This invention relates to a skin protectant, usually for use after skin cleansing. It is a protectant that is especially designed for irritated or compromised skin.
Ointments to be used on irritated skin in order to eliminate the pain and irritating feeling are known. Most are petrolatum based and contain a zinc oxide pigment in order to enhance wound healing.
A significant problem in use of these presently available skin protectants, which are ointment based and contain zinc oxide, is that they in fact do not ideally protect compromised areas. Moreover, the presence of zinc oxide, often compounds the problem of difficulty of removal during wound cleansing. Put another way, because the zinc oxide is somewhat difficult to remove, a nurse applicator is apt to over scrub in cleansing in order to remove zinc oxide. As a result, irritation is exacerbated, skin may be compromised or torn, and the ultimate healing process is delayed.
Problems such as those above described are very common in association with chronic diarrhea, enzymatic drainage, or incontinence. For use with these three problems particularly, a skin protectant needs to one which is greaseless, which provides a good moisture barrier, and one with excellent adhesion to both moist and dry skin.
It is a primary objective invention to provide a skin protectant which is especially designed for use with irritated skin normally associated with chronic diarrhea, enzymatic drainage or incontinence.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a skin protectant which adheres to both moist and dry skin, and yet which can be easily removed during wound cleansing, without compromising or tearing the skin.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a non-greasy ointment that does not contain zinc oxide.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide an ointment especially usable for compromised or torn tissue which has just the right amount of drag or feel, such that it can be applied to provide a pleasant feeling and for good adherence and yet not being so tacky as to tear skin.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a skin protectant which is not petrolatum based, and which is easy to formulate suitable for tubular dispensers.
The method and manner of accomplishing each of the above objectives as well as others will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention which follows.