Hair loss abstract
A composition for counteracting and controlling hair loss having
a menthol solution combined with Polysorbate 80 or 60 and lupine
protein, with the optional admixture of petroleum jelly as a thickening
agent.
Hair loss claims
I claim:
1. A composition for counteracting hair loss comprising: TABLE-US-00001
Ingredient Weight % Range methol 5% 25% isopropyl alcohol 2% 10%
polysorbate 60 or 80 30% 70% lupine protein 15% 35%.
2. A composition for counteracting hair loss comprising: TABLE-US-00002
Ingredient Weight % Range menthol 18% isopropyl alcohol 7% polysorbate
80 50% lupine protein 25%.
3. A composition for counteracting hair loss comprising the composition
according to claim 1 blended with from 1 3 parts of petroleum jelly
to one part of the composition.
4. A composition for counteracting hair loss comprising the composition
according to claim 2 blended with from 1 3 parts of petroleum jelly
to one part of the composition.
5. A method for making a composition for counteracting hair loss
comprising the steps of: agitating a quantity of from 5 to 25 parts
of menthol crystals in 2 to 10 parts of isopropyl alcohol at approximately
80 degrees F. until the menthol crystals dissolve; blending 30 to
70 parts of polysorbate 80 or polysorbate 60 into the solution and
continuing agitation until it becomes translucent; and blending
in 15 to 35 parts of lupine protein.
6. The method for making a composition for counteracting hair loss
according to claim 5 and further comprising the step of blending
one part of the resulting composition with one to three parts of
petroleum jelly.
Hair loss description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to the field of hair care
products and more particularly, to topically applied compositions
used to prevent dandruff and promote hair growth.
BACKGROUND
Contemporary culture has become profoundly youth oriented. This
is perhaps due to extensive public exposure of the handsome young
people of stage and screen and the beautiful, forever young fashion
models. Certainly, marketing demographics bias television programming
for pursuit of the "under thirties". As a result of this
pervasive emphasis on youth, men in general seem to feel that, when
they begin to lose their hair, they are also losing their sex appeal.
Another aspect of hair lose for business men is that they are well
aware of the career limits imposed by age. In some cases, it may
simply be a matter of resisting change but, for various reasons,
men in general attempt to appear younger than their years. It is
not surprising that there is a great demand for hair treatments
to counteract or control hair loss, regardless of cost or inconvenience.
Formulations containing polysorbate 60, (CAS #9005-67-8) or polysorbate
80, (CAS #9005-65-6 are represented by some as being effective for
promoting hair growth. Polysorbates are well known as emulsifying
agents, often found in skin and hair conditioning products. Polysorbates
60 and 80 are said by some scientists to aid in removal of dihydrotestosterone
(DHT), a hormone, which acts in hair follicles to inhibit production
of new hair growth. Left unchecked, this action will eventuate in
male pattern baldness or female hair loss.
A first object of the present inventions therefore, is to provide
an effective hair treatment for counteracting or controlling hair
loss. A second object is to provide such treatment in a convenient
and easily usable form. A third object is to provide such treatment
in a simple and inexpensive form
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present inventions contemplate a simple composition which none-the-less
provides an improved treatment for counteracting and controlling
hair loss. These inventions relate to or employ some steps and elements
apparatus well known in the art and therefore, not the subject of
detailed discussion herein.
Polysorbate 60 and polysorbate 80 have been used in hair treatment
formulations, perhaps as an emulsifying cleanser, but also for its
alleged ability to inhibit DHT and the negative influence it has
on new hair growth. The efficacy of polysorbates for this purpose
has been supported by anecdotal evidence but not, insofar as this
inventor is aware, by clinical testing.
The author of the present inventions has engaged in research, and
experimentation in the field of hair care products for a number
of years. As a dandruff treatment, she investigated the use of polysorbate
80, procured from the Nourishair Company in the form of a thick
gel. She found that, when following the suppliers recommended procedure
of applying the product twenty minutes before shampooing, polysorbate
80 (P80) and, for that matter, polysorbate 60 (P60) worked well
for dandruff removal in a series of trials. Based on this experience,
she used the product on a number of subjects over a period of ten
years.
For antiseptic purposes and tactile response, she subsequently
decided to add an amount of menthol to the polysorbate 80. After
experimentation with other solvents and methods, this was found
to be best accomplished by dissolving menthol crystals in isopropyl
alcohol and adding the solution to P80. This composition seemed
to work even better for dandruff removal, so she used it in continuing
trials and began selling it to others.
After a short time, a number of her subjects came back with unsolicited
reports of new hair growth, suspecting that the dandruff treatment
might be responsible. Upon examination, new growth, generally in
the form of vellous hair, was confirmed in virtually every such
instance. This experience continued, until it suddenly occurred
to the author that the fine, vellous hairs might be thickened by
the addition of lupine protein to the treatment. This was done by
the addition of lupine protein, procured from RITA Corporation of
Woodstock, Ill. to the P80/menthol base. Treatment of the subjects
who had exhibited vellous new hair growth with the lupine protein
formulation produced positive results in thickening of the hair
shafts after a period of two to three months.
After experimentation with a range of formula variations it is
thought that the synergism of P80 and menthol for stimulating new
hair growth can be achieved with menthol contents as low as 6% and
as high as 35%, and that any lupine protein content in the range
of 15% too 35% will work for thickening the new hair growth.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In addressing the aforesaid objectives, the present inventions
disclose an improved and simplified formulation for treating hair
loss. The present inventions are defined by the following descriptions
of components and methods by which the inventions can be made and
used. The embodiments shown and described herein are exemplary.
Many details are well known in the art, and as such are neither
shown nor described.
A preferred embodiment of the inventions is made by the following
process: A quantity of 25 ounces of menthol crystals is dissolved
in 10 ounces of isopropyl alcohol (70%) by agitating the mixture
at approximately 80 degrees F. When the crystals are completely
dissolved, 70 ounces of P80 are blended in, with continuing agitation.
When the mixture turns translucent, 35 ounces of lupine protein
are blended in to complete preparation of 140 ounces of a preferred
embodiment of the present invention. The composition is thus, 18%
menthol, 7% isopropyl alcohol, 50% P80 and 25% lupine protein.
It has been found that exposure times greater than twenty minutes
before shampooing are more effective for the intended purpose of
promoting hair growth and, although no definite parameters have
been established, a minimum period of one hour before shampooing
the treatment out of the subjects hair has been found to be desirable.
The present invention may be altered to provide any desired thickness
by the addition of petroleum jelly. Caucasians in general prefer
the basic, unaltered composition, while African-Americans, who are
accustomed to using heavy pomades, prefer a much thicker solution.
To this end, the above described basic composition may be blended
with petroleum jelly. The ratio of the basic composition to petroleum
jelly may range from 1:1 to 1:3 depending upon the desired consistency.
In a preferred embodiment, 140 ounces of the basic composition is
blended into 300 ounces of petroleum jelly for a pomade-like consistency.
The embodiments shown and described above are exemplary. It is
not claimed that all of the details, parts, elements, or steps described
and shown were invented herein. Even though many characteristics
and advantages of the present inventions have been described in
the accompanying text, the description is illustrative only. Changes
may be made in the detail, especially as to additive ingredients,
within the scope and principles of the inventions. The restrictive
description of the specific examples above do not point out what
an infringement of this patent would be, but are to provide at least
one explanation of how to use and make the inventions. The limits
of the inventions and the bounds of the patent protection are measured
by and defined in the following claims.
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