Hair and nail treatments using alkanolamines
View Patent ↗Topical application of compositions containing an alkanolamine such as dimethylaminoethanol increase smoothness and surface uniformity of hair and nails and enhances hair and nail growth. Application to the hair and underlying skin areas containing the hair bulbs, fingernails or toenails and paraungual areas containing the nail matrices increases the elasticity and enhances the luster of hair and nails, provides emolliency to their keratin matrix, and quells inflammation to promote superior keratin formation. Alkanolamine compositions contain at least one other adjunct ingredient such as tyrosine, lipoic acid, folic acid, an α-hydroxy acid, or a fatty acid ester of ascorbic acid in most embodiments to augment beneficial effects of the treatments.
1. A method for treating hair or nails to render them more uniform and smoother comprising topically applying to the hair and underlying skin or nails and paraungual areas, a composition containing an effective amount of an alkanolamine of the formula
wherein X, Y and Z are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1 -C 3 alkyl groups, C 2 -C 4 alkanol group, wherein at least one of X, Y, or Z is a C 2 -C 4 alkanol group bearing at least one hydroxyl group and optionally at least one carboxyl group.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the alkanolamine is selected from the group consisting of ethylaminoethanol, methylaminoethanol, dimethylaminoethanol, isopropanolamine, triethanolamine, isopropanoldimethylamine, ethylethanolamine, 2-butanolamine, choline, serine, and mixtures thereof.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the alkanolamine is dimethylaminoethanol.
4. A method according to claim 2 wherein composition contains from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight alkanolamine.
5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the composition contains from about 1% to about 5% by weight alkanolamine.
6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the composition contains from about 2% to about 3% by weight alkanolamine.
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the composition contains at least one adjunct ingredient selected from the group consisting of lipoic acid, tyrosine, an α-hydroxy acid, folic acid, an ascorbic fatty acid ester, and a mixture of any of these.
8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the composition contains from about 0.01% to about 6% tyrosine as an adjunct ingredient.
9. A method according to claim 7 wherein the composition contains from about 0.1% to about 7% by weight lipoic acid as an adjunct ingredient.
10. A method according to claim 7 wherein the composition contains from about 0.025% to about 1% by weight folic acid.
11. A method according to claim 7 wherein the composition contains from about 1% to about 10% by weight glycolic acid.
12. A method according to claim 7 wherein the composition contains from about 0.5% to about 15% ascorbyl palmitate.
13. A method for increasing the uniformity of keratin in hair or nails comprising applying to hair and its underlying skin or nails and paraungual areas a composition containing an effective amount of an alkanolamine selected from the group consisting of ethylaminoethanol, methylaminoethanol, dimethylaminoethanol, isopropanolamine, triethanolamine, isopropanoldimethylamine, ethylethanolamine, 2-butanolamine, choline, serine, and mixtures thereof.
14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the alkanolamine is dimethylaminoethanol.
15. A method according to claim 13 wherein the composition further contains an adjunct ingredient selected from the group consisting of lipoic acid, folic acid, tyrosine, ascorbyl palmitate, glycolic acid, and mixtures thereof.
16. A method according to claim 13 wherein the alkanolamine is present in the composition in an amount ranging from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the composition.
17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the adjunct ingredient is tyrosine.
18. A method according to claim 16 wherein the adjunct ingredient is lipoic acid.
19. A method of treating hair and nails to render them smoother and more uniform, to increase the emolliency of the keratin, and enhance hair and nail growth comprising topically applying to said hair and underlying skin and nails and paraungual areas a composition containing an effective amount of dimethylaminoalcohol and tyrosine.
20. A method according to claim 19 wherein the composition comprises about 0.1% to about 10% by weight dimethylaminoalcohol and 0.01% to about 6% by weight tyrosine.