GB2253143A - Mud/bandage body wrappings - Google Patents

Abstract

A pack of components suitable for use in body-wrapping comprises in combination at least one bandage which may be substantially impervious to a clay component, and a clay/salt composition based on Dead Sea Mud which contains: (i) at least one clay component comprising montmorillonite and/or kaolinite, and (ii) at least one salt component comprising one or more of the chloride, sulphate, carbonate and/or bromide of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, strontium, and/or lithium. Kits are also provided which comprise the pack of components and instructions for use.

Description

COMPONENTS FOR BODY WRAPPING Techniques are known for wrapping at least part of the human body, such as the abdomen or limb(s) with bandages. It is also known to apply certain clays to certain bandages as an aqueous slurry and apply the wet bandage to the area of the body to be wrapped. Such techniques have been proposed to assist reducing body size without simultaneous substantial weight loss, and they are said to promote "inch-loss." It has been postulated that body wrapping using aqueous clay is effective in extracting from body tissue, toxic or other waste products through the pores of the skin.

One clay composition used, by itself, for treating skin disorders and/or rheumatic problems is mud derived from the Dead Sea. People have previously bathed in the Dead Sea or received an application of Dead Sea Mud to the area to be treated.

There is current interest in the use of Dead Sea Mud compositions for treating skin disorders, for promoting "inch loss", for reducing cellulite and relieving excessively dry skin, eczema and psoriasis.

We have now surprisingly found that further benefits can be obtained in body wrapping using a clay/salt mixture which is, which contains or which is derived from Dead Sea Mud and subsequently applying bandage, preferably bandage which is substantially impervious to the coloured clay components in Dead Sea Mud. To this end, the present invention embraces, inter alia, packs which include bandage and Dead Sea Mud or a clay/salt composition which comprises or which has been derived from Dead Sea Mud, and kits for body wrapping which comprises such packs and instructions for their use.

According to this invention we provide a pack of components suitable for use in body-wrapping, comprising in combination at least one bandage and a clay/salt composition which is, which comprises or which has been derived from Dead Sea Mud such that it contains: (i) at least one clay component comprising montmorilonite and/or caolinite, and (ii) at least one salt component comprising one or a plurality of the following : chloride, sulphate, carbonate and/or bromide of - sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, strontium, and/or lithium.

It is preferred to use bandage which is substantially impervious to a clay component.

The clay/salt composition may further comprise ilite and/or quartz. It may consist essentially of Dead Sea Mud, preferably as the commercially available product from an Israeli company resident by the shores of the Dead Sea which is believed to be known as 'Ahava' and who supply genuine Dead Sea Mud. In the commercially available form, genuine Dead Sea Mud is a black mud of paste-like consistency and from which coarse rock and crystals have been removed.

In the said clay/salt composition, some of the salt components may be water soluble, some may be sparingly soluble or even substantially water insoluble. Said composition may further comprise water absorbent material to assist formation of or maintenance as an aqueous paste-like mud, to be subsequently applied to parts of the body before application of the bandage in the packs.

The clay/salt composition may also comprise other potentially beneficial ingredients, such as an oil e.g.

hazelnut oil to improve ease of application, and/or one or more vitamins such as vitamin E as a possible countermeasure against vitamin E deficiency.

It is also preferred to use stretch bandage, preferably crepe bandage, more preferably cotton crepe, most preferably flat cotton crepe B.P. bandage. This latter is a stretch bandage with a smooth surface in the sense that surface bumps and bulges are substantially absent. It has also been found to be substantially impervious to the coloured clays in Dead Sea Mud. Such most preferred flat cotton crepe B.P. bandage may be capable of stretching up to twice its original length. When this bandage is applied, the clay/salt composition is caused to be compressed into close contact with the skin, aiding release of toxins or other waste matter in the sub-cutaneous fatty tissue. This may assist in reducing cellulite.It has been found that bandages particularly of these preferred types are effective not only in keeping the clay/salt composition on the body part but also in compressing the body tissue as the toxins or other waste products are drawn out.

Use of flat cotton crepe B.P. can avoid unsightly impressions upon the skin, whilst still being substantially impervious to the clay component(s) of the applied composition.

In order to determine whether any given bandage is substantially impervious to a clay component and thus preferred, only simple testing may be required. For example, when using a Dead Sea Mud clay/salt composition, which has coloured clay components, an aqueous paste-like portion thereof can be painted onto a body part and subsequently the body part wrapped with one or more layers of bandage under evaluation; providing the coloured clay component does not seep through the fabric of the bandage from its front surface to its rear surface (disregarding any displacement of mud from exposed edges of the bandage) then it is deemed impervious and therefore a preferred bandage.

An objective behind treatment is to keep the wet mud, initially preferably applied warm, pressed against the skin in the area being treated to optimise effectiveness in the treatment, whether it be for promoting winch-loss", reducing cellulite, relieving arthritis or in the treatment of skin disorders. Hence a stretch bandage is preferred.

We have found that bandages which are pervious to the clay component(s) are rather less effective in any given treatment regime, and may leave behind bandage impressions, which take time to subside. Treatment with packs or kits according to preferred embodiments of the present invention may leave a person's skin smooth and unblemished, after removal of the bandage and subsequent washing to remove the used Dead Sea Mud based composition.

Use of preferred packs or kits for body wrapping including stretch bandage can maintain pressure to the applied composition and to body tissue, maintain a desirable concentration of effective ingredients in the region of the pores in the skin, thereby improving effectiveness and/or shortening treatment times.In order that the invention may be illustrated and readily carried into effect, a non-limiting preferred embodiment is now presented by way of example only, the composition used comprising genuine Dead Sea Mud obtained from the authorised suppliers of this composition.

Example 1 A bowl of Dead Sea Mud obtained from a pack is heated to a body comfortable temperature, adding water if necessary, in a container of boiling water. A person to be treated is weighed and measured circumferentially at various points which form the basis for post-treatment remeasurement and calculation of inch loss. The mud is then applied to the person's body with a paintbrush, to the required exposed body areas. This can be from the feet up to the chin. The person is then wrapped in between 25-30 flat cotton crepe bandages B.P. which we have found are substantially impervious to the coloured components in Dead Sea Mud. These bandages go on dry.

After 45 minutes in the smooth wrap, the bandages are removed and the client has a shower to remove the residual mud and is then re-measured. A typical inch loss may be approximately 9" from the measured points. Although we do not wish to be bound by theoretical considerations, this is believed to be achieved by the mud entering the pores of the skin and breaking down the fatty toxins under the skin generally known as cellulite, via the lymphatic system.

The inch loss results can be relatively long term providing the person does not put on further weight. The inch loss is generally not accompanied by any other than a marginal weight loss. The above data in example 1 constitutes suitable instructions for use which may be included in kits within the scope of this invention.

Other and important benefits of the packs and kits may include a toning and tightening of the skin in various places as well as a general smoothness of the skin when using flat bandage (absence of bandage impressions) and sense of well-being. The mud may in some instances alleviate skin complaints such as psoriasis, dry skin, eczema and similar disorders. Any stretch marks on a person's body may be diminished. Further wraps at later intervals may continue in the breaking down of cellulite.

The wrapping technique utilising bandage and composition may work as a holistic process as opposed to a specific treatment to a particular problem area.

Analysis of Dead Sea Mud indicates that it contains montmorilonite, caolinite, ilite, quartz, calcite, and chloride and/or, sulphate, and/or carbonate and/or bromide of more than one of the following elements : sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, strontium and lithium.

Claims (12)

1. A pack of components suitable for use in bodywrapping, comprising in combination at least one bandage, and a clay/salt composition which is, which comprises or which is derived from Dead Sea Mud such that it contains: (i) at least one clay component comprising montmorilonite and/or caolinite, (ii) at least one salt component comprising one or a plurality of the following : chloride, sulphate, carbonate and/or bromide of - sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, strontium, and/or lithium.

2. A pack as claimed in claim 1 in which the clay/salt composition comprises Dead Sea Mud and both montmorilonite and caolinite are present.

3. A pack as claimed in claim 2 in which the composition consists essentially of Dead Sea Mud in the form of a paste from which coarse rock and crystals have been substantially removed.

4. A pack as claimed in claim 2 in which the composition includes a minor amount of an oil and/or a minor amount of a vitamin, and/or a water absorbent material to assist retention of a paste-like consistency.

5. A pack as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bandage comprises stretch bandage.

6. A pack as claimed in claim 5, in which the bandage is crepe bandage.

7. A pack as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein the bandage is substantially impervious to a clay component.

8. A pack as claimed in claim 6 or 7 in which the bandage is cotton crepe bandage.

9. A pack as claimed in claim 8 in which the crepe bandage is flat cotton crepe B.P.

10. A kit-of-parts suitable for use in body wrapping, which comprises a pack as claimed in any preceding claim together with instructions for use of the components in the pack.

11. A pack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, or a kit as claimed in claim 10, substantially as herein described.

12. A pack or kit as claimed in claim 11, substantially as described in Example 1.