# US 6,143,287 A · Method and composition for hair removal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,143,287 A - Document ID: US6143287A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/607,526 - Filed: 1996-02-27 - Granted: 2000-11-07 - Earliest claimed: 1996-02-27 - Assignees: New York Blood Center, Inc. - Inventors: Ehud Ben-Hur; Maria M. Zuk; Wai-Shun Chan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6143287A ## CPC - A61K 8/14: Liposomes; Vesicles - A61K 9/127: Synthetic bilayered vehicles, e.g. liposomes or liposomes with cholesterol as the only non-phosphatidyl surfactant - A61K 41/0071: {PDT with porphyrins having exactly 20 ring atoms, i.e. based on the non-expanded tetrapyrrolic ring system, e.g. bacteriochlorin, chlorin-e6, or phthalocyanines} - A61P 17/00: Drugs for dermatological disorders - A61Q 9/04: Depilatories - C14C 1/06: Facilitating unhairing, e.g. by painting, by liming - A61B 18/203: {applying laser energy to the outside of the body} - A61B 2018/00452: {Skin} - A61B 2018/00476: {Hair follicles} - A61K 2800/434: Luminescent, Fluorescent; Optical brighteners; Photosensitizers - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - A61P: SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS - A61Q: SPECIFIC USE OF COSMETICS OR SIMILAR TOILETRY PREPARATIONS - C14C: CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF HIDES, SKINS OR LEATHER, e.g. TANNING, IMPREGNATING, FINISHING; APPARATUS THEREFOR; COMPOSITIONS FOR TANNING (bleaching of leather or furs D06L; dyeing of leather or furs D06P) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract The present invention provides a method for removing hair from a selected skin area comprising the steps of (a) applying a liposome composition comprising a photosensitizer to the selected skin area so that the composition is introduced into hair follicle ducts of the skin area, wherein the photosensitizer is present in the composition in an amount effective to undergo a reaction and damage the hair follicles upon application to the skin area of light at an appropriate wavelength, energy and duration to penetrate the skin and activate the photosensitizer; (b) removing from the skin area substantially all of the liposome composition which is not introduced into the hair follicle ducts; and (c) applying light to the skin area at an appropriate wavelength, energy and duration to penetrate the skin and cause the photosensitizer to undergo a reaction to damage the hair follicles. The present invention also provides a composition useful for hair removal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for removing hair from a selected skin area comprising the steps of: (a) applying a liposome composition comprising a phthalocyanine to the selected skin area so that the composition is introduced into hair follicle ducts of the skin area, wherein the phthalocyanine is present in the composition in an amount effective to undergo a reaction and damage the hair follicles upon light activation of the phthalocyanine; (b) removing from the skin area substantially all of the liposome composition which is not introduced into the hair follicles; and (c) applying light to the skin area at the appropriate wavelength, energy, and duration to penetrate the skin and cause the phthalocyanine to undergo a reaction to damage the hair follicles; wherein the light is applied for about 5 minutes to about 6 hours, at a wavelength between about 500 and about 900 nm, and at an energy between about 20 and about 800 J/cm.sup.2 skin area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the phthalocyanine is an aluminum, germanium, gallium, tin, or silicon phthalocyanine; a sulfonated aluminum, germanium, gallium, tin, or silicon phthalocyanine; or a nitrated aluminum, germanium, gallium, tin, or silicon phthalocyanine. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the phthalocyanine is a sulfonated aluminum phthalocyanine. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the sulfonated aluminum phthalocyanine is aluminum tetrasulfophthalocyanine or aluminum disulfophthalocyanine. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the phthalocyanine is a silicon phthalocyanine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the silicon phthalocyanine is hydroxysiloxydimethylpropyl-N-dimethyl silicon phthalocyanine. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the effective amount of phthalocyanine applied is between about 5 and about 20 .mu.g phthalocyanine per cm.sup.2 skin area. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the effective amount of phthalocyanine applied is between about 7 and about 14 .mu.g phthalocyanine per cm.sup.2 skin area. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the light is applied at a wavelength between about 600 and about 700 nm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the light is applied at an energy between about 400 and about 600 J/cm.sup.2 skin area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the light is applied at a wavelength between about 600 and about 700 nm, and at an energy between about 400 and about 600 J/cm.sup.2 skin area. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the light is applied for about 5 minutes to about 2 hours, at a specific wavelength corresponding to the maximum absorption of the phthalocyanine, and at an energy between about 20 and about 90 J/cm.sup.2 skin area. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the light is applied for about 5 minutes to about 45 minutes at a specific wavelength corresponding to the maximum absorption of the phthalocyanine, and at an energy between about 40 and about 80 J/cm.sup.2 skin area. ### Claim 14 A liposome composition comprising a phthalocyanine in an amount effective to undergo a reaction to damage hair follicles upon introduction of the composition into hair follicle ducts and application of light at an appropriate wavelength, energy, and duration to penetrate skin and activate the phthalocyanine, wherein the effective amount of phthalocyanine in the composition is between about 50 and about 200 .mu.g phthalocyanine per ml composition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the effective amount of phthalocyanine in the composition is between about 70 and about 140 .mu.g phthalocyanine per ml composition. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the phthalocyanine is an aluminum, germanium, gallium, tin, or silicon phthalocyanine; a sulfonated aluminum, germanium, gallium, tin, or silicon phthalocyanine; or a nitrated aluminum, germanium, gallium, tin, or silicon phthalocyanine. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the phthalocyanine is a sulfonated aluminum phthalocyanine. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The composition of claim 17, wherein the sulfonated aluminum phthalocyanine is aluminum tetrasulfophthalocyanine or aluminum disulfophthalocyanine. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the phthalocyanine is a silicon phthalocyanine. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The composition of claim 19, wherein the silicon phthalocyanine is hydroxysiloxydimethylpropyl-N-dimethyl silicon phthalocyanine.