Hair Treatment

Hair treatment composition for prevention of dandruff in hair

Hair Treatment Abstract
A hair treatment composition comprising 0.1% by weight or more of 3,4,4'-trichlorocarbanilide and 0.03% by weight or more of vitamine E acetate in an aqueous medium. This hair treatment composition can effectively prevent dandruff in the hair without causing adverse side effects to the skin or scalp.

Hair Treatment Claims
We claim:

1. An aqueous anti-dandruff composition consisting essentially of 0.15% to 0.5% by weight of 3,4,4'-trichlorocarbanilide and 0.04% to 0.3% by weight of vitamin E acetate in an aqueous medium, the weight ratio of 3,4,4'-trichlorocarbanilide to the vitamin E acetate being 12.5:1 to 0.5:1.

2. A method of treating dandruff which comprises applying to the hair or scalp an anti-dandruff effective amount of a composition according to claim 1.

Hair Treatment Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hair treatment composition suitable for use in preventing dandruff (or scurf) in the hair. More specifically, it relates to a hair treatment composition suitable for use in preventing dandruff in the hair containing, as effective or active ingredients, trichlorocarbanilide (or triclocarban) and vitamin E acetate (i.e., the acetic acid ester of vitamin E).

2. Description of the Related Art

It is generally believed that dandruff is composed of, for example, secretions from the sebaceous glands, secretions of the sweat glands, and the scalings of the cuticle layers, and that dandruff is profused by excess secreations of, for example, the sebaceous glands. It is further believed that, when the skin or scalp is infected with bacteria or yeasts, dandruff is abnormally accelerated. For this reason, hair treatment compositions containing bacteriocides have been heretofore used for preventing dandruff in the hair. For example, it is well-known in the art that zinc pyrithione (i.e., "ZPT" hereinbelow) when used in the hair treatment composition is the most effective agent for preventing dandruff in the hair.

However, some bacteriocides have adverse side effects and, therefore, it is desirable to avoid the use of a relatively large amount of bactericides in hair treatment compositions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the objects of the present invention are to eliminate the above-mentioned problems and to provide a hair treatment composition having no adverse side effects on the skin or scalp and capable of effectively preventing dandruff in the hair.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description set forth hereinbelow.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a hair treatment composition comprising 0.1% by weight or more of 3,4,4'-trichlorocarbanilide (i.e., "TCC" hereinbelow) and 0.03% by weight or more of vitamin E acetate (i.e., "VEA" hereinbelow) in an aqueous medium.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to the present invention, dandruff is effectively prevented by the use of the hair treatment composition containing, as effective or active ingredients, TCC and VEA. Although it is not clearly understood how dandruff in the hair can be prevented by the hair treatment composition according to the present invention, it is believed, without prejudice to the present invention, that the metabolic reaction in the scalp is adequately or moderately adjusted to prevent dandruff in the hair. It has been found that the effect of the combined use of TCC and VEA on the prevention of dandruff in the hair is far superior to that of the sole use of TCC or VEA and is also superior to that of the use of conventional ZPT.

The TCC usable as one of the active ingredients in the hair treatment composition is 3,4,4'-trichlorocarbanilide, which is commercially available in the name of TCC. TCC is generally produced in the form of a white powder and is generally soluble in organic solvents such as acetone, dimethylformamide, methylisobutylketone, and dioxane and certain polyols such as polyethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, and butylene glycol. However, TCC is insoluble or only slightly soluble in water and alcohols (e.g., ethanol). TCC can be readily formulated into hair treatment compositions in any conventional manner already used for formulation powdery substances into cosmetic compositions. For example, TCC can be dispersed in an aqueous or oily medium by a conventional agitating means.

VEA usable as the other active ingredient in the hair treatment composition is a viscous amorphous oily substance, and is soluble in, for example, fats and fatty oils, paraffins, and organic solvents such as acetone, methanol, ethanol, and chloroform. However, VEA is insoluble or only slightly soluble in water or aqueous organic solvents. VEA can be formulated in any conventional manner already used for formulating oily substances into cosmetic compositions.

A too small amount of TCC or VEA contained in the hair treatment composition is not effective for preventing dandruff in the hair. Accordingly, the hair treatment composition according to the present invention should contain 0.1% by weight or more, preferably 0.1% to 1% by weight, of TCC and 0.03% by weight or more, preferably 0.03% to 3% by weight, of VEA in an aqueous medium.

When TCC alone is formulated in an amount of 3% by weight or more, preferably 5% by weight or more, into a hair treatment composition, the desired prevention of dandruff in the hair can be obtained. However, when a too large amount of TCC is formulated into a hair treatment composition, adverse side effects are likely to occur together with stability problems in the dispersion or solution systems. For this reason, the use of a large amount of TCC in the hair treatment composition should be avoided.

Furthermore, when VEA alone is formulated in an amount of 1% by weight or more into a hair treatment composition, the resultant hair treatment composition can prevent dandruff in the hair. However, when VEA is used in combination with 0.1% by weight of TCC in a hair treatment composition, only a very small amount (i.e., 0.03% by weight or more) of VEA is sufficient to provide a dandruff preventing effect superior to or comparable to that of ZPT conventionally used in hair treatment compositions.

The term "a hair treatment composition" used herein includes any cosmetic composition capable of being applied to the hair or scalp. Examples of such cosmetic compositions are hair tonics, hair liquids, liquid creams for scalp treatment, hair creams, hair shampoos, hair rinses, hair conditioners, hairdressing, and hair sprays.

The hair treatment composition according to the present invention can be prepared by including the above-mentioned amounts of TCC and VEA in any aqueous medium in any conventional manner. The aqueous medium can optionally contain any conventional optional ingredients used in cosmetic treatments. Examples of such optional ingredients are 1% to 75% by weight of alcohols such as ethanol, 0.1% to 50% by weight of oily components such as octyldodecanol, mineral oil, silicone oil, fatty alcohols, and squalane, 0.01% to 70% by weight of surfactants such as polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, polysorbates, lauryl ether sulfates cocoamphoglicinates, and coconut fatty acid diethanolamide 0.1% to 30% by weight of humectant such as glycerin, propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, and butylene glycol, 0.01% to 5% by weight of thickening agents such as methylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxyvinylpolymer, magnesium aluminum silicate, and xantham gum, 0.001% to 0.5% by weight of preservatives such as parabenes, and benzoic acid and the salts thereof, 0.05% to 0.5% by weight of ultraviolet absorbers such as 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone, 0.00001% to 0.1% by weight of coloring agents such as dyes and pigments and 0.01% to 3% by weight of various perfumes.