Device and method of skin care and treatment via microneedles having inherent anode and cathode properties, with or without cosmetic or pharmacological compositions

Abstract

A device with in situ anode and cathode microneedles is used, either with or without any cosmetic, cosmeceutical, nutraceutical, and/or pharmaceutical composition or formulation. The in situ anode and cathode microneedles form battery cells or half-cells when placed in contact with an electrolyte found in bodily interface tissue, to produce an electromotive force without any additional chemical battery or power source. The microneedles may be composed of, or may carry (e.g., be coated with) electrical potential material(s) that has or have an electrical potential relative to an electrolyte in the bodily interface material. A first number of microneedles may, for instance, include a first electrical potential material having a first electrical potential. A second number of microneedles may, for instance, include a second electrical potential material having a second electrical potential. The first number of microneedles may thus serve as an anode, while the second number of microneedles may thus serve as a cathode. Alternatively, a number of microneedles may, for instance, include both a first electrical potential material and a second electrical potential material, having a first electrical potential and a second electrical potential, respectively. Respective portions of each of the microneedles may thus serve as an anode and a cathode. Again, such may be accomplished without any other or additional electrochemical battery.

1 . A treatment device, comprising:
 a substrate; and   a plurality of microneedles carried by the substrate, wherein at least a first set of the microneedles each bear a first electrical potential material that has a first electrical potential relative to an electrolyte that is present in a bodily interface tissue of an animal.   
     
     
         2 . The treatment device of  claim 1  wherein a sole source of electromotive force of the treatment device is from a number of battery cells or battery half-cells formed by the first electrical potential material carried by the microneedles when the first electrical potential material is placed in contact with the electrolyte of the bodily interface tissue. 
     
     
         3 . The treatment device of  claim 1  wherein at least a second set of the microneedles each bear a second electrical potential material that has a second electrical potential relative to the electrolyte that is present in the bodily interface tissue of the animal, the second electrical potential different from the first electrical potential. 
     
     
         4 . The treatment device of  claim 3  wherein a sole source of electromotive force of the treatment device is from a number of battery cells or battery half-cells formed by the first and the second electrical potential materials carried by the microneedles when the first and the second electrical potential materials are placed in contact with the electrolyte of the bodily interface tissue. 
     
     
         5 . The treatment device of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 at least one electrically conductive path carried by the substrate and which electrically couples the first electrical potential material of at least one of the microneedles of the first set of microneedles with the second electrical potential material of at least one of the microneedles of the second set of microneedles.   
     
     
         6 . The treatment device of  claim 5  wherein the substrate is an electrically insulative substrate and the at least one electrically conductive path comprises an electrically conductive layer carried on an outer surface of the electrically insulative substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The treatment device of  claim 5  wherein the substrate is an electrically insulative substrate and the at least one electrically conductive path comprises an electrically conductive layer carried on an inner surface of the electrically insulative substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The treatment device of  claim 5  wherein the at least one electrically conductive path electrically couples the first and the second electrical potential materials of the plurality of microneedles in series and parallel arrangements to deliver an organoleptic yield with a plurality of voltages and currents governed by a resistance/impedance profile. 
     
     
         9 . The treatment device of  claim 4  wherein the substrate is a laminate that includes at least two layers, at least one of the layers is an electrically insulative substrate layer and the at least one of the layers is an electrically conductive layer that provides at least one electrically conductive path between the first electrical potential material of at least one of the microneedles of the first set of microneedles and the second electrical potential material of at least one of the microneedles of the second set of microneedles. 
     
     
         10 . The treatment device of  claim 3  wherein the first electrical potential material comprises copper compounds and the second electrical potential material comprises zinc compounds, which form a plurality of anode and cathode pairs. 
     
     
         11 . The treatment device of  claim 3  wherein the microneedles of the first set are positioned in a first ordered array of microneedles and the microneedles of the second set are positioned in a second ordered array of microneedles. 
     
     
         12 . The treatment device of  claim 11  wherein the first ordered array of microneedles is located in a first area of the substrate, the second ordered array of microneedles is located in a second area of the substrate, the second area distinct from the first area. 
     
     
         13 . The treatment device of  claim 11  wherein the microneedles of the second ordered array of microneedles are interspersed with the microneedles of the first ordered array of microneedles. 
     
     
         14 . The treatment device of  claim 1  wherein the first set of the microneedles have a second electrical potential material that has a second electrical potential relative to the electrolyte that is present in the bodily interface tissue of the animal, the second electrical potential different from the first electrical potential, the second electrical potential material electrically insulated from the first electrical potential material at least until placed in contact with the electrolyte. 
     
     
         15 . The treatment device of  claim 14  wherein a sole source of electromotive force of the treatment device is from a number of battery cells or battery half-cells formed by the first and the second electrical potential materials carried by the microneedles when the first and the second electrical potential materials are placed in contact with the electrolyte of the bodily interface tissue. 
     
     
         16 . The treatment device of  claim 14  wherein the first electrical potential material comprises copper compounds and the second electrical potential material comprises zinc compounds, which form a plurality of anode and cathode pairs. 
     
     
         17 . The treatment device of  claim 16  wherein the device is a patch that is applied to a portion of skin in use. 
     
     
         18 . The treatment device of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a bio-compatible adhesive to removably attach the device to the portion of skin; and   a release liner that overlies the adhesive and is selectively removable to expose the adhesive for application to the portion of skin.   
     
     
         19 . The treatment device of  claim 1  wherein the microneedles have principal dimensions of that are less than 100 nanometers. 
     
     
         20 . The treatment device of  claim 1  wherein the microneedles and at least the first electrical potential material each comprise a respective bio-compatible material. 
     
     
         21 .- 68 . (canceled)