ORAL HAIR RESTORER COMPRISING A BIRCH SAP

Abstract: The invention concerns a hair restorer based on birch sap, where said hair restorer is in a form suitable for oral administration. The invention also concerns the use of a hair restorer based on birch sap, where said hair restorer is applied in successive administration periods of several days, separated by rest periods of several days.

Description: ORAL HAIR RESTORER COMPRISING A BIRCH SAP The invention concerns a hair restorer based on birch sap, and the use of said hair restorer. Birch sap is already known as a hair restorer in the form of a lotion for application to the scalp and hair. In this connection, reference is made to the Swiss patent 611.157 and the Belgian patent 859.498. However, it has been found that the use of birch sap in this way usually produces little or no result. Furthermore, the use as lotion is laborious, and the result mainly depends on the manner in which it is applied. Additionally, the use of dried birch leaves as additive in the solution for oral administration has been proposed in the Swiss patent 682.631. However, this does not seem to have any effect on hair growth. The main aim of the invention is to propose a hair restorer which has been shown not only to significantly promote hair growth in an unexpected manner, even in people whose hair loss has a genetic cause, but also to have a very favourable influence on the quality of the hair, for example improving the colour of the hair and enabling same to be maintained longer, and which furthermore can be applied in an extremely simple manner. To this end, the hair restorer is in a form suitable for oral administration. It effectively concerns birch sap which is tapped from under the bark of birch trees in the spring, at the moment the sap begins to rise, before complete leaf formation. In an advantageous manner, the birch sap is dissolved in a liquid suitable for oral administration. According to a particular embodiment of the hair restorer according to the invention, said liquid contains at least one preservative. The invention also concerns a specific method for using the hair restorer concerned. Said hair restorer is characterised by the fact that it is applied in successive periods during which it is taken for several days, separated by rest periods of several days. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of some specific embodiments of the hair restorer and the use of said hair restorer according to the invention; this description is given by way of example only, and does not limit the scope of the protection claimed. The active component of the hair restorer according to the invention consists mainly of birch sap, in a form suitable for oral administration. Said birch sap is preferably tapped off in the spring when the sap begins to rise, but before full leaf formation. The sap is obtained from among others the following species of birch: Betula papyrifera, Betula lenta, Betula pubescens, Betula populif- olia, Betula utilis and Betula verrucosa, together with diverse varieties of same. Since the sap can only be harvested during a very limited period of the year, it must be put into a form in which it can be conserved during a long time. In a first embodiment, the birch is conserved in a frozen condition, for example in the form of little blocks, each corresponding to the amount for one dose. It is also possible for the sap to be mixed with distilled water before freezing, so that it is frozen in diluted form. For administration, it is sufficient for example to let said blocks thaw in a liquid suitable for oral administration, such as water, fruit juice, etc. It is also possible for the birch sap to be used in pure, undiluted form, in which case the blocks simply have to be allowed to thaw. In another embodiment, the birch sap is immediately dissolved in such a liquid, to which is added a preservative which itself is known. When an aqueous solution is used as the liquid, the latter can also contain mineral and/or vitamin preparations in addition to the birch sap. In yet another embodiment, the birch sap is mixed homogeneously with alcohol, preferably ethanol, in order to be able to conserve the birch sap during a long period. In this way said mixture can be diluted to the correct dose, for example with a certain amount of water, before the hair restorer is taken. Very good results have been obtained with a hair restorer containing from 40% to 60% birch sap, preferably about 50%, and 40% to 60% alcohol, preferably about 50%. The composition can vary, allowing for the fact that sufficient alcohol must be present to preserve the birch sap during a long period. It is important to note that the presence of alcohol has a stimulating effect on the birch sap, so that the dose can possibly be reduced, such that possible side effects which can occur with certain persons can be avoided. Possibly, instead of a mixture with 50% birch sap, a mixture can be used in which a quantity of sap is replaced by distilled water: 10% birch sap, 40% distilled water, 50% alcohol, or 2.5% birch sap, 47.5% distilled water, 50% alcohol. It is also possible, at least for certain per¬ sons, to administer the birch sap in an even more diluted form. If the birch sap is administered during a relatively long time, it is possible for the dose to be gradually reduced or otherwise. It is important for the hair restorer according to the invention to be taken in successive administration periods of several days, separated by rest periods of several days. For example, 50 ml can be taken once per day during a period of one week. After this week. no further birch sap is taken during a rest period of three weeks. Subsequently, there is a further administration period of four weeks in which 50 ml of birch sap is taken once per week, followed by another rest period lasting four weeks. When this succession of administration and rest periods is repeated, new scalp hairs are found to grow during the rest periods, after three months or so. The dose of birch sap can be varied within relatively wide limits. Usually, however, it is found that the less birch sap administered, the smaller the effect on the hair growth. Further, both the frequency of administration and the absolute and relative duration of the different periods have an important effect on the results obtained. The most efficient choice of dose and frequency of administration have to be determined experimentally, since these can vary from person to person. Accordingly it can be useful to regularly vary the dose, frequency and manner of administration. However, it has been found that very good results are obtained when the different periods are of irregular duration and the rest periods follow each other relatively quickly. The hair restorer should preferably be taken between two meals. The invention is of course not in any way limited to the above-described embodiments of composition and the manner of use of the hair restorer concerned. For example, the quantity taken and the duration of the administration and rest periods can be varied in order to obtain an optimum result. The hair restorer according to the invention can also be prepared in different manners in order to make it easy to take and to ensure long conservation; for instance, the birch sap can be dried and made into pills, possibly with a preservative. The hair restorer according to the invention offers yet other advantages, for example helping to counter greying of the hair colour, and giving a darker colour to the hair.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Hair restorer based on birch sap, characterised in that it is in a form suitable for oral administration. 2. Hair restorer according to claim 1, characterised in that it is in deep frozen condition. 3. Hair restorer according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the birch sap is diluted in a liquid suitable for oral administration. 4. Hair restorer according to claim 3, characterised in that said liquid is an aqueous solution. 5. Hair restorer according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that said liquid contains alcohol. 6. Hair restorer according to claim 5, characterised in that said alcohol is ethanol. 7. Hair restorer according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterised in that said liquid contains at least one preservative. 8. Use of a hair restorer based on birch sap according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that hair restorer is applied in successive administration periods of several days, separated by rest periods of several days. 9. Use of a hair restorer according to claim 8, characterised in that said rest periods are of irregular duration. 10. Use of a hair restorer according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that said administration periods are of irregular duration. 11. Use of birch sap as a hair restorer, in which the birch sap is made up in a form suitable for oral administration.

Inventors: JADOULLE DOMIEN, JADOULLE, DOMIEN
Applicants: JADOULLE DOMIEN, JADOULLE, DOMIEN
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A61K35
IPC codes: A61K8, A61K36, A61Q7