The invention provides pharmaceutical and cosmetic compositions for application to skin showing elastic tissue changes comprising an enzymatic material having elastolytic activity and a vehicle.
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 110,271, filed Jan. 27, 1971, now abandoned, which was a continuation of application Ser. No. 709,897, filed Mar. 4, 1968, now abandoned.
Eschar is removed from mammalian skin burns by application of elastase to promote healing of the burned area by hastening the removal of the burn eschar. The elastase solution preferably comprises purified elastase in tris hydroxymethyl aminoethane buffer at about pH 8.8. The elastase ointment comprises purified elastase in acrylic acid polymer at pH of about 8.5 to 8.8.
There is disclosed a method for expanding healthy skin, comprising administering to healthy skin an efficacious amount of an enzyme which cleaves elastin fibers, preferably elastase or an elastase derivative. The method may be used in the treatment of skin diseases or disorders occuring in areas adjacent to the healthy skin, including treatment of skin loss after excision of a skin tumor or excision of necrotic skin, trauma, a congenital skin condition, and a condition which has resulted or is likely to result in skin loss. There is also disclosed a method for increasing the yield of leather from an animal, comprising contacting the hide of said animal, or a portion of said hide, with an efficacious amount of an enzyme which cleaves elastin fibers, preferably elastase or an elastase derivative.
Stretch marks, keratoses and other skin lesions can be ameliorated or cured through repeated topical application, to affected skin, of a dermatological composition containing unsaponifiable lipids extracted from avocado seeds. The effective composition is an emulsion containing between about 5 and 15 weight percent of the unsaponifiable lipids. The effectiveness of the composition is augmented by the addition of zinc and/or copper chelates.
Stretch marks, keratoses and other skin lesions can be ameliorated or cured through repeated topical application, to affected skin, of a dermatological composition containing unsaponifiable lipids extracted from avocado seeds. The effective composition is an emulsion containing between about 5 and 15 weight percent of the unsaponifiable lipids. The effectiveness of the composition is augmented by the addition of zinc and/or copper chelates.
