# US 11,906,507 B2 · Methods for testing skin samples

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- Number: US 11,906,507 B2
- Document ID: US11906507B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/210,957
- Filed: 2021-03-24
- Published: 2021-09-30
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-24
- Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company
- Applicants: The Procter & Gamble Company
- Inventors: Karl Shiqing Wei; Feng Yue; Hechuan Yu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906507B2

## CPC

- G01N 33/4833: {of solid biological material, e.g. tissue samples, cell cultures (tissue in vivo A61B5/00; cell suspensions G01N33/48735)}
- A61B 10/02: Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy {(A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48)}
- C12Q 1/04: Determining presence or kind of microorganism; Use of selective media for testing antibiotics or bacteriocides; Compositions containing a chemical indicator therefor {(C12Q1/6897 takes precedence)}
- C12Q 1/14: Streptococcus; Staphylococcus
- C12Q 1/18: Testing for antimicrobial activity of a material
- G01N 33/5044: {involving specific cell types}
- G01N 33/5088: {of vertebrates}
- G01N 33/52: Use of compounds or compositions for colorimetric, spectrophotometric or fluorometric investigation, e.g. use of reagent paper {and including single- and multilayer analytical elements (immunological elements G01N33/54386; involving labelled immunochemicals G01N33/58; for haemoglobin or occult blood G01N33/72)}
- G01N 33/56916: {Enterobacteria, e.g. shigella, salmonella, klebsiella, serratia}
- G01N 33/56938: {Staphylococcus}
- G01N 33/56961: {Plant cells or fungi}
- G01N 33/56983: {Viruses}
- A61B 2010/0216: {Sampling brushes}
- G01N 2800/20: Dermatological disorders
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES

## Abstract

A method of taking a skin sample can include placing an adhesive onto a portion of skin and lifting the adhesive from the skin. A skin sample may then be tested while still on the adhesive, for example, by inoculating the sample with a bacterium, fungus, virus, or a combination.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for evaluating a skin product, comprising the following steps in order:
(a) preparing a target area on a healthy human subject by washing the target area with a skin cleanser and rinsing the target area one or more times per day for at least one day;
(b) applying a skin product to the target area; optionally, rinsing the skin product from the target area;
(c) obtaining a sample of skin cells from the target area, wherein the skin cells are obtained with the application and removal of an adhesive;
(d) applying a bacterial load, fungal load, viral load, or combination thereof, to the sample on the adhesive;
(e) measuring a bacterial level, fungal level, viral level, or a combination thereof, of the sample; and
(f) evaluating the performance of the skin product.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the adhesive comprises a tape strip, patch, or disc.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the bacterial level, fungal level, viral level, or a combination thereof is measured while the sample is on the adhesive.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the bacterial level, fungal level, viral level, or a combination thereof, is measured via an optical detection system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the sample is placed into a container containing a liquid growth medium for use during the optical detection of the bacterial level, fungal level, viral level, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein multiple samples are taken from the target area.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a bacterial load is applied and the bacterial load is chosen from Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhimurium, or mixtures thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the bacterial load comprises Staphylococcus aureus.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the fungal load is applied and the fungal load is chosen from Candida albicans, Malassezia furfur, or mixtures thereof.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the viral load is applied and the viral load is chosen from polio virus type 1, adeno virus type 5, influenza virus, or mixtures thereof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the viral load comprises polio virus type 1.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the skin is prepared by washing the target area with a skin cleanser and rinsing the target area one or more times per day.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the skin is prepared by washing the target area with a skin cleanser and rinsing the target area 3 times per day.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the prepping further comprises drying the target area after each cleanse and rinse combination.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein there is a one-hour period between each cleansing and rinsing cycle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the skin product is chosen from a soap, body wash, hand wash, facial cleanser, intimate wash, or mixtures thereof and is applied to and rinsed from the skin one or more times a day.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the skin product is a leave-on skin product chosen from a hand sanitizer, body lotion, facial moisturizer, or mixtures thereof.