NAIL CORRECTION KIT

Abstract

The present invention relates to a kit for performing a nail correction method for a human or animal toenail or fingernail.

Claims

1. A method of nail correction for a human or animal fingernail or toenail, comprising the steps of:

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the primer comprises 40 to 60 percent by weight of hydroxyethylene methacrylate, 40 to 60 percent by weight of phosphate dimethacrylate, and 0.1 to 1.0 percent by weight of a polymerization starter.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the polymerization starter comprises camphorquinone and an amino starter.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light-curing composition comprises 15 to 45 percent by weight of bisphenol A dimethacrylate and urethane dimethacrylate in a mass ratio from 1:5 to 5:1, 85 to 55 percent by weight of fillers and pigments, and 0.1 to 1 percent by weight of camphorquinone and an amino starter.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the fillers comprise at least one filler selected from silicate-based fillers, barium glass fillers, and polymeric particles.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the pigments and fillers have particle sizes in the range of 0.1 to 10 micrometers.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the primer is applied in a sheet-like manner over the entire nail surface.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light-curing composition is applied in multiple line-shaped applications.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light-curing composition is applied in a thickness sufficient to deform a thickened nail.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light-curing composition is re-ground after curing to remove any sharp edges.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising applying a spring brace to the nail using the light-curing composition.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the spring brace is fixed by pressing it into a first portion of the light-curing composition, curing said first portion, spanning the spring brace over the nail, and fixing the opposite end using a second portion of the light-curing composition.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the primer further comprises 0.1 to 2 percent by weight of one or more antimycotic agents.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the primer further comprises one or more penetration amplifiers based on substituted 1,3-dioxolanes, 1,5-dioxanes, or acetals.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the polymerization of the primer is initiated using a light source having a wavelength of approximately 450 nanometers.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the light source has an intensity in the range of 100 to 1500 milliwatts per square centimeter.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the primer is polymerized by irradiating with light for a duration of 5 to 60 seconds.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the primer is polymerized by irradiating with light for approximately 10 seconds.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the polymerization of the light-curing composition is initiated immediately after application.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light-curing composition is polymerized by irradiating with light for a duration of 5 to 60 seconds.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the light-curing composition is polymerized while manually holding the nail in a corrected shape during the irradiation step.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light source is an LED light source.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] FIG. 1 shows the application of a composition for making a light-curing nail brace onto the nail.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows the light-cured composition on the nail close to the nail pocket (after illumination).

[0031] FIG. 3 shows the application of a light-curing composition on the nail close to the nail pocket.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows the attachment of a spring brace by means of the kit according to the invention by fixing the first end of the spring brace (top) and then fixing the other end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The kit according to the invention is used as follows:

[0034] First, the therapist removes the concerned nail from the nail bed. In this procedure, a strip of cloth can be inserted between nail and nail bed. Then, the nail is first treated with the primer of the kit. Care has, in particular, to be taken that the nail is dry. The concerned nail should, in particular during the 24 hours before the application, not have been in a longer-lasting contact with water. The patient should, for instance, not have taken a bath. Short washing or showering is, however, harmless, provided that the nail has been carefully dried. If necessary, the nail can be dried with a hot-air blower. The primer is first applied onto the necessary locations. Normally, it is recommended to apply the primer in a sheet-like manner onto the entire nail. After application, the polymerization is started by means of a light source (preferably blue light of approx. 450 nm and 100 mW/cm.sup.2). When using a usual light source, the polymerization is completed after a time of 5 seconds to 60 seconds, normally 10 seconds illumination is sufficient.

[0035] Thereafter, the light-curing nail brace is applied. The nail is held by the therapist by means of a tool in the desired position. The application is made in the form of lines (see FIG. 1) with a line width of 2-6 mm. After the application, preferably immediately, the polymerization is started by illumination with the light source mentioned above. It is important, when doing so, to hold the nail in the desired shape. This step, too, is usually completed after a time of 5-60 seconds. Thereafter, the material can again be re-ground, so that no edges will be created, where fabric (e.g., stockings) could get caught. With strongly deformed or very strongly thickened nails, a multitude of such line-shaped applications can be performed. If applicable, very thick nails may also be ground preparatorily, so that the nail is deformable again. Grinding has, of course, to be performed before the priming process with the primer. The photopolymer may also be applied in a correspondingly thicker layer. In an extreme case, a metallic spring brace may be applied. For this purpose, first, a drop of the light-curing material is applied as a point, and the spring brace is pressed into this drop (FIG. 4). After light-curing of the drop, the spring brace is spanned over the nail and fixed by means of a second drop of the photopolymerizing material. The two ends of the metal brace should each be visible from the inside of the drop. In this embodiment, too, a preparation of the nail using the primer is required, since otherwise the durability of the construct on the nail cannot be guaranteed.

[0036] By means of the kit according to the invention, it is also possible to enable another correction of a nail already treated with a metal brace. In particular, in the case of a tissue irritation (nail bed irritation) by the classical metal brace, the classical metal brace can be removed, and the nail is then further treated with the kit according to the invention.

[0037] The compositions provided in the kit are preferably supplied in correspondingly designed containers. For the primer, in principle, vials made of glass or plastic with an application brush are suitable. The compositions for making light-curing nail braces are typically more viscous and are preferably supplied in cartridges for use together with a cartridge press or gun. All containers are preferably opaque.

[0038] With the kit according to the invention, the necessary materials are provided, in order to correct ingrown toenails or fingernails for humans or animals, without the drawbacks of prior art occurring. In most cases, the nail correction can be performed without the aid of metallic braces. The composition according to the invention, in particular, guarantees a clearly better adhesion to the nail than prior art compositions. Furthermore, the advantages of a polymer can be combined with those of a metal brace, without the drawbacks occurring that frequently appeared in prior metal braces, in particular mechanical irritations of the nail bed.

[0039] In an improvement of the composition according to the invention, the primer additionally includes one or more antimicotics. As has been found in practice, nails needing a correction are frequently infested by nail fungi causing additional problems. It is known that nail fungi cannot easily be treated. It turned out that the nail fungus treatment is successful, when the primer additionally includes one or more antimicotics. The admixture is normally 0.1-2%, preferably 0.5-1%. As an antimcotic, generally compounds are suitable that are approved for the treatment of onychomycoses, such as, for instance, econazole, bifonazole, chlodrimazole, fenticonazole, ketocanazole, miconazole, oxiconazole, and related compounds.

[0040] In the embodiment of the invention with an addition of antimycotics, the complementing addition of penetration amplifiers has proven successful. For this purpose, the usual penetration amplifiers for nail penetration can be used. Particularly successful for the present invention have proven penetration amplifiers based on substituted 1,3-dioxolanes, 1,5-dioxanes and acetals, in particular the substances and substance mixtures marketed under the trademark SEPA.

Examples

[0041] The invention is further explained by the compositions exemplarily illustrated in the following:

A) Primer

TABLE-US-00001 A1 A2 A3 A4 Component (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) Hydroxyethylene 49.7 39.7 35.7 45.7 methacrylate Phosphate 49.7 59.7 54.6 44.7 dimethacrylate [bis(glyceryl- dimethacrylate) phosphate] Camphorquinone 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4 Triethylamine 0.2 0.1 0.2 N,N-Dimethyl-p- 0.2 0.1 toluidine

B) Nail Brace (Soft)

TABLE-US-00002 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Component (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) Bisphenol A 16.0 15.0 14.0 30.0 22.0 (di)methacrylate Urethane 16.0 30.0 30.0 15.0 22.0 dimethacrylate Silica filler 20.0 0.0 17.0 16.5 18.5 (Aerosil 9200) Silica filler 5.0 10.3 15.0 12.5 4.5 (Aerosil 7200) Barium glass (median 18.0 13.0 13.0 12.0 14.5.0 particle size: 13 m) Barium glass (median 3.9 14.0 5.2 5.0 5.5 particle size: 5 m) Polymeric particle 20.0 12.0 4.0 4.5 8.0 (median particle size: 10 m) Polymeric particle 0.0 5.0 1.0 3.5 4.0 (median particle size: 6 m) Camphorquinone 0.6 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.0 Triethylamine 0.5 0.0 0.1 0.4 0.0 N,N-Dimethyl-p- 0.0 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.0 toluidine 2-Ethylanthraquinone 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 N-Phenylglycine 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4

C) Nail Brace (Hard)

TABLE-US-00003 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 Component (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) (wt.-%) Bisphenol A 20.0 25.0 18.0 19.0 15.0 (di)methacrylate Urethane 20.0 13.0 20.0 20.0 23.0 dimethacrylate Silica filler 20.0 0.0 18.0 16.5 19.5 (Aerosil 9200) Silica filler 5.0 13.3 16.0 15.5 5.5 (Aerosil 7200) Barium glass (median 16.0 14.0 12.5 12.0 12.5 particle size: 13 m) Barium glass (median 3.9 16.1 7.0 6.5 8.5 particle size: 5 m) Polymeric particle 14.0 12.0 6.2 6.0 11.0 (median particle size: 10 m) Polymeric particle 0.0 5.0 1.0 3.5 4.0 (median particle size: 6 m) Camphorquinone 0.6 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.0 Triethylamine 0.5 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0 N,N-Dimethyl-p- 0.0 0.8 0.4 0.0 0.0 toluidine 2-Ethylanthraquinone 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 N-Phenylglycine 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4