topical skin ointments and salves. Keratolytics may also be 
prescribed. For cosmetic and psychological reasons, preferably these 
topical drugs are transparent, so as not to further call attention to the 
user's skin problem. However, if these topical drugs are not applied to 
completely cover the infected area, treatment is not effective. 
Consequently incorporating a disappearing indicator and an encapsulated 
color changing reagent with the topical drug or ointment not only enables 
a user to ensure complete coverage, but prevents further attention from 
being drawn to the skin condition. An example of a preferred topical skin 
treatment drug for acne is: 
effective amounts of treatment compound selected from the group comprising: 
tetracyclines, retinoic acid, isotretindin, benzoyl peroxide, and 
corticosteroids in desired amounts, 
a skin emollient filler, 
0.1 to 6% phenolphthalein indicator in a slightly alkaline solution, and 
sufficient encapsulated alpha-hydroxyacids which, when time released, 
change the phenolphthalein indicator to clear. 
pH or heat sensitive indicators and encapsulated reagents may be admixed 
with cosmetics to change from one colored form to another colored form 
upon contact with the acids in skin perspiration or heat. Consequently, a 
user can achieve rather striking cosmetic effects as the cosmetics change 
after a desired period of time, from one color to another. These color 
changing cosmetic products are particularly desirable for use with 
Halloween costumes or other staged events. They can also be used as party 
gimmicks, such as a lipstick which changes color in response to heat--i.e. 
a "hot lips" indicator. 
An example of a preferred topical cosmetic responsive to heat is: a skin 
emollient base admixed with an encapsulated effective amount of the heat 
responsive composition selected from the group comprising (NR.sub.x 
H.sub.4-x).sub.2 NiCl.sub.4, where x=1,2,3, and (NR.sub.1,2,3 
H.sub.4-1,2,3).sub.2 NiCl.sub.4 wherein R is a carbon moiety group, and 
cholesterol ester. Upon heating, these compounds change from yellow-brown 
or green to blue. 
Another preferred Halloween or party cosmetic employs encapsulated light 
sensitive indicators which may be admixed with cosmetics to change from 
one colored form to another colored form upon exposure to light. 
Consequently, a user can receive rather striking cosmetic effects as the 
cosmetics change from one color to another as the user emerges from a dark 
to a light area. A preferred topical cosmetic responsive to light is an 
encapsulated hair color spray which changes colors on exposure to light, 
such as carotene which changes from yellow to clear, for methyl red which 
changes from yellow to clear. 
Although this specification has specifically referred to heat sensitive, pH 
sensitive, light sensitive, and air sensitive color indicators, any 
indicator with an encapsulation time color change mechanism to change 
colors or become transparent after a desired period of time in contact 
with the skin may be used. Where repeat applications of topical treatments 
require a certain time exposure before re-application, it is preferable to 
select an encapsulation material to coat the indicator which changes back 
from colorless to colored after a desired period of time or change in skin 
pH to signal the time to reapply the medication or topical treatment. 
The invention thus provides a method for producing a skin treatment, 
ointment, or topical product which changes colors, or becomes transparent, 
after topical application. 
Although this specification has made reference to the illustrated 
embodiments, it is not intended to restrict the scope of the appended 
claims. The claims themselves recite those features deemed essential to 
the invention.