GB2455286A

GB2455286A - A friction tool for use in the cosmetic treatment of the skin and a method of its use

Info

Publication number: GB2455286A
Application number: GB0723092A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Robert Linzell
Original assignee: Ball Burnishing Machine Tools Ltd
Current assignee: Ball Burnishing Machine Tools Ltd
Priority date: 2007-11-23
Filing date: 2007-11-23
Publication date: 2009-06-10
Also published as: EP2222267A1; GB0723092D0; US20100242201A1; WO2009066086A1

Abstract

A friction tool for use in a cosmetic method for the treatment of mammalian skin comprises a body 63, the body defining a support having a planar support face, a resiliently deformable friction pad 65 provided on the support face, the friction pad 65 comprising a lofty non-woven fibre material and wherein the pad 65 further comprises a net-like layer provided to the loft non-woven material. The friction pad 65 may comprise a compressible foam layer. Also described is a method of cosmetically treating mammalian skin by use of a friction tool with a friction face, the method comprising bringing the friction face of the tool into contact with an outer layer of the skin and applying a vector force with the tool.

Description

1 2455286 Friction tool for use in a cosmetic method

Field of the Invention

There is described a friction tool for use in a cosmetic method for application to mammalian skin. There is also described the cosmetic method.

Background to the Invention

To improve cosmetic appearance and for personal care purposes it is known to accelerate removal of flaking skin by exfoliating with mild abrasives by rubbing. It is therefore known to rub the skin with abrasive materials and tools capable of developing aggressive friction at the surface of the skin. In one example, a loofah is used as the tool, wherein a loofah is a bundle of natural or synthetic fibres that is used to exfoliate during bathing by rubbing to remove dead skin. To avoid discomfort such exfoliation is often done with fluids that lubricate the interface and moderate skin damage caused by the abrasion.

In an extreme variant, cosmetic surgeons use the term excoriation to describe a method where significant amounts of the epidermal layer is removed and this is usually done with abrasives by rubbing or scraping with a sharp instrument, which causes severe discomfort and is usually done under anaesthetic.

Massage techniques are also known. Massage may generally be described as the practice of applying structured pressure, tension, motion or vibration, manually or with mechanical aids, to the soft tissues of the body, including muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, and joints, to achieve a beneficial response. Massage can be performed with hands, feet, elbows and a variety of shaped tools.

The term friction massage' is used to describe some massage treatments. The purpose of friction massage' is however, not to treat the surface layers of the skin, but rather to treat deep tissues attached to skeletal members. It is often performed through a layer of clothing to prevent friction damage to skin. However, where performed directly the skin is generally lubricated to reduce actual skin friction during massage. Thus, it is a primary objective in friction massage' to minimise friction at the skin.

Skin cleansing techniques are also known in which a pad supported by the user's hand or finger or alternatively, on a tool is brought into rubbing contact with the skin. PCT Patent Application No. WO 2006/019507 for example, in the name of Zuko, LLC describes one suitable tool. Such techniques conventionally avoid aggressive frictional contact at the surface of the skin (see paragraph [000671 of 507) to avoid "pulling" of the skin because such pulling can lead to premature wrinkling of the skin.

Applicant's co-pending PCT patent application no. PCT/GB2007/O01 960 describes a new kind of cosmetic method and tools suitable for use therein, in which a particular kind of frictional contact is necessarily employed at the skin surface. In that method a frictional face of the tool is brought into frictional contact with the outer (i.e. cutaneous) surface layer of the skin to be treated. A degree of downward force is applied, and the frictional face of the tool is moved (e.g. by a stroking movement) in a direction generally parallel to the outer surface layer of the skin such that the outer surface layer of the skin is gripped thereby, and therefore moves with the frictional face of the tool. Any uneven "pulling" of the outer surface layer of the skin is thereby, avoided. Importantly, during such movement one or more underlying (i.e. subcutaneous) layers of the skin are subject to lateral (e.g. shear) stress, which Applicant describes to result in desirable "exercise" or "trainingTM of those one or more underlying skin layers, which gives rise to a cosmetic skin appearance benefit.

The method of Applicant's co-pending PCT patent application no. PCT/GB2007/00 1960 differs from both exfoliation and excoriation techniques because aggressive (i.e. damaging) frictional rubbing contact at the outer layer of the skin is avoided. Rather, in the method described therein, that outer layer of skin is gripped by the friction face of the tool, and moves with that friction face.

The method of Applicant's co-pending PCT patent application no. PCT/GB2007/OO1 960 further differs from friction massage' and skin cleansing' techniques because these seek to avoid any "pulling' of the skin, whereas the method described therein deliberately induces lateral stress across the gripped cutaneous layer (the skin), which strains subcutaneous tissue attached thereto.

Thus, in summary, the prior art has been appreciated to disclose tools and methods for exfoliating, excoriating, massaging and/or cleansing cutaneous tissues, but other than Applicant's co-pending PCT patent application no. PCT/GB2007/O01 960 does not disclose or anticipate tools or a method for exercising and training subcutaneous tissues by applying high levels of lateral stress sufficient to strain and distort such tissues then suitably correcting bulk distortion, done in the short time available with an equal and opposite following stroke.

Applicant has now devised various improvements to the tool and method described in Applicant's co-pending PCT patent application no. PCT/GB2007/001960. Thus, the problem addressed by the claimed invention is to provide improvements to a method and tool (apparatus) for use therein that can rapidly apply sufficient lateral stress to exercise the skin evenly down into the subcutaneous tissues, including associated connective tissues and muscles without negatively affecting the skin or the subcutaneous tissue. The problem is solved by use of the method and friction tool now described herein.

The method herein may in embodiments, be conducted while applying cosmetic formulations or shaving lubricants to the skin, which skin is known to have hair follicles defined thereon.

It is customary when removing bodily hair by shaving or depilatory techniques to apply a lubricant to minimise discomfort.

Traditionally the lubricant is a soap applied mostly by brush to create foam. More recently foaming and non foaming formulations applied by finger or spray have proven quicker to apply.

It is known that the condition of hair significantly influences shaving comfort and efficiency, for example it is said that a hair saturated with water looses more than half its ultimate tensile strength (uts). Applicant has now realized that by systematically exercising hair at the skin surface during application of a wet lubricant at higher levels of friction than is practical with a traditional shaving brush this will accelerate adsorption. The applicant has found that by rubbing hair to be shaved or subjected to depilatory techniques with the frictional tool herein that is arranged to exercise the hair and its supporting skin in a systematic way improves wethng of the hair with shaving lubricant and generally improves shaving or hair removal by depilatory techniques. In embodiments, the frictional tool itself may be used to store and apply the shaving lubricant In aspects, Applicant has found that rubbing the hair and skin with a friction face tool with horizontally orientated fibres, in which fibre are substantially supported both ends, rather than at a single end as in a brush is beneficial. One suitable arrangement takes the form of a flexible fine net or meshed layer supported by an absorbent resilient body.

Conveniently a mesh or net-like layer defining a friction face can be formed on the surface of a lofty non-woven web.

Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a friction tool for use in a cosmetic method for the treatment of mammalian skin, the tool comprising a body; said body defining a support having a planar support face; a resiliently deformable friction pad provided to said support face, said friction pad defining a friction face, wherein the friction pad comprises a lofty non-woven fibre material, and wherein said friction pad further comprises a net-like layer provided to said lofty non-woven fibre material.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a friction tool for use in a cosmetic method for the treatment of mammalian skin, the tool comprising a body; said body defining a support having a planar support face: a resiliently deformable friction pad provided to said support face, said friction pad defining a friction face, wherein the friction pad comprises a compressible foam layer in combination with a layer of friction-enhancing material that defines said friction face, and wherein said friction pad further comprises a net-like layer provided to said layer of friction-enhancing material.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a friction tool for use in a cosmetic method for the treatment of mammalian skin, the tool comprising a body; said body defining a support having a planar support face; a resiliently deformable friction pad provided to said support face, said friction pad defining a friction face, wherein the friction pad comprises a lofty non-woven fibre material, and wherein said lofty non-woven fibre material comprises a web of interlaced non-woven fibres in the form of a three dimensional fibrous matrix with said non-woven fibres orientated and spaced.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a cosmetic method for the treatment of mammalian skin by a tool defining a friction face, the method comprising: bringing said friction face of said tool into contact with an outer skin surface of a cutaneous layer of said mammalian skin; applying a vector force to said tool, the vector force comprising a first vector component and a second vector component, wherein said first vector component acts normal to said outer skin surface to hold the friction face of the tool in constant frictional contact with a defined area of the outer skin surface and to apply compressive force to one or more subcutaneous layers of the mammalian skin underlying said cutaneous layer; and the second vector component acts parallel to the outer skin surface surface such as to laterally displace said defined area of the outer skin, thereby applying lateral stress to said one or more subcutaneous layers, the method being conducted with a friction tool herein.

Detailed Description of the Invention

There is described a cosmetic method for the treatment of mammalian skin and a friction tool for use in performing that cosmetic method.

Cosmetic method The cosmetic method herein is for the treatment of mammalian skin by the use of a friction tool herein that is arranged to define a friction face. The friction face generally defines a flat (i.e. planar -planar meaning relating to or in the form of a plane') frictional work surface. That friction face is in embodiments, provided by a resiliently deformable friction pad. In embodiments, the friction pad defines a relatively large area of frictional contact. In embodiments, the friction pad has soft edges provided thereto.

The method includes the step of bringing the friction face of the tool into contact with an outer skin surface of a cutaneous layer of the mammalian skin.

The method then includes the step of applying a vector force to the tool. Such force may be applied manually by the user or by a third party (e.g. a beautician treating a client's skin), or in embodiments be provided by mechanical means provided to the tool. The vector force comprises a first vector component and a second vector component.

The first vector component acts normal to the outer skin surface. The effect is firstly to hold the friction face of the tool in constant frictional contact with a defined area of the outer skin surface. Secondly, the effect is to apply compressive force to one or more subcutaneous layers of the mammalian tissue. Those subcutaneous layers underlie and are coupled to the cutaneous layer.

The second vector component acts parallel to the outer skin surface such as to laterally displace said defined area of the outer skin, thereby applying lateral stress to said one or more subcutaneous layers. In embodiments, the lateral displacement of the defined area of the outer skin surface is uniform across that defined area.

It has been found that such application of lateral (e.g. shear) stress at the one or more subcutaneous layers results in desirable "exercise" or "training" of those subcutaneous tissue layers by stressing and in some cases beneficially straining said tissues against skeletal anchorages. This gives rise to a cosmetic skin appearance benefit such as improving bodily shape and especially facial shape and the expressive facial features. For example, benefits may include an improved smile with less skin wrinkling, the possible net result being to offset aging effects by approximately five years on faces more than 40 years old! The friction face of the tool is suitably brought into contact with the outer skin surface such that it follows the profile thereof and makes even frictional contact therewith over a relatively large contact area.

Additionally, in the method herein the friction grip between tool apd skin during any one stroking movement will depend upon: 1) The initial static coefficient of friction; 2) the subsequent kinetic or dynamic coefficient of friction, which is lower than the static value; 3) and the vector forces applied to the tool.

Surprisingly friction, by which is meant the resistance to sliding and therefore grip is theoretically independent of the area of contact. In the method, a tool is employed with a resiliently defonnable face that when subjected to an externally applied vector force applies an even pressure over a relatively large area of skin thereby ensuring pressure is maintained uniformly at safe and comfortable levels and grip also is distributed evenly, avoiding differential slippage within the contact area during sliding, which causes localised uneven stretching that distorts the outer layer of the skin, which is common in hand applied cosmetic and deep massaging processes.

Therefore a beneficial grip and slide' movement during stroking is defined by the application of uniform contact forces applied over a defined relatively large area, the area suitably being relative to four bunched fingers on a typical small female hand and is estimated to be greater than 450mm2 and preferably greater than 1000 mm2, and still more preferably greater than 2000mm2 thereby enabling large areas of skin to be treated more rapidly.

The direction of sliding being preferably along the longest axis of the friction face of the tool and the distance of sliding is preferably limited to 50% of the tool's longest axis, especially when treating the face to minimise potentially distorting shear stress transitions within the skin at the sliding tool edge.

The cosmetic method herein may include the additional step of applying a cosmetic (e.g. topical) formulation to the outer skin surface. The cosmetic formulation may be in fluid (e.g. liquid, foam, powder or paste) or solid form. In aspects, such application of cosmetic formulation may be performed either prior to, at the same time as or subsequent to the step of applying a vector force to the tool.

The exact nature of the cosmetic formulation will depend on the particular cosmetic effect to be enhanced and in aspects, may be selected from skin care such as depilatory, cleansing, moisturising, colouring, anti-ageing or shaving formulations.

In aspects, the cosmetic formulations are applied while simultaneously removing excess adipose (fatty) deposits from under the skin, and improving elasticity by training fibrous cutaneous tissues, firming muscles and improving vascular and lymphatic functions, thereby further improving bodily shape and appearance.

In aspects, the direction of the vector force alternates: in a first hatf cycle the second vector component acts in a first direction parallel to the outer skin surface such as to apply a first lateral stress component to said one or more subcutaneous layers, and in a second half cycle the second vector component acts in a second (i.e. opposite to the first) direction parallel to the outer skin surface such as to apply a second lateral stress component to said one or more subcutaneous layers. In aspects, the rates and magnitude of the second vector component in the first and second (i.e. opposing) directions are approximately equal.

To more fully exercise the one or more subcutaneous layers during each half cycle, the elastic limit of some subcutaneous tissue, which is visco-elastic, is exceeded and is distorted, the distortion being reversed during the next half cycle. By repetitively exercising the one or more subcutaneous layers with said alternating vector forces at regular intervals the bodily appearance is improved.

In embodiments, the vector force is apphed in the approximate direction of the axis of contraction of nearby muscles and induces hypertrophy therein.

In embodiments, during each cycle the friction face that is in contact with the skin accelerates in a first direction and deforms the skin before and during sliding, then the friction face decelerates and stops, the friction face then accelerates in the second opposite direction and deforms the skin before and during sliding, then the friction face decelerates and stops.

In embodiments, the direction of sliding in the first direction is opposite the direction of sliding in the second direction save for any small displacements that translocate the tool across an area of skin.

In embodiments, the velocity of deformation is the same in the first and second half cycles.

In embodiments, the distance travelled by the friction face in either direction varies between 0.5 to 500mm In embodiments, the coefficient of friction between the skin and the friction face rises above 0.5 at some point during each cycle.

In embodiments, a fluid film is placed between the friction face and the mammalian skin.

In embodiments, the fluid film includes a topically applied formulation that interacts with cutaneous tissue.

In embodiments, the topically applied formulation assists with cleaning, exfoliating, a depilatory process, a skin conditioning process, an anti-ageing process, a shaving process, or an antiseptic process.

In embodiments, the cosmetic method improves vascular and lymphatic functions, and reduces adipose deposits in subcutaneous tissues.

In embodiments, the cosmetic method is for treating human lips in which the average contact pressure ranges between 3.3X105 and 4X104 N/mm2 over an area greater than 100mm2.

In embodiments, the cosmetic method is for treating parts of the human face in which average contact pressure ranges between 3.3X105 and 1X1O2 N/mm2 applied over an area greater than 450mm2.

Frictional tool There is also provided a friction tool for use ma cosmetic method for the treatment of mammalian skin. The cosmetic method preferably includes the method steps as previously described, but the friction tool may in other embodiments also be employed in other cosmetic methods having different method steps.

The friction tool comprises a body, which body defines a support having a planar support face. Planar is used herein to describe a predominant association with a particular plane, which means the support face may be substantially flat although not perfectly flat, thus the surface may also be slightly curved in one or more planes. A resiliently deforrnable friction pad is provided to the support face. The friction pad is suitably resiliently deformable along at least one axis. The friction pad defines a friction face.

In one embodiment, particularly suitable for use in shaving and depilatory methods the friction pad comprises a lofty non-woven fibre material. The lofty spaced apart nature of the fibre mechanically engages with the hairs of an adult male face, thereby producing significant friction between those hairs on the surface of the adult male face and the frictional face of the pad. The friction pad further comprises a net-like layer provided to the lofty non-woven fibre material.

In embodiments, the net-like layer is provided as a separate layer (e.g. over-layer) to the lofty non-woven fibre material.

In embodiments, the net-like layer is provided as an Integral layer (e.g. over-layer) to the lofty non-woven fibre material. That is to say, the net-like layer is provided by adapting the lofty non-woven fibre material itself such as to define a net-like layer integral therewith (i.e. as an integral part thereof). In embodiments, the lofty non-woven fibre material is provided with a net-like arrangement (e.g. matrix like) of bonded fibres spaced relative to each other.

In embodiment, the net-like layer comprises a web of entangled interlaced randomly orientated non-woven fibres defining a layer of irregularly meshed net In embodiments, the net-like layer comprises spaced apart fibres, a proportion of the fibres bonded with a defined matrix of bonds between adjacent crossing fibres at the first face, thereby forming an open net like flexible resilient surface, with a proportion of bonded together fibres interspersed with un-bonded fibres.

In embodiments, the fibres are spaced apart and bonded in relation to the density of hair on the target rubbed skin so that upon pressing against the skin and sliding the hairs (e.g. wetted) freely engage and disengage with the mesh.

In embodiments, the friction pad defines an open non-woven web with void space, a proportion of its adjacent fibres selectively bonded together at and near Its rubbing surface to create a structure that resembles and behaves like a net. In embodiments, the net comprises irregularly oriented fibres held together with a regular matrix of bonds between adjacent fibres.

Applicant has found that the application of shaving lubricants or depilatory preparations with a friction pad herein, such as one that defines predominantly horizontally orientated non-woven fibres in a rubbing face carried and supported on a soft resilient body like a sponge or lofty non-woven web, is most comfortable when the fibre spacing and more importantly the regularity and spacing of bonds joining said fibres together are selected to match the hair spacing in a way that avoids entanglement.

In embodiments, the shaving lubricants and/or depilatory preparations comprise chemical wetting agents that are arranged for wetting of the hair at and protruding from the skin surface of the user.

In embodiments, the spacing of the bonds is arranged in a regular grid spaced between 1mm and 8mm apart and the fibre spacing such as to provide void space of between 50 and 95%. The thickness of the mesh layer being in the range 0.1 to 5mm. Such a web improves the quality of a daily shave when used to rub on a shaving lubricant by virtue of the friction face exercising hairs by lifting, bending and stretching the hairs and thoroughly wetting probably by opening the outer layers of the cuticles (hair shafts) as the direction of rubbing alternates, which causes a back combing effect' that is known to damage hair, but in this case it improves adsorption and thereby softens the hair shaft and reduces the force required to cut.

Applicant has also found that fuzz or linting (pulling out of non-woven fibres as they catch against beard stubble) is reduced by spot binding surface fibres. Thus discomfort of rubbing the skin is minimised by forming a soft resilient net of fibres bonded at a proportion of fibre crossing points and supported (carried on) a soft resilient absorbent body.

In embodiments, the friction tool herein employs a resilient adsorbent body on which the surface net-like layer or mesh forming the friction face is carried I mounted. In embodiments, the resilient adsorbent body is either a lofty non-woven three dimensional web or foam with interlinking cavities, both bodies capable of storing and dispensing shaving lubricant or a depilatory preparation. Thus, in embodiments the lofty non-woven fibre material is impregnated with a chemical formulation including a chemical wetting agent In embodiments, the friction tool provides a thin layer of non-woven fibre with a friction face thereon, and the three dimensional mesh of irregular crossed fibres, assumes a near two dimensional irregular mesh like contact pattern when pressed against the skin. When pressed against skin the skin indents softer material.

In embodiments, the bonds between fibres may be either welds or small globules of adhesive binder, which globules are smooth and also act as rubbing pads, these adhesive pads preferably made of grippy thermoplastic elastic. The fibres optionally coated with a friction grip enhancing layer. The fibre mesh spacing chosen to maximise engagement with human hairs and the pads frictionally engage with the skin and collectively exercise both the hairs and adjacent cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue.

In embodiments, the bonding between the fibres prevents the fibres from excessive pull out' giving itso called abrasion resistance.

Abrasion resistance can be characterized by the tendency of a non-woven to "fuzz," which characteristic may also be described as "linting" or "pilling". Fuzzing occurs as fibres or small bundles of fibres, are rubbed off, pulled, off, or otherwise released from the surface of the non-woven web. Fuzzing can result in fibres remaining on the skin or clothing of the wearer or others, as well as a loss of integrity in the non-woven, both highly undesirable conditions for users.

Fuzzing can be controlled in much the same way that strength is imparted, that is, by bonding or entangling adjacent fibres in the non-woven web to one another. To the extent that fibres of the non-woven web are bonded to, or entangled with, one another, strength can be increased, and fuzzing levels can be controlled.

Softness can be improved by mechanically post treating a non.

woven, for example, by incrementally stretching a non-woven web by the method disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,626,571 the non-woven can be made soft and extensible, while retaining sufficient strength for use in disposable absorbent articles. In embodiments, a non-woven web can be made soft and extensible by employing opposed pressure applicators having three-dimensional surfaces which at least to a degree are complementary to one another. In other embodiments, a non-woven web which is soft and strong may be made by permanently stretching an inelastic base non-woven in the cross-machine direction.

One method of bonding, or "consolidating", a non-woven web is to bond adjacent fibres in a regular pattern of spaced, thermal spot bonds. One suitable method of thermal bonding is described in U.S. Patent No. 3,855,046, which teaches a thermal bond pattern having a 10- 25% bond area (termed "consolidation area" herein) to render the surfaces of the non-woven web abrasion resistant. However, even greater abrasion resistance together with increased softness can further benefit the use of non-woven webs for use herein.

By increasing the size of the bond sites, or by decreasing the distance between bond sites, more fibres are bonded, and abrasion resistance can be increased (fuzzing can be reduced). However, the corresponding increase in bond area of the non-woven also increases the bending rigidity (i.e., stiffness), which is inversely related to a perception of softness (i.e. as bending rigidity increases, softness decreases). In other words, abrasion resistance is directly proportional to bending rigidity when achieved by known methods. Because abrasion resistance correlates to fuzzing, and bending resistance correlates to perceived softness, known methods of non-woven production require a trade-off between the fuzzing and softness properties of a non-woven.

Various approaches have been tried to improve the abrasion resistance of non-woven materials without compromising softness. For example, U.S. Patent Nos. 5,405,682 and 5,425,987 teach a soft, yet durable, cloth-like non-woven fabric made with multi-component polymeric strands. However, the multi-component fibres disclosed comprise a relatively expensive elastomeric thermoplastic material (i.e. KRATON.RTM.) in one side or the sheath of multi-component polymeric strands. U.S. Patent No. 5,336,552 discloses a similar approach in which an ethylene alkyl acrylate copolymer is used as an abrasion resistance additive in multi-component polyolefin fibres. U.S. Patent No. 5,545,464 describes a pattern bonded non-woven fabric of conjugate fibres in which a lower melting point polymer is enveloped by a higher melting point polymer.

In embodiments, bond patterns may be utilized to improve strength and abrasion resistance in non-woven materials while maintaining or even Improving softness. Various bond patterns have been developed to achieve improved abrasion resistance without too negatively affecting softness. U.S. Patent No. 5,964,742 describes a thermal bonding pattern comprising elements having a predetermined aspect ratio. The specified bond shapes reportedly provide sufficient numbers of immobilized fibres to strengthen the fabric, yet not so much as to Increase stiffness unacceptably. U.S. Patent No. 6,015,605 describes very specific thermally press bonded portions in order to deliver strength, hand feeling, and abrasion resistance. However, with all bond pattern solutions it is believed that the essential trade-off between bond area and softness remains.

In embodiments, the friction pad provides a three dimensionally interlaced low density resilient non-woven formed layer of fibre in the form of a thin web with apertures therein (void volume), the apertures optionally penetrating part way through the layer. The layer may be an integral part of a non-woven web or a separate layer attached to a non-woven web or a layer attached to some other resilient body such as foam.

In embodiments, the friction pad provIdes a non-woven fibre surface with varying density of fibres, the variation of density affected by varying the spacing of the fibres. The spacing of the fibres selected so that when pressed against the skin majority of the fibres within the surface layer align parallel with the skin. The space between the fibres at and near the rubbing surface selected to allow hair to penetrate into the fibre layer and provide desired frictional engagement therewith. The spacing between the fibres varied to match the average hair density distribution on various parts of the human body.

The distribution or density of hair varies over the adult human body in the range from 250 follicals/cm2 on the scalp and forehead to as low as 10 follicals/cm2 in the shaved areas of the beard and most other shaved areas such as calf, thigh, forearm thorax etc. Thus during slidIng of the formed layer over a skin surface with hair appended thereto, hairs individually will penetrate into the non-woven fibre layer and frictionally engage and then disengage without locking, for this the fibres must be spaced apart. The actual spacing chosen to provide apertures or open spaces within the facial layer so that ideally each hair is surrounded by one or more fibres the fibres separating the hairs and either lifting them up, redirecting them, pulling them gently and pressing them down as sliding proceeds, on average the fibre spacing is such that after pressing the hair down it has space in which to spring back up before being engaged with the next sliding fibre.

Thus the average spacing between fibres within the friction layer defining the apertures into which the hair shafts that are individually rooted within the follicles frictionally engage with hair shaft densities mostly in the range 10 to 40 follicals/cm2 for facial shaving surfaces used for shaving the face and body and 50 to 250 follicais/cm2 for head shaving. Owing to the cyclical nature of hair regeneration roughly 20% of the follicles may not bear hair at any one time.

The harshness of the friction layer when rubbed against the skin is one of personal choice, depending upon toughness and density of hair shafts, sensitivity and condition of skin etc. Applicant has found that the most favourable relationship between the hair shaft density and spaces between fibres is in the range 1:2 to 1:4, thus for hair densities in the range 10 to 40 the aperture count will be in the range 20 to 160! cm2 for face shaving and 100 to 1000! cm2 when shaving the scalp. As the hair density increases it becomes progressively more difficult and uncomfortable to slide with a fine friction face. In practice it was found that relatively low aperture counts in the region of 20 to 80 are most comfortable to use for facial and scalp and 10 to 50 for most other vallus hair regions.

In the formed layer a proportion of the surface and near surface crossing fibres are positioned and bonded together, then when lightly pressed against the skin the crossed bonded fibres resemble an open irregular mesh, the average size of the mesh openings (grating) chosen to allow hairs appended to the skin freely penetrate into the web and thereby form a frictional coupling that resists sliding. The function of the tool is to apply mechanical forces to the skin first by direct frictional contact with the skin and second via hairs appended thereto, as the friction tool slides across the skin.

The applied forces exercise the skin, especially the arrector pill muscles associated with each hair follicle, repeatedly stretching and compressing the muscle by rubbing with and against the nap (the inclined direction of the follicle and hair shaft). The repeated exercise causes hypertrophy within the muscle and strengthening it, which causes It to firm up and swell and shorten slightiy. The friction tool repeatedly bends and fatigues the hairs causing damage to the layered outer sheath of the hair, disturbing said layers and progressively lifting the outer keratin flakes (layers) as the fibres scrape and abrade the hair shafts, which damage accelerates absorption of fluids between the layers and inwards towards the hairs fibrous cortex. This affect is to soften the hair and reduce cut forces and resultant abrasion, which improves razor blade life. The process improves chemical wetting by forcing fluid down into the follicle, which action can improve the effectiveness of chemical depilatory products.

Suitable non-woven fibre materials include those which employ a web or sheet of relatively closely packed (high density of) usually synthetic fibres with small air gaps therebetween for insulation. The term lofty non-woven as used herein defines a body of spaced apart (low density of) fibres in a sheet or web with significant thickness. In this spaced apart structure fibres are randomly oriented (jumbled together) and left mostly in point contact with each other resulting in significant spaces (voids) between the fibres.

Depending upon the method of manufacture a lofty non-woven web may be formed with relatively short lengths of between 5 and 20mm or longer filaments of virtually indeterminate length. All fibres are flexible and may during and after assembly into the web assume complex directions with vectors in a first plane x and a second plane y, and a third z plane. The jumbled fibres beneficially interlace in a manner that creates voids while providing the web with structural stability.

Furthermore individual fibres may beneficially crinkled to improve the stability and resilience of the web, generally the non-woven web.

In embodiments, the friction pad defines relatively stiff vertical supports (e.g. a bit like a stiff bristle). In embodiments, these vertical supports are bonded, and the array of vertical bonded bodies are arranged to resemble the bristles of a brush with very short spaced apart bristles terminated on the net, the cellular void spaces therein partly filled with lofty non woven fibres. The behaviour of this arrangement may be visualised as a pad with short stiff bristles pushed through a soft non-woven web and the ends of the bristles bonded onto bunched up non-woven fibres to form the net like planar rubbing face.

In embodiments, the friction pad defines a soft resilient porous friction face made with polymeric materials in the form of a planar open mesh net of polymeric filaments oriented predominantly in a first and second plane both predominantly parallel to a planar surface. In embodiments, a proportion of the crossing filaments are bonded at some touching points and a proportion of the bonds made with polymeric material. in embodiments, the bonds in the form of bodies also bond with further polymeric fibres oriented predominantly in a third plane generally normal to the first and second planes, thereby providing support for the face mesh. In embodiments, the bonds have bodily shape and stiffness. In embodiments, the friction face mesh has two dimensional void spaces leading to three dimensional void volumes bounded by the mesh and supporting fibres. In embodiments, each bond body has a smooth face that is exposed at the friction face for rubbing during sliding. In embodiments, during sliding the bonding bodies rub against a treatable surface and drag filaments strung between bonding bodies across the surface. In embodiments, the bonding bodies and strung fibres are spaced to allow protrusions on the treatable surface to frictionally engage therewith and disengage therefrom as sliding proceeds.

Fibres suitable for use in the friction pad herein include natural and synthetic fibres, and mixtures thereof. Synthetic fibres are preferred including those made of polyester (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate), nylon (e.g., hexamethylene adipamlde, polycaprolactum), polypropylene, acrylic (formed from a polymer of acrylonitrile), rayon, cellulose acetate, polyvinylidene chloride-vinyl chloride copolymers, vinyl chloride.

acrylonitrile copolymers, and so forth. Suitable natural fibres include those of cotton, wool, jute, and hemp. The fibre material can be a homogenous fibre or a composite fibre, such as bi-component fibre (e.g., a co-spun sheath-core fibre). It is also within the scope of the invention to provide an article comprising different fibres in different portions of the web (e.g., a first web portion, a second web portion and a middle web portion). The fibres of the web are preferably tensilized and crimped but may also be continuous filaments such as those formed by an extrusion process described in U.S. Patent No. 4,227,350.

The web may be stabilized by bonding a proportion of the contacting fibres throughout the web to form a three dimensional integrated structure, forming globules at the points of mutual contact while the interstices between the fibres remain substantially unfilled.

Typical methods of bonding may take the form of dipping or spraying with a curable adhesive or resin or spraying with molten polymers that condense at contacting junctions. An alternative is to introduce a proportion of tower melting point fibres into the web and selectively re-melting a proportion of the fibres. A further method employs hot needles plunged into the web. Elongated bonds (for example to form rubbing pads) are made by placing extrusion tubes into or onto a formed web and extruding beads of boding agent in the desired pattern/shape. The material may be a curing adhesive or a hot melt adhesive.

There are many variations on the basic method of manufacture of lofty non-woven fibre webs, typical of these are air-laid, carded, stitch bonded, spunbonded, wet laid, or melt blown procedures.

In embodiments, to provide a suitable frictional rubbing face the fibres at the slidinglrubbing surface may be arranged to take the form of a moderately regular meshed grid in which a proportion of the exposed crossed contacts between fibres are bonded with a bonding medium to stabilize and stiffen the mesh and thereby provide desirable mechanical properties for treating hair and skin with friction.

In embodiments, the non-woven web is made from or includes a plurality of randomly interlaced thermoplastic fibres mechanically entangled with uniform distribution of voids (spaces) therebetween bonded contacts providing a lofty non-woven web having a basis weight of at least 20 grams per square meter. In embodiments, the basis weight will range from about 40 to about 68 grams per square meter. The web can be made entirely from bi-component fibres which are typically crimped and which will generally have a fibre denier equal to or greater than 2. Alternatively, the web can be made from a combination of fibres such as bi-component fibres and polyester fibres. In such embodiments, the web will usually include at least 50 percent by weight bi-component fibres. The resultant web will have a void volume of between about 80 and about 117 cubic centimetres per gram of web at 689 dynes per square centimetre pressure, a permeability of about 8,000 to about 15,000 darcy, a porosity of about 98.6 to about 99.4 percent, a surface area per void volume of about 10 to about 25 square centimetres per cubIc centimetre, a saturation capacity between about 55 and about 80 grams of 0.9 percent saline solution per gram of web and a compression resilience in both the wet and dry state of at least about 60 percent Crimped or curled fibres may be used in the tow, since they provide an extra open and lofty structure. It is also possible to use a combination of straight and crimped or curled fibres.

The term lofty herein is used to describe a structure with loft' or height and is used to describe a web of interlaced spaced apart non-woven fibres in the form of a three dimensional fibrous matrix, with fibres orientated and spaced and only occasionally touching. In embodiments, a proportion of the fibres are bonded together where they touch. The fibres spaced apart sufficiently for bodily hairs to frictionally penetrate the web and frictionally engage therewith as the tool slides over the skin, the hair appended to mammalian skin. The matrix spacing optimised for the hairs to penetrate into the matrix during sliding. In particular the fibre spacing is chosen to maximise sequential scraping, bending, stretching and compressing of the hair shaft during reciprocating sliding and frictional contact with the skin to also cause deformation (opening and closing) of Its associated follicle.

In embodiments, the fibrous non-woven web is made with a plurality of fibres randomly orientated and intermixed so that they are predominantly spaced apart touching typically for less than 1% of their surfaces, the spacing sufficient to allow direct light to pass through a 5mm thick web.

In embodiments, the web has a first and second face and the fibres at the first face are formed into a friction face by dressing and bonding into an irregular mesh to provide a strong grid in which the average spacing between fibres relates to hair spacing.

in embodiments, the net-like layer is formed during a further process step that follows the basic manufacture of the non-woven web by the further steps of inserting forming pegs into the face of the non- woven web to create apertures either part way or fully through the web and positioning bonds between the apertures to retain the displaced formed fibres. In embodiments, the forming pegs are warm so as to thermoform the apertures.

In another embodiment, the friction pad comprises both a compressible foam layer and a layer of friction-enhancing material defining said friction face.

It will be appreciated that the compressible foam layer rests adjacent to the planar support face and that the layer of friction-enhancing material rests outermost to provide the friction face. Suitable friction-enhancing materials include rubbery, friction-enhancing materials. Thermo plastic urethane (TPU) and thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are suitable friction-enhancing materials.

In embodiments, the friction face has a coefficient of friction when sliding against dry mammalian skin of greater than 0.5. The friction pad further comprises a net-like layer provided to the layer of friction-enhancing material.

In embodiments, the net-like layer is provided as a separate over-layer to the layer of friction-enhancing material.

In embodiments, the net-like layer is provided as an integral over-layer to the layer of friction-enhancing material. That is to say, the net-like layer is provided by adapting the layer of friction- enhancing material itself such as to define a net-like layer integral therewith.

Applicant has also found that it is desirable in use of the tool herein to avoid high stress transitions at the sliding interlace with the skin as an edge of the frictional face of the friction pad slidingly engages an outer (cutaneous) layer of the skin.

In a first embodiment herein, such high stress edge transitions are essentially avoided by providing soft' edges to the frictional tool. Thus, one or more edges of the friction face of the friction pad project beyond the planar support face to provide less support and soft edges.

in a second embodiment herein, such high stress edge transitions are reduced by maximising the area of frictional contact thereby minimising the edge transitions experienced at a point on an outer skin surface as it is treated.

In embodiments, the body includes a handle for manual holding thereof. in embodiments, the handle is provided to one end of a shaft from which extends the support.

In embodiments, the friction pad comprises a flexible resilient material and the body comprises a stiffer material.

in embodiments, the friction face is rough, comprising many irregularly shaped, flexibly interconnected friction elements that intertock with the skin roughness to provide high levels of non- aggressive lateral static and dynamic frictional coupling when pressed against mammalian skin.

In embodiments, an edge on the friction face is less stiff than its central area.

In embodiments, the friction pad comprises polymer fibres that are mainly oriented in the x and y planes.

In embodiments, the support is coupled by members to a holdable area distant from the friction pad.

In embodiments, the support face and friction face are shaped either as a rectangle, a triangle, a circle or an oval or a combination thereof.

In embodiments, the support face has a flat area defined by dimensions in the x and y plane and has formed features in the z plane such as a radius or chamfer around the edges.

In embodiments, the friction tool additionally comprises a hand holdable hollow object with fillable space therein and with means of dispensing stuff therefrom, wherein the friction face attaches to the hollow object.

In embodiments, the friction tool additionally comprises a hand holdable hollow object with a multiplicity of friction pads stacked therein each with a friction face thereon, the tool with means of releasing friction bodies one at a time via an orifice. In embodiments, the stacked friction pads are impregnated with a chemical formulation.

In embodiments, the support face used to support the friction pad is a face on a fillable container or the end cap of a container.

In embodiments, the friction face mounts on the exterior of the body and with fluid stored within the body for dispensing therefrom.

In embodiments, the body comprises a hand holdable planar trowel like form with the support attaching thereto.

In embodiments, the friction tool additionally comprises a second face for rubbing located on a second face on the tool.

In embodiments, the friction pad is detachably attached to the body.

In embodiments, static friction pads are positioned either side of an alternating pad.

In embodiments, a lateral force applied to alternate a pad carrying a friction face is provided by a powered device.

Whilst, the lofty non-woven fibre material of the friction pad herein most typically comprises net-like layer in other embodiments, herein that net-like layer is optionally absent and the lofty non-woven fibre material has a particular form.

Thus according to another aspect of the present Invention there is provided a friction tool for use in a cosmetic method for the treatment of mammalian skin, the tool comprising a body; said body defining a support having a planar support face; a resiliently deformable friction pad provided to said support face, said friction pad defining a friction face, wherein the friction pad comprises a lofty non-woven fibre material, and wherein said lofty non-woven fibre material comprises a web of interlaced non-woven fibres in the form of a three dimensional fibrous matrix with said non-woven fibres orientated and spaced.

In embodiments, the non-woven fibres are only occasionally touching. In embodiments, the non-woven fibres are spaced apart and touch each other at less than 1% of the surfaces thereof. In embodiments, a proportion of the fibres are bonded together where they touch.

In embodiments, the non-woven fibres spaced apart sufficiently for bodily hairs to frictionally penetrate the web and frictionally engage therewith as the tool slides over the skin, the hair appended to mammalian skin, In embodiments, the matrix spacing is optimised for the hairs to penetrate into the matrix during sliding. In particular the fibre spacing Is chosen to maximise sequential scraping, bending, stretching and compressing of the hair shaft during reciprocating sliding and frictional contact with the skin to also cause deformation (opening and closing) of its associated follicle.

In embodiments, the non-woven fibre materials include those which employ a web or sheet of relatively closely packed (high density of) usually synthetic fibres with small air gaps therebetween for insulation. The term lofty non-woven as used herein defines a body of spaced apart (low density of) fibres in a sheet or web with significant thickness. In this spaced apart structure fibres are randomly oriented (jumbled together) and left mostly in point contact with each other resulting in significant spaces (voids) between the fibres.

In embodiments, the lofty non-woven fibre material may be formed with relatively short lengths of between 5 and 20mm or longer filaments of virtually indeterminate length. All fibres are flexible and may during and after assembly into the web assume complex directions with vectors In a first plane x and a second plane y, and a third z plane. The jumbled fibres beneficially interlace in a manner that creates voids while providing the web with structural stability. Furthermore individual fibres may beneficially crinkled to improve the stability and resilience of the Non-woven fibre materials suitable for use in the friction pad herein include natural and synthetic fibres, and mixtures thereof.

Synthetic fibres are preferred including those made of polyester (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate), nylon (e.g., hexamethylene adipamide, polycaprolactum), polypropylene, acrylic (formed from a polymer of acrylonitrile), rayon, cellulose acetate, polyvinylidene chloride-vinyl chloride copolymers, vinyl chloride-acrylonjtijle copolymers, and so forth. Suitable natural fibres include those of cotton, wool, jute, and hemp. The fibre material can be a homogenous fibre or a composite fibre, such as bi-component fibre (e.g., a co-spun sheath-core fibre). It is also within the scope of the invention to provide an article comprising different fibres in different portions of the web (e.g., a first web portion, a second web portion and a middle web portion). The fibres of the web are preferably tensilized and crimped but may also be continuous filaments such as those formed by an extrusion process described in U.S. Patent No. 4,227,350.

Additional descnption of friction tool The friction tool herein is suitably a chemical-mechanical tool employing a relatively large area high friction face that is pressed against the skin with a relatively moderate force to provide uniform frictional engagement with the skin over a relatively large area and moving said frictionally engaged area systematically over the skin by sliding backwards and forwards to exercise the tissues under and around the area of frictional engagement.

The friction face is suitably conformable, which means it is flexibly deformable because it is resiliently compressible, when pressed against a body takes the shape of the body and forms a relatively large uniform area of frictional engagement therewith. Upon applying a vector force to slide the tool it stresses and strains cutaneous tissue around the frictionally engaged area and subcutaneous tissue under the frictionally engaged area, the tool face is designed to grip and support the skin laterally.

Unlike the background art, means are provided herein for tissue to be deliberately strained laterally beyond its elastic limit, first stretched then compressed to restore it to its original shape by alternating the direction of the applied stress. This is not done in the background art because it was said to be detrimental to apply stress levels that strain the skin because of the risk of permanently enlarging the skin. The method and tools herein therefore provide means of repeatedly reversing the direction of deformation, whereas in the background art rotary motions in the same directions are mostly favoured. The background art does not anticipate or disclose a tool for applying rapid massage, applied with a large single sided high friction tool designed to strain subcutaneous tissue while only stressing associated cutaneous tissues as it simultaneously applies and spreads and rubs in cosmetic substances to the skin.

The tool is sized so that a typical treatment lasts only a few minutes, typically less than 5 minutes, most commonly between 2 and 4 minutes, whereas conventional treatments in the background art last somewhat longer.

The friction pad is made with resiliently deformable material and the body is therefore resiliently deformable, which deformation is conveniently specified in terms of compressibility, upon which compressible body is carried a frictional rubbing face hereinafter referred to as the friction face, which friction face is also resiliently deformable and its frictional behaviour is specified in terms of its coefficient of friction, which is described further herein later.

The resiliently compressible friction face when pressed against an irregular shaped surface (such as, for example, part of a human face) will adjust its shape to fit the face. Then upon sliding, it further adjusts and follows the changing shape as it slides over an irregularly shaped surface and thereby maintains close frictional engagement (contact) therewith during sliding.

The friction pad is mounted on a support, which supports the friction pad. The support may vary in construction from the one extreme where it is ridged to the other extreme of being highly flexible, but at all times the support is stiffer than the friction paid and the actual combined stiffness (stiffness meaning resistance to deformation), is chosen to meet the requirements of the tool function.

For example, a preferred use for the tool is massaging while applying shaving lubricants, for which the tool is only required to operate over the lower face and neck. It was found that the optimum size and shape roughly resembles a traditional shaving brush, with a soft (soft meaning easily deformable) resilient friction pad mounted on the end of a stiff (barely deformable) support that also acts as a container and/or dispenser. The friction pad and friction face located at one end or on a side towards an end or some similar combination as illustrated later by way of example later herein.

Thus a fluid dispenser can be attached onto or incorporated into the tool.

On the other hand a tool for applying moisturiser can have a resilient friction pad of soft fibre or foam supported by a support that is little more than a relatively flimsy folded card, the card itself is also resiliently deformable, as illustrated later herein by way of an example.

In all cases the friction pad is made with less dense material than the support, the density of the material of the friction pad being in the range 10 to l2Okg.m3. The shape, thickness and actual materials are described in more detail later herein.

A region on the support provides means of holding the tool. This region is an area for gripping either by human hand or by other means such as a mechanical device like a robot that simulates some or all of the motions that are provided by a human hand when using the tool. The actual operation of the tool when hand held is most commonly hand powered but may be power assisted by the addition of a vibrator device for added convenience.

For manual operation the support is shaped to be gripped between thumb and fingers or wedged between first and second finger; a further area is provided for applying additional pressure on the support, the further area pressed with fingers or the palm of the hand as illustrated by way of example later herein.

The support having a first region coupled to a second region, the second region being distant from the first region by an amount sufficient to keep the gripping or pressing fingers and hand away from the rubbed skin.

The support of the tool is shaped to accommodate within it, or have coupled to it, a reservoir for storing and dispensing a fluid during rubbing, the fluid in the form of a chemical formulation that provides a beneficial cosmetic function when rubbed onto the skin. The tribological properties of the applied compound and the amount applied are selected to provide friction levels compatible with those required to exercise the skin.

Now referring to the friction pad, the resiliently compressible material of the friction pad and the friction face thereon is selected to be approximately similar or slightly stiffer (less deformable during compression) than the skin covering soft tissues on the lower human female face and less stiff than the skin covering skeletal bones about the chin and upper cheeks. Overall the tool, that is the combined first and second bodies, being sufficiently compliant (resiliently compressible) so that when pressed against an uneven surface such as said lower facial tissues it forms a frictionally engaged area with a substantially uniform contact pressure, which area is relatively large.

Relatively large means an area that is greater than the average combined contact area of four (4) small adult female bunched fingers tips, which are the most commonly used rubbing means for applying and rubbing cosmetic lotions onto the face, the typical frictional contact area of said fingers is estimated to be above 400mm2, thus the frictionally engaged area of the friction face of a tool for treating the face (except the lips) is larger than 450 mm2 but significantly the contact pressure due to the fingers is highly irregular because the fingers are not flat.

Some measurable physical attributes of suitably resilient compressible first bodies were determined experimentally by testing a variety of different toot constructions, and are summarised as: a friction pad that is compressible within a range 1 to 90% (thickness reduction) over more than 50% of the area of the rubbing face thereon when subjected to a compressive force of 5 kPa (kg/rn 2) for less than 0.5 seconds and upon fully unloading the compressive force the body recovers in less than 0.5 sec to a compression set of less than 50%.

The term compression set' means the difference between the original or pre-compressjon thickness of the friction pad and its thickness after a specified period of recovery after fully removing the compression force.

Reference to skin stiffness herein means the resistance cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues collectively present when subjected to deformation, either in compression, tension or shear, this is influenced by the amount of soft tissue underlying the skin, which varies hugely over the human face. On the lower face cheeks there is deep soft tissue, perhaps 10mm or more but on the forehead there is little soft tissue, perhaps less than 2mm, therefore there is very little subcutaneous matter to deform. To treat bony areas, resilient first bodies are preferred that are compliant so they are able to adopt the shape of the bony area and prevent the contact pressures and shear stresses rising to levels where skin might be damaged.

To provide the desired sliding friction characteristics, the friction face is made slightly rough, by which is meant it is at least slightly rougher than an average 30 year old female facial skin. The friction face roughness comprising many small irregularly shaped, resiliently deformable and flexibly interconnected friction elements (contacts) that interlock with the skin roughness during frictional engagement to provide high levels of non-aggressive lateral static and dynamic frictional coupling when pressed and slid against skin. The materials of the friction face may be either a foam with either open or closed cells, natural or man-made fibres in a woven sheet or a non-woven web, or a flat sheet like paper or card or polymeric film. The polymeric film may be thermoformed and carry protrusions, which protrusions have cavities therein that are also used for storing and dispensing materials.

The friction face may be porous because it is on a porous or absorbent friction pad such as an open cell foam or a fibre web. The friction face may also be porous because it is made with a perforated high friction film covering an absorbent body. The absorbent body may absorb and store matter and release the stored matter during sliding (rubbing) and thereby transfer it onto the skin, the transferred materials including liquids, slurries or dry particulate matter. Equally, material may transfer from the skin into the porous friction face during sliding; and there may be circumstances where material is first -transferred out from the friction face onto the skin during sliding (rubbing) and after mixing with dirt or particulate on the skin, the thickened residues are then second -transfer back through the friction face into the absorbent friction pad as sliding continues.

If the friction pad carrying the friction surface is made with fibres it may be in the form of a woven, a knit or a non-woven web, either a thin hydra-entangled, spun-bond or melt-blown into thin wipe like material, or a thicker needle punched felt like web or a lofty resin bonded open structure, perhaps bonded with an acrylic binder typical of scouring pads or some combination formed with layers of these. The layers may also include natural fibres such as cotton. The preferred materials are fibres, either staple or continuous, formed with polymers selected from the group consisting of polyolefin's, polyamides, polyesters, polycarbonates, polypropylenes, polystyrenes, thermoplastic elastomers, fluoro-polymers, vinyl polymers, viscose polymers, acrylic polymers and blends and cross-linked copolymers thereof.

A typically lofty low density non-woven web suitable for use as a friction pad is made with crinkled staple fibres of lengths of between 0.2cm to 7cm or with longer (virtually continuous) straight fibres, the fibres coupled by needle punch entanglement, adhesive or resin bonded, or thermal bonding by blending in lower melting point fibres then heating to selectively melt these lower melt fibres -these webs being typical of those used for skin contact use such as make-up removal. They may take the form of a single or multilayered stack, creped or pleated shaped to suit the purpose.

The physical characteristics of the friction pad and friction face can vary widely between applications, It is difficult to provide precise guidance on the most suitable density and stiffness of the friction pad material. As a guide for use on a male face, for applying shaving lubricant, a lofty non-woven web of resin bonded non-woven nylon or polypropylene with a density of 50kg/p,3 and web thickness of 5mm made with a fibre of 10 micron diameter fibre was satisfactory. The web had a natural roughness of about 0.75mm Ra. The web should have resilience so that it can engage with the facial stubble (hairs) and spring into and out of detents in skin roughness. A similar friction face for exfoliating and applying moisturiser or skin colouring dye to a female face or legs used 65kg/rn3 web, the web thickness being 2mm and the fibre thickness was 7 micron. The web had a natural roughness of about 0.5mm Ra. These webs often have one side more dense than the other, or they may have more bonding one side thus they may be stiffer on one side. Care is needed to specify which side is to be used as the friction face.

The friction pad and friction face thereon can be formed with micro-fibre materials that means materials made with fibres less than one denier that means they typically use fibre diameters of less than 10 microns that are formed into woven cloths with many fibre ends that are split or otherwise treated to form hooks that catch dust and particulates and slice up grease deposits, they are therefore useful for cleaning skin. Because they entrap particulates they suffer from the risk of spreading infection, therefore if used as a friction face they should be used only once and then washed clean or discarded.

Non-woven paper wipes, or polymer reinforced natural fibre wipes, or absorbent wipes made with materials such as viscose/polyester combinations may all be used as low cost friction face materials. They may form a single use device or be removeably attached to a support. Wipes offer many possibilities for use as pre-wetted dispensing mediums for applying cosmetic and skin care treatments. These relatively thin wipes may actually constitute the entire friction pad of the tool with the friction face thereon and may conveniently be removeably attached directly onto the support.

The strength of wetted paper wipes proved to be a limiting factor during frictional rubbing; therefore paper wipes are suited only to applying wet cosmetic treatments where the massaging requirements are minimal. If the paper can be used dry or is impregnated with a dry medium or is suitably rough or porous for dispensing dry powder, or perhaps less rough and using a powder substance as a dry lubricant, then they may also be suitable for frictional engagement and rubbing against skin to massage.

High friction films for rubbing against skin are preferred for many uses such as applying skin-care formulations and may beneficially use thermo plastic elastorners (TPE). These are blends of plastics (usually olefins) and synthetic rubbers (often urethanes) and in particular, these are known s thermo plastic urethane (TPU). Among their attractive features are a warm high grip feel on skin, they have a high natural coefficient of friction on skin which can be raised further with the introduction of clean (soap free) water.

This material with a specific gravity of 1.2 does not float but is attractive for its dielectric heating properties that are helpful during thermoforming. It is available with a useful hardness (stiffness) range quoted as typically 80 to 85 on the shore A scale. Formed sheet made with TPU in thickness ranging from 25micron to 400 micron proved very durable and soft to touch with significant elasticity. They atways recovered their original form after severe crumpling during use and are preferred for applications where scraping with hard materials like abrasive is unacceptable. Suitable materials are available from Epurex Films Gmbh, a Bayer Company sold under their registered brand name Walopur' and marked 4201 AU or U073.

Poly [stYrene-(block)-ethane-cO..butane...(block)styrene] (SEBS) materials are amenable to formulation manipulations that provide a wide range of Shore hardness from 30A to 90A.These materials also have soft high grip feel and with hardness in the range 50A to 70A they are of practical use for friction faces.

Improved chemical compatibility is available with thermoplastic vulcanised materials (TPV) or thermoplastic natural rubber (TPNR) which is produced by blending natural rubber with PP and the material is thermoformed at temperatures similar to PP. TPV is partially vulcanised dynamically during blending whilst TPNR is said to have no cross-linking of the rubber. The TPNR with higher natural rubber content is the softer product.

Both have the processing characteristics of a thermoplastic material and functional properties of a vulcanised rubber. Hence both materials are thermoformed on the same tooling as used for PP and PE, but the formed sheet product behaves like vulcanised rubber. TPV and TPNR materials are preferred for use on skins vulnerable to infection. An example of these are the 8000 series Santoprene (registered trade mark) thermoplastic rubbers supplied by Advanced Elastomer Systems, an Affiliate of ExxonMobile Chemicals, 388 S. Main Street, Akron, OH 44311 USA, which materials are said to be USB class 6 compliant and this means they are approved for use with exposed traumatised bodily tissue and fluids in the USA. The same company supplies a product with superior low gas permeability called Trefsin (registered trade mark), which has lower permeability and therefore is superior for long term shelf storage when storing fluids within the cavities of the formed sheet. Generally materials with Shore hardness in the range 50A to 60A are preferred for treating sensitive skin.

The method has benefits for applying acne treatments where it provides useful mechanically enhanced skin cleaning as it topically applies antiseptic lotions. By using a series of preloaded first bodies in the form of removeably aftached pads or wipes, a prescribed course of treatment can be packed in a single package. It is already known that non-woven materials in the form of pre-wetted wipes such as the "Stridex" (registered trade mark of Bayer Corp., Consumer Care Division, Myerstown, Pa. USA) or the teachings of US 5,879,693 in which the acne pad itself is described as 75gram 149-189 tight waffle Novonnette material, in which each pad is impregnated with 1.56 gram of the treatment material. Acne is a generic term for a number of cosmetic skin disorders associated with hair follicles treated by topical formulations, which in essence are antiseptic cleaning compounds. It is important that the treatment is applied in a consistent disciplined way and once applied that the potentially contaminated treatment material is carefully disposed of.

Both the first and second bodies can be made with foam materials.

Suitable materials include, but not limited to cross-copolyrners, or polyolefins and including polyurethanes, polyvinylchlondes, polyethylenes and polypropylenes. They may have open or closed cell structures. The open cell structures being absorbent are useful when the friction pad needs to be made absorbent and they are highly deformable and therefore soft. The closed cell structures are available in stiffer sheets (less compressible and more resilient (springy) and can be selected from a wide range of commercially available sources with densities ranging from l5kg/m31up to 120kg/rn3. Typically they are available from, for example Zottefoams plc of 675 Mitcham Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR9 3AL UK. And these are very light weight while being highly resilient and are highly suitable for use in making the second bodies.

As a guide a low cost reusable tool for applying skin care lotions can be constructed with a friction pad made with 1.9 mm thick foam, (similar to the low cost materials used for laminated flooring underlay) such as polyvinyichioride (pvc) foam sheet with a density of typically 30kg/rn3 that is covered with an impervious 50micron thick polymeric membrane of TPU bonded thereto to form the friction face. The foam has a natural roughness that is similar to skin and the film when bonded to the foam it assumes a skin like roughness. The support is formed to a suitable shape by folding sealed by laminated card. Such tools have provided working lives in excess of 50 applications of intensive 2 minutes application of moisturiser on a male face after shaving.

The friction face on the friction pad can be removable either by replacing the entire friction pad or replacing the friction face sheet covering a face on the friction pad. Such a sheet may for example, as discussed earlier herein, be a wipe made with non-woven paper or cloth, a woven cloth, a foam, or polymeric film, the wipe being removeably attached to the friction pad. The wipe may be impregnated with a treatment substance, either wet or dry, for application to the skin by rubbing. Low cost paper wipes provide low cost single treatment means, used with a washable long life first bodies made for example with folded laminated card covered with impervious film, or polymeric moulded cases. Wipes are also useful for combining two substances at a point of delivery where a first substance is pre-applied to the skin -perhaps by finger or another applicator and a second (that is probably a chemically active substance), which is impregnated into the wipe and is then rubbed on.

Used contaminated wipes must be removed and appropriately disposed of.

The coefficient of friction of the friction face is a design parameter of the tool and is directly influenced by the choice of materials used on the friction face, but its determination in relation to the use of this tool is experimental because it is affected also by the presence of friction modifying materials, such as powders or fluids. The classical approximation of the force of friction known as Coulomb friction is F=pR a mathematical relationship, where F is the friction force and R is the reaction force of the skin which is equal and opposite the applied normal force maintaining the sliding face in contact. p is the coefficient of friction a constant for particular conditions, p is a dimensionless quantity that is constant for a given set of conditions, and is determined by experiment. In mechanics, this figure matches theory to observed results and bears no relation to the actual causes of friction. It indicates the amount of friction that occurs between different combinations of sliding materials. Conventionally there are two values for p, one for overcoming the static resistances and dynamic (otherwise referred to as the kinetic), which is usually a lower figure and is that required to maintain sliding.

The symbols for these are p for static values and Pk for kinetic respectively.

The method determining the coefficient for the friction face involves the steps of first pressing the friction face against the skin (first force) to induce reaction force R and then applying a lateral force (second force) F to slide the face against skin.

In vivo frictional properties of human skin have been measured in studies of prosthetic attachments and hand grip and the foHowing figures are quoted by way of a guide, although they do not specificaHy refer to the same conditions pertaining in the method, they provide a useful reference. Typical average figures are quoted by Zhang M and Mak AF of The Rehabilitation Engineering Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon published in Prosthet Orthot Int 1999 August 23 (32) pages 135-41 as follows: "In vivo frictional properties of human skin and five materials, namely aluminium, nylon, silicone, cotton sock, Perlite, were investigated. Normal and untreated skin over six anatomic regions of ten normal subjects were measured under a controlled environment. The average coefficient of friction for all measurements is 0.46+/-0.15 (p<0.05). Among all measured sites, the palm of the hand has the highest coefficient of friction (0.62�/-0.22). For all the materials tested, silicone has the highest coefficient of friction (0.61+1- 0.21), while nylon has the lowest friction (0.37+1-0.09)".

Another source Buchhoiz B, Frederick UI. An investigation of human palmar skin friction and the effects of matenals, pinch force and moisture.

Ergonomics 1988; 31(3):317-325 quote similar Coefficient of Friction for skin that broadly agree with the above as follows: Coefficients of friction for skin sliding against various materials: Material Dry Moist Combined SandPaper(#320) ---0.61+0.10 Smooth Vinyl -0.53 + 0.18 Textured Vinyl ---0.50 + 0.11 Adhesive Tape 0.41 + 0.10 0.66 + 0.14 -- Suede 0.39 + 0.06 0.66 + 0.11 -Aluminium --0.38+0.13 Paper 0.27 + 0.09 0.42 + 0.07 --The above test results were obtained by standard mechanical methods under controlled clinical conditions and are provided herein as a guide for Pk.

The data was not obtained from the human face and neck, the area of most interest herein, but were obtained from tests on the hands and inside of forearms and neither was the friction similar to that used in the method.

Our tests showed a wide range of variation of Pk, due firstly to variations of the skin itself and secondly to the environmental conditions pertaining during the tests. For example, friction tests on the male human face showed a huge spread ranging from 0.7 to 1.8 for Ph. due to beard stubble that mechanically engaged (interlocked) with the friction face. Thus friction was anisotropic because the beard grows downwards, thus friction was greater on the up stroke. These figures referrer to a water wetted beard because it was found to be impractical to slide the tool dry due to high friction.

It is difficult to precisely define the skin condition as either dry or moist, and this influences Pk. In practice, the skin conditions are likely to vary over an area being treated with the tool; therefore, the figures quoted are a guide for Pk based on the assumption that average skin conditions will have some slight amount of moisture present but the skin feels dry to the touch.

From our test the average figure for Ph for a dry friction face of non-woven fibre in sliding contact with dry female skin appears to be about 0.5.

Tests with a range of friction face materials indicate a figure averaging above this is desirable for the tool. Consistent measurements of Ph >0.5 were obtained between a tool with a friction face of TPU over pvc foam friction pad sliding against freshly washed female facial skin that was rinsed and dried with a towel, the humidity being typical of a washroom of about 80% at 20°C.

There was no evidence of anisotropic behaviour. Therefore a figure of Ph > 0.5 is a preferred value for the friction face on the tool when sliding against dry human skin without hair.

If the reaction force R spreads over too large an area frictional engagement becomes less uniform and the tool becomes less effective. Thus, the area of frictional engagement must be sized to uniformly exercise a usefully large area, but not so large that insufficient or inconsistent frictional engagement occurs.

The interaction between the first and second bodies and their combined stiffness (resistance to deformation) has a large influence on the effectiveness of the tool. By making the friction face compliant (this means able to follow a complex three dimensional shape) yet stiffer in one plane, makes it is easier to control the tool as it traverses a complex shape such as a human leg and maintain reasonably uniform contact pressure therewith.

Therefore since the friction face is deformable it is initially made substantially flat and it deforms in use to match a three- dimensional shape. The outline shape of the friction face being either: an ellipse, a rectangle, a triangle, a circle or some combination thereof, such as a heart shape, the outline shape with one or more rounded features. The flat face may have an aspect ratio of length to breadth about a centretine in the range 1:10 to 10:1 and are generally uniform about the centreline.

The outline shape of the friction face on the friction pad is bounded by dimensions in the x and y planes and the friction pad has thickness in the z plane. Typically the thickness of the friction pad in the z plane ranges from 25 microns to 25mm. If the support is flexible it is usually made slightly smaller than the friction pad, so that it provides slightly less support towards the edge of the rubbing face, which makes the rubbing face softer at its edge because it is more deformable (compressible). If the support is stiff like a container, for example a moulded plastic container, the support face shaped in the third dimension -the z plane with a radius or chamfer around the edges of a flat or slightly domed face. The chamfered edge provides less support for the friction face at its edge making the edge more deformable (less stiff).

The shape of the support body and the support provided may be equally stiff in both x and y planes, or, the support may provide more support in a first plane and less in a second plane, the arrangement adopted depends on the application. For use on large limbs, a blade like tool is preferred because it is larger, allowing longer sweeping/sliding action somewhat similar to the action used in plastering a wall or ceiling, this blade like tool having a friction face that is stiffer along its longest axis to improve control, the support conveniently with folded card..

The tool's friction face is sized to apply effective massage within the time it takes to apply and work in a typical shaving lubricant, which was on average measured at about 1 minute to apply and work in. By iteration it was found that to ensure the area can be covered and massaged adequately during shaving the area of frictional engagement between friction face and the stubble on the face needs to be at least 2% and preferably 3% or more of the superficial area to be treated. Here the word superficial means a two dimensional estimate of an area on a complex three dimensional shape like a human face. Typically the superficial area of the bearded part of the face when shaving is about 425cm2 thus using the 2 to 3% rule an average area of frictional engagement required for high rate massage ranges between 8.5 cm2 up to 12.75cm2 provided with a friction face on a tool with an area of about 14cm2 and shaped as a flat regular ellipse with soft edges. Circular tools were also tested but they were found to have less good access around the nose and ears.

In the case of applying a moisturiser, for example after shaving, when a different larger tool is used because the area to be treated is larger. In such an application it is estimated that the superficial area treated is 65% more than for shaving which approximates to 750 cm2, and applying the 2 to 3% rule gives the average area of frictional engagement between 15 and 21cm2.

A convenient sized tool was found by experiment to have a friction area of about 45cm2. The optimum friction face shape was found to approximate to a heart shape (as appears on playing cards), with a narrowed end with rounded point for accessing the skin aroundthe eyes and the nose anda broad beam for treating the large areas of the face and neck, and with a soft edge.

Experience showed when massaging the human face, an average numerical ratio between the area of uniform frictional engagement in mm2 divided by the contact circumference in mm should be preferably greater than 5:1 and most preferably greater than 10:1 to minimise the edge contact transitions when the treatment is applied rapidly (and vigorously) within a period of the order of 2 minutes. These ratios are averages, the actual ratio can vary beyond these-limits when rubbing around the eyes- for example. The ratio also varies with the depth of the subcutaneous soft tissue across the face; deep soft tissue requires a larger area of frictional engagement to ensure the induced lateral stress fully exercises the deepest tissues.

Additional DescriDtion of Cosmetic Method A method is provided for using the tools as described herein before for applying to mammalian skin to exercise and condition the subcutaneous tissues-and thereby improving bodily shape-and-appearance: In aspects, in the method herein the friction face of the tool is placed against and frictionally engaged with skin, the skin with or without appended hair, and I. a vector force is applied to the tool, the vector force having a first and a second component, II. the first vector component acts normal to the friction and forces the tool against the skin causing it to assume and match the shape and fit snugly against at least part of the mammalian body to be treated and thereby forming a frictional engagement over an area with uniformly distributed friction over this area, which resists sliding, Ill, the second vector component acts parallel to the friction area and overcomes the said frictional resistance and causes sliding, IV. upon sliding, compressive and shear stresses are applied to the skin and the hair mechanically engages with the spaced apart fibres in the friction face to exercise and lift the hairs preparatory for shaving.

Skin exhibits visco-elastic properties, which behaviour is one in which hysteresis is seen in the stress-strain curve as stress relaxation occurs.

Practically, this means that upon moderate stretching (stressing) skin initially expands elastically and ifirnmediàtely relaxed returns to very dose to its original shape/size, but the longer stress is maintained the less it springs back, hence it becomes permanently extended and is said to be strained'.

Therefore to avoid distorting the skin it is important that no area on the treated skin be subjected to uniaxial stress alone, either steady or varying otherwise permanent distortion occurs. If the direction of the second component of the vector force is made to alternate it reverses the direction of Sliding and applied lateral stress, and if the resultant distances travelled in each direction are madeequal, succesiveequal and oppositestrained deformations cancel.

For small deformations such as those produced with the tool described hereinbefore, mammalian skin displays near linear viscoelasticity These deformations can be visualised with the help of a mechanical model proposed by James Clerk Maxwell of a spring in series with a damped dash pot and is therefore described as a Maxwell material. Any small extension in a Maxwell material is reversible over a short time, hence by alternately stretching and compressing the tissues at the same rates in opposite directions the effects substantially cancel and there is minimal net change in shape, providing the deformations are made one immediately followed by the other. Beneficial adaptive changes are induced by subjecting the skin to low to moderate cyclical alternating strain, because the repeated exercising helps train the load carrying fibres in both the cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues layers to better respond to internal muscular applied deformations. This improves the appearance, elasticity of the tissues and their dynamic response in the direction of the applied stress as well as biological functions such as vascular function and lymphatic drainage.

Frictional engagement between the friction face and the skin is detenmned by one or more of the group comprising: I. Intermolecular forces acting between friction face and skin II. Mechanical interlocking due to deformations of skin and friction face, III. Mechanical interlocking of appended hair with the friction face, IV. Viscous shear within materials placed between the friction face and the skin.

Upon application of the vector force, first vector component causes static frictional engagement then upon application of the second vector component sliding occurs which is described as kinetic or dynamic friction. All the above listed factors influence both static and dynamic friction.

The iñtermolécular forces provide grip which is greatest with materials such as rubbers and in particular thermoplastic urethanes and similar materials as described herein before. Mechanical interlocking occurs as resilient slightly softer skin is forced into the roughness of a stiffer friction face.

If hair is present on the skin and the friction face is fibrous then the hairs engage with the fibres to cause frictional resistance. Both the static and dynarn levels of friction are affected by the presence of a material at the sliding interface between the friction and the skin. The materials may be liquids ordry firre powders lfwetlt may be due to natural excretions from the skin or to a topically applied compound, the compound as well as having tnbological characteristics also having a functional cosmetic purpose and it is the benefits derived by combining the application of these functional cosmetic lotions with massage done in the time it takes to apply the cosmetic lotion that is a preferred feature of the method of this invention.

The topical application of fluid at the sliding interface may reduce friction if it acts as a lubricant; or it may raise friction in which case it acts as an anti-lubricant. The term topical describes a fluid introduced locally to the skin surface. The fluid may for example be a compound created for a personal care purpose such as cleaning or colouring (changing the colour) of the skin by simply rubbing the formulation onto the skin. However, its effectiveness is likely to be improved by the method described herein because the mechanical agitation provided by the sliding friction improves wetting and absorption and potentially will drive chemical and biological interactions.

The viscosity of the introduced fluid compound may vary from a thin free flowing liquid up to a thick gel or it may beneficially be thixotropic, which means it thins as it is deformed. The compound may also contain mild abrasive, providing the abrasives are fine and do not damage the skin during exercise. It is desirable at the microscopic level that a thin film of fluid, perhaps only a few molecules thick should always separate the friction face from the skin at the sliding interface to protect the skin.

The behaviour of thin films under the stress of sliding is described in Tribology (the science of lubrication) as elasto- hydrodynamic separation, it means that there remains a continuous film of material separating the friction elements on the friction and the skin during frictional sliding; therefore the skin is actually deformed through the separating film. This thin film provides suffièient shear coupling with the skin to remove dirt and dead skin platelets.

The pressure exerted on the film can become significant at sliding contacts and these high pressures are suffiôiént to diwe fluid into and through microscopic damage sites in the stratum corneum from where low molecular weight elements more easily diffuse into the dermis. Also, the compound is forced down hair and sweat pores and penetrates the dermis. Thus during the method, the sliding improves tOpical wetting and adsorption on the microscopic scale. This improves chemical absorption into the dermis, which improves the function of chemical compounds formulated to cherically interact with cutaneous tissue and potentially subcutaneous tissue.

Thus th method may include th-e-topical application of chemically active compounds whose functions are improved by the friction induced cutaneous-and subcutaneous exercise.

Some examples of the function of the introduced fluid compounds are, cleaning compounds, exfoliating compounds, depilatory-compounds and conditioning compounds such as moisturisers, anti-ageing compounds, shaving gels and soaps, and antiseptic cleaning compounds for the- cosmetic treatment of skin disorders such as acne.

Compounds containing soaps-or oils-tend to reduce-friction whereas-water tends to raise friction, especially with rubbery frictions. Of particular interest are materials that change the frictional properties between the friction and skin during extended rubbing. For example many emulsions separate during rubbing and water evaporates-causing the viscosity and viscous-shear levels to rise, in some case making further sliding impractical.

Another example-of this is-applying a shaving, lubricant in the form of a soap where the soap is applied to the friction face by impregnating it into the friction pad. The-beard-stubble. engages-with a-fibre-body-and-the-friction is high, but soap has a low coefficient of friction and this immediately lowers the friction making sliding possible, then as the soap dissolves more friction elements are exposed and the friction rises influenced by the propensity of the unshaven stubble hair to interlock further with the rough friction on the friction face. It is as a result of hair interlocking that the facial tissues and especially muscles are very well exercised leading to an improvement in facial appearance due to hypertrophy after shaving. The high friction due to interlocking also has a beneficial effect on plucking out the ingrown ends. As sliding continues, the hairs become thoroughly worked and wetted and soften leading to a very satisfactory smooth shave. Shaving lubricants used with the friction pad may be either appiled separately or through the porous friction face. The lubricants may be either lathering or non-lathering and preferably incorporate surfàctants.

The thickness of the cutaneous layer on the human face is fairly constant at between I and 2mm whereas the subcutaneous layer varies widely from less than 1mm millimetre on the human forehead to more than 10mm on the lower facial cheeks. Thus, when exercising the subcutaneous layer it is important that the gripped area of cutaneous tissue is large enough to fully stress the deepest-Soft subcutaneous material.

Upon applying the vector force and sliding, the skin under the tool is cTompressed and relalivelyiightly stressed laterally while th-e-dpertissues are strained laterally; and, concurrently the skin adjacent to the tool is strained laterally while its underlying tissues are mainly stressed.

This complex behaviour is unexpected and is governed by the size and in particular the uniform nature of the frictionally engaged area.

The area of frictional engagement must be large enough to effectively grip the cutaneous layer unifomily, which In turn stresses the subcutaneous tissues sufficiently to strain these either by stretching or compressing.

The-minimum-area of frictional engagement is determined by the-depth of the soft tissue at any point being treated, but because of the variability of this depth it is. difficult to reliably specify. Experience has shown that the ratio of contact area with the perimeter or circumference of the frictionally engaged area provides a useful guide to the effectiveness of the treatment applied to the subcutaneous soft tissues. The higher the ratio of the area divided by the circumference o* the friction contact area the better the tool works and the figure should be greater than 5 and preferably about 10.

The frictional engagement between the friction face and skin needs to be substantially uniform so that upon application of the vector force the grip and coupling and resultant stress is uniformly applied over the contact area, despite any change in shape and size of the frictional engagement area during sliding. The frictional engagement laterally grips and holds the coupled cutaneous layer and moves it uniformly with the tool up to the point of slip and thereafter maintains a uniform sliding frictional coupling that provides a consistent shear stress across the stiffer cutaneous layer and into the adjacent softer subcutaneous layer. The alternating shear force exercises the soft subcutaneous layer under the area of frictional engagement via connective tissues, applying resistance exercise to the subcutaneous tissues as they are stressed against their skeletal anchorages; concurrently cutaneous (near surface) tissues adjacent the periphery of the sliding tool are either sfretched or compressed during sliding and are resistance exercised against surrounding cutaneous tissue.

The term resistance exercise means stretching and compressing against a fixture as occurs when contracted muscles are repeatedly stretched under load to improve their efficiency as occurs in weight training.

By alternately straining the fibrous visco-elastic tissues of the skin as in resIstnce exercise, skin elasticity is frnproved by opfirflising load sharing between fibres therein, during which fibres tend to realign and unfavourably oriented fibres that limit elasticity in-a particular direction break. Thus by progressively stretching and compressing, the elastic range of the skin and its supporting tissues is raised in the direction of exercise, which is preferably in the direction of contraction of nearby muscles.

Experience-has shown that quick effective massage of theface can be applied within the period it takes to apply a cosmetic lotion providing a large frictional contact area is employed, and this is impractical with any combination of human fingers alone (the most commonly used friction applicator tools). When using fingers the-area and contact pressures is more-variable than with a tool as described hereinbefore. It was observed that sometimes the palm of an open hand is also used to apply lotions over large bodily areas. The fingers and palm also result in less uniform coverage than with a tool. Hence the tool speeds up massage and provides a better result.

After a period of about 10 days of regular application of the method the skin was found to fit the skeletal frame of the face better improving face shape and with improved dynamic response, which means less slack and better response to jaw movement when speaking or smiling. Voids around the inside of the aural cavity (mouth) are reduced. The exercised muscles exhibit tightness, slackness of the jaw sockets is reduced noticeable when chewing.

The exercise and training also improves the skins vascular functions and metabolism. Lymphatic drainage is improved; adipose fatty deposits in connective tissue are reduced. The reflectivity of the skin is improved by the tendency towards parallel alignment of the outer fibres of the dermis.

The condition of connective tissue is important because it supports the skin and anchors it to muscles or the skeletal frame and therefore contributes significantly to the smoothness and appearance of the skin. It also carries insulating fat that can become excessive if not regularly exercised. Relatively little was found in the literature concerning the biomechanical behaviour of connective tissue. Connective tissue are said to be composed of three classes of bio molecules, structural proteins (collagen and elastin), specialised proteins (fibrillin, fibronectin and laminin) and proteoglycans. The subcutaneous layer is said to comprise a loose matrix of fibres interspersed with significant fatty deposits. Mechanically, this appears to behave like a soft sponge that supports and can stretch with the skin. As this spongy matrix is exercised (stretched and compressed during the method), so it tends to exude excess fluids and/or fat from its structure.

Scar tissue can be an overgrowth of connective tissue and it was found that both scars and flat moles became less prominent after using the method.

While the common method is to use the tool with sliding strokes, the tool can be used for non-sliding deformation, for example when treating very thin skin. Non sliding strokes must be long enough for their deformation to reach into deeper subcUtaneous and-muscle tissues, thus their actual length will depend upon the depth of subcutaneous tissue at any point. Non sliding applications are useful around the eyes and lips where the skin is particularly thin and there is a risk of injury to the eye by inadvertent contact. Non-sliding massage-with the-frictional rubbing method described herein is conveniently done with small powered tools with side support pads, as illustrated by reference to diagrams later herein.

The minimum sliding stroke length depends upon the shape and size of the area to be treated and the depth of the soft tissue in any given location.

For example on the legs sliding strokes can be 150mm or more, done with long tools whereas on the face across the cheeks and up to the forehead they average 50mm, around the mouth 20mm and close to the eyes they may average as little as only 5mm or less. Non sliding deformations range. from 10mm down to I or 2mm, depending upon the depth of subcutaneous soft tissue. When treating the face it is important to minimise stress inducing edge transitions, an edge transition being an edge on the tool passing over a given point, therefore it is preferable to maximise the length of the rubbing face so the average length of the strokes are less than 50% of the length of the tool.

This rule does not apply to non-facial areas.

The velocity of sliding and the resultant rate of deformation of the skin is also important. As noted earlier skin is visco-elastic and when subjected to a sudden impact or extension it may not have time to stretch elastically and instead shears or tears, thus the rate of change of the applied stress must be such that the skin can elastically respond to it and tolerate it without trauma.

Similarly, the tool must decelerate without causing trauma or physical damage.

Providing the tool velocity changes at a rate that is within the elastic response time of skin, the tool being in frictional engagement actually supports the skin in direct contact with the tool during lateral acceleration and deceleration, in both static (non-sliding deformation) and dynamic (sliding deformation).

The skin around the edge of the static or sliding tool may experience high shear forces during acceleration and declaration. The tools are designed to have progressively less frictional contact towards their edge by making them softer or more deformable at their edge to reduce the risk of shear.

The invention therefore provides a cosmetic method for improving bodily shape and appearance of well-being. The term Bodily shape' means the shape of some parts of a mammalian body, especially in relation to the human face; whereas the term well-being' means a general healthy appearance, which includes surface smoothness, texture, colour and reflectivity of the skin. It also includes the lack of spots, rashes and other features that are detrimental to healthy appearance. For the purpose of this specification the term acne is used to describe a series of cosmetic blemishes on the skin.

The method provides means of frictionally inducing stress and strain in mammalian tissue to exercise parts of its constituent tissues. Mammalian means part of a mammal, either human or animal. Tissue means an aggregation of morphologically similar cells and associated intercellular matter acting together to perform one or more specific functions in the body. There are four basic types of tissue: muscle, nerve, epidermal, and connective. The epidermal tissue being skin with or without hair appended. The skin (the cutaneous layer) also having internal appendages, principally connective tissues that join the skin to the body.

While the tool and method is potentially useful for treating most areas of a mammalian body, it appears to be particularly beneficially when used around the human face and neck, On the face there are many muscles that are coupled to and are visible through the skin and these control the facial expressive reactions, such as smiling or frowning and the tool and method has been shown to be highly beneficial in improving these features.

The size and condition of the facial and neck muscles declines with age and cause cosmetic problems due to slack wrinkled skin especially around the lower face and neck and the tool and method has been shown to reduce these problems.

For areas such as the chest, back and limbs like arms, hands and feet there is less muscle attached to skin, therefore the benefits of friction-induced subcutaneous exercise are less evident.

The tool and method is useful for exercising irregular shaped deposits of adipose fatty tissue attached to the hypodermis, (the subcutaneous tissue immediately below the skin), which occurs in excess for example atthe back of some female legs and is often referred to as cellulite. The deposits of adipose fats are reduced somewhat by disruption and wearing down due exercise causing internal friction within the hypodermis, particularly when a rubbery friction face like a TPU friction face is used that is water wetted so as to cause significant stick-slip' frictional behaviour, water behaving as an anti-lubricant. Stick-slip occurs during sliding when sliding momentarily stalls until the stress levels rise sufficiently to resume sliding, this creates a highly beneficial vibratory effect during sliding over long strokes of greater than 50mm. Tests revealed that it might take several weeks of daily application with the tools before benefits become evident on cellulite By way of a guide the following figures indicate average forces and areas of frictional engagement measured while treating various areas of a human body. In treating human lips, where the cutaneous layer is thin compared with the rest of the face, the reaction force R results from applying a force in the range 0.01 to 0.3N normal to a sliding interface area of between and 300mm2, which is typically the area of a circular lipstick dispenser. In treating the female face, the reaction force R results from applying a force in the range 0.01 to 4.00 N normal to a sliding frictional engagement area of between 700 and 2500mm2.

In applying a shaving lubricant to a male human face, the reaction force R results from applying a force in the range 1.00 to 12. OON normal to a sliding frictional engagement area of between 850 and 1275 mm2.

In treating a male neck and body the reaction force R results from applying a force in the range 1.00 to 10.00N normal to a sliding frictional engagement area of between 1000 and 5000mm2.

The range of typical contact pressures experienced development trials are calculated and shown in the following table: mm max Mm Max mm max force force area Area pressure pressure newtons newtons sq.mm sq.mm N/sq mm N/sq.mm Female lips 0.01 0.04 100 300 3.33 x 10 4 x 10 Female face 0.1 4 700 2500 4 x 10 5.7 x 10 Female neck/body 0.1 6 1000 3000 3.33 x lOb 6 x Male lips 0.01 0.04 100 300 3.33 x lOb 4 x 10 Male face 1 8 1000 3000 3.3 x 10 8 x 10's Male neck/body 1 10 1000 5000 2 x 10 I x 1O The overall contact pressures at the frictionally engaged sliding interface will therefore range form 3.33x1 to 0.O1N/mm2.

Material of the friction face should be non-aggressive to prevent it damaging the stratum comeum during sliding. The stratum comeum is the outermost layer of skin comprising of 12 tol5 layers of flat platelets of dead and dying keratin material collectively between 0.07 and 0.12mm thick. These platelets are joined with flexible lipid material that seals the outer layer. The platelets naturally shed.

The stratum corneum may be damaged if the friction surface has abrasive materials thereon that are capable of cutting or if there are sharp scraping edges that might start to penetrate somehow. If the friction face is harder than the stratum corneum it has the potential to exfoliate, and providing it does not have sharp edges this is unlikely to cause damage providing the contact forces remain moderate. The friction should be such as to cause only very mild inflammation, barely pinking up the surface of the skin after 2minutes rubbing.

To treat a large area using a reciprocating action, which means alternating back and forward, the tool should be progressively moved slightly sideways to traverse the areas. On the face and neck the muscles are mostly aligned vertically, running down over the forehead and across the cheeks and under the jaw and down and across the neck. The alignment around the mouth and below the nose and around the eyes becomes very complex and these tend to be laterally orientated. During rubbing with the tool the friction face should follow the muscle alignments generally be slid in the up down direction on the face except for the lower face where it can be applied in a semi-circular alternating rubbing motion. It is beneficial to rub along and across deep crease lines also.

The term cutaneous as used herein describes skin, an organ of a mammalian body and matters relating thereto, existing on, or affecting the skin. A cutaneous reaction means in relation to this invention, an increase in metabulisum, lymphatic or vascular activity such as blood supply to the dermis due to exercise the result of deformation and/or sliding contact with a tool.

The term subcutaneous as used herein describes a layer of soft tissues immediately under and supporting and coupled to the cutaneous layer. A subcutaneous reaction is understood to mean, in relation to this invention, the effect of stresses, deformation and exercise of the hypodermis (that part of the subcutaneous layer immediately under the dermis) and muscle and connective tissue associated-therewith.

Brief descriDtion of the Drawings There are now described several embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration in cross section of a tool frictionally engaged with skin, with a vectored force applied thereto to exercise said skin laterally.

Figure 2 illustrates magnified a cross-section view of skin with hairs frictionally engaged with a non-aggressive fibre friction pad.

Figure 3 illustrates a friction pad on a support with friction face frictionally engaged with skin, the stressed skin stressing a subcutaneous muscle.

Figure 4 illustrates by way of an example a tool being used to exercise facial tissues while applying shaving lubricant or after shave moisturiser.

Figure 5 illustrates by way of an example a bladed tool being used to exercises cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue for anti-cellulite treatment.

Figure 6 illustrates by way of an example a stick tool for implementing the method in which detachable first bodies are impregnated with a compound.

Figure 7 illustrates by way of an example a tool with fluid storage and dispensing means for implementing the method.

Figure 8 illustrates by way of example a powered tool with supporting friction faces that limit the area over which the skin is stretched.

Figures 9A to 9D are schematic illustrations in cross section of alternative tools herein when frictionally engaged with skin, with a vectored force applied thereto to exercise said skin laterally.

Figures 10 and 11 show perspective view of alternative tools herein that are held by the hand of a user.

Figure 12 shows a mesh or net being rubbed against and interacting with typically 2 days of unshaven mature male beard (face) stubble.

Figure 13 shows a mesh formed at the surface of a lofty non-woven web with fibres within the region of the rubbing face shown formed into a regular pattern by driving forming spikes into the web. The web shown simplified and without obvious bonds is being slid over typically 2 days of unshaven mature male beard (face) stubble.

Figure 14 shows a cut away section of a lofty non-woven web with a mesh formed rubbing face bonded with an array of beads of thermoplastic elastomer.

Figure 15 shows a similar cut away section of lofty non woven with the bonding beads extruded vertically to form an array of resilient columns that resemble spaced apart bristles like a brush, the bristles bonded along their length with non-woven fibres.

Figure 16 shows a similar cut away with a section of lofty non woven but with the bonding beads extruded horizontally to form a net.

FIgure 17 shows a similar cutaway section of lofty non woven but with the bonding beads extruded both vertically and horizontally to form a cellular framework.

Detailed description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram in cross section view (and not to scale), showing a friction pad layer I carrying friction face 2, the friction pad I mounted on a support layer 3. In different aspects, the friction pad 1 comprises (A) a lofty non-woven fibre material; or both a compressible foam layer and a layer of friction-enhancing material defining a friction face. The friction face 2 placed in sliding frictional contact with the outer layer of mammalian skin 4, so as to evenly grip the skin and laterally displace the outer cutaneous layers 5 and 6 and thereby exercise the subcutaneous layers 7 and 8 against a base anchorage 9; the forces are described by reference to vectors shown inserted on the relevant layers.

Vectors 14, and 15 show the applied forces and 16, 17 and 18 show the reaction forces, illustrating how the applied energy is dissipated when doing work within and between the layers within the diagram as externally applied forces 10 and 11 alternate. The external forces 10 and 11 are applied to the support layer 3 by means of holding the tool that is not shown.

The friction pad 1 is resiliently deformable and is preferably slightly less deformable than the outer layer of the skin the stratum corneum 4, which is a thin virtually lifeless outer layer on the epidermis 5 that acts as the skins main water-proofing seal. The dermis 6 is a flexibly deformable layer with some resilience, is visco-elastic and is the tough and fibrous and provides most of the skins mechanical strength and elasticity. A further layer under the dermis 6 is known as the hypodermis 7, which is a visco-elastic soft and spongy fibrous tissue with adipose deposits and vascular services that feed and support the living tissue in the dermis 6 but is mechanically less strong than the dermis 6. The last layer the basal region 8 comprises further adipose tissues (layers of insulating fat), connective tissue and muscles. These layers are anchored to the skeletal frame 9 by connective tissue and secure retain the skin in position over the body.

The friction face 2 is shown with sinusoidal roughness for illustrative purposes; the actual roughness of skin and friction face are random and non aggressive. in use as the friction face 2 is placed against the outer layer of the skin the stratum corneum 4 it frictionally engages, shown schematically as sinusoidal interlocks that resist sliding. There is a gap 19 shown between the friction face 2 and stratum corneum 4 for a friction modifying fluid film.

Force vectors 10 and 11 are alternately applied to the support layer 3.

Vector 14 wherein it resolves into a vertical component 12 and a lateral (horizontal) component 13. Vector 14 within the support 3 corresponds in magnitude and direction to externally applied vector 10. Vector 15 in the friction pad 1 is shown slightly smaller but in same direction 14, the reduction in size reflects frictional loss and material hysteresis within friction pad layer 1.

Owing to the highly uniform frictional engagement between friction face 2 and the cutaneous layers 4, 5 and 6 the vector force transfers across into the dermis 4 and vector 16 illustrates the reaction force of the cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues (layers), the reaction force being equal and opposite the applied force less internal frictional loss and hysteresis in the reacting layers.

Joined subcutaneous layers 7 and 8 are relatively spongy and soft and held bonded to the skeletal frame 9. The tissues in these layers react with vector forces 16, 17 and 18 against applied vector force 15, each reaction vector resolving with a vertical and lateral component. The final reaction vector force 18 is shown smallest because of the accumulated internal friction losses within the preceding layers; the remaining energy is dissipated in exercising the subcutaneous tissues within layer 8.

Figure 2 illustrates a simplified cross section view of mammalian skin with hair 26 mechanically and therefore frictionally engaging with laterally orientated fibres 32; and cutaneous layers 22, 23 and 24, and subcutaneous layers 27 and 31 being exercised, shown approximately to scale. Friction face fibres 32 are shown pressing against face 33, this deforms the skin inwards at 33 to form an interlock that resists lateral sliding. The hair 26 is shown surrounded by fibres 32 in region 34 so the hair 26 is interlocked about region 34 and resists sliding. Finally, there will be molecular attractions between the materials of the friction fibres 32 otherwise referred to as friction elements where they touch the skin and these attractions also resist sliding.

The stratum comeum 21 is the outer horny surface of the epidermis 22, which is the outermost layer of the skin. The epidermis 22 is between 0.07 and 0.12mm thick and consists of up to 15 layers of flat platelets of dead or dying cells of keratin 23, joined with a flexible lipid (too small to be discemable on a drawing of this scale). During rubbing with fibres 32 loose platelets are removed. Lipids act like flexible glue like seals holding the keratin platelets together and creating an elastic barrier layer that keeps out dirt and unwanted fluids and protects the dermis 24, the living part of the skin.

The dermis 24 is a fibrous leathery mass typically about 1mm thick in older skin but up to 2mm thick in young skin. The dermis 24 consisting mainly of fibrous collagen, a protein that comprises 70 to 80% of the dry weight of the skin and gives the dermis 24 its mechanical and structural strength. Collagen is relatively inelastic. Elastin makes up the balance and provides the skin with its elastic properties. Elastin fibres can extend 50% and recover without permanent elongation. Combined these give skin visco-elastic properties.

Figure 3 illustrates the tool being used on a simplified cross section through tissues in which there is a single muscle 43 linking the hypodermis 44 to a bone 45. The diagram shows a friction face 36 on a friction pad 37, in turn supported by planar support surface 49. The friction pad 37 with friction face 36 thereon is pressed against skin (equivalent to first vector component force 12 in Figure 1), in direction of arrow 38 to form a frictional engagement at interface 39. An external lateral force 41 (equivalent to second vector component force 13 in Figure 1) is then applied to slide the friction face in the direction of arrow 40 that is parallel (lateral) with the skin.

The frictional interface 39 is shown wavy (sinusoidal as in Fig. 1) to represent the rough face of the friction face 36 deforming the skin 42 and thereby forming many wavy high friction interlocks between the friction face 39 and deforming skin 42. Friction pad 37 extends beyond the planar support 49 at the edge 37A providing a soft edge to minimise stress transitions in the skin during sliding.

If the muscle 43 is in compression (internally tensed) in the direction of arrows 46 and an external tensile stress is applied by the sliding motion of friction face 36 in direction 47, muscle 43 is stretched in the direction of arrow 47. The stretching exercises the muscle, reacting via the tendon 48 that is firmly anchored to the bone 45; this is known as resistance exercise.

Figure 4 illustrate how a friction tool 82 is used to apply a lotion, such as a shaving lubricant to the lower face by stroking in directions 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55. Arrows 8lon the upper face illustrates how other cosmetic treatments are applied to the entire face and exercises virtually all the subcutaneous facial muscles while applying a cosmetic lotion with a friction tool.

The shaving lubricant is applied with the friction face 50 on friction tool 82 that is used to slide and rub along the general alignment of the major muscles of the face 51, 52, 53, 54, 55. The friction tool mechanically engages with the hairs as illustrated in Fig. 2 and lifts them by pushing and pulling and thereby also stretches and compresses the skin and the muscles attached thereto as illustrated in Fig. 3 and exercise the muscles. Friction tool 82 is here shown applying lubricant, such as shaving lather to the chin by sliding in the up/down direction shown by arrow 51. Arrow 52 shows the direction of sliding for the side bums. Arrow 53 shows the direction for treating the cheeks and 54 around the mouth. Arrow 55 shows the motion under the chin and down the neck. Because there are many overlaying minor expressive muscles around the lower part of the face, and these are orientated in various directions, this part of the face may be rubbed in more lateral directions with the tool 82 providing on average the direction of each stroke is reciprocated (alternated). All the facial muscles benefit from the exercise because, they are mainly joined direct to the skin and can be seen bulging through the skin, which influences face shape and appearance.

Referring back to Figure 2, this shows the hair 26 actually reaches through the cutaneous layers 22, 23, 24 down to the subcutaneous layer 27.

Thus the deformation forces when sliding against hair growth in Figure 4 tends to be transmitted via the hair follicles straight into the subcutaneous layer 27, 31 and there is less deformation in the cutaneous layer 22, 23, 24 than might be expected and this provides very beneficial subcutaneous exercise. In Figure 4, the more vigorous the sliding and the more extensive the area treated the greater the improvement in appearance. The face shows improvement because the subcutaneous expressive muscles are expanded, giving the appearance of lifted cheeks, reduced deep crevices and reduced neck flab and firmer tighter skin overall. These effects start to be noticed after the first few shaves, thereafter a steady improvement occurs up to between fifteen and twenty shaves, after which the muscles are maintained in an exercised state providing the process is repeated at least every other day.

It was found beneficial to treat the entire face including the forehead, the nose and around the eye sockets with a blade like tool, similar to but approximately half the size of that illustrated in Figure 5. This tool is highly conformal and readily follows the curvature of the face, and reaches into recessed areas. This tool was used to treat a female face, used to slide along the arrow directions 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 as well as the additional arrows 81 to fully treat the entire face.

Fiiure 5 by way of a further example illustrates a similar method of treatment for exercising subcutaneous tissue applied to a female leg 68 with a large area blade like tool with handle 57 coupled to a stiff support 56 carrying a friction pad 67, the rubbing friction face 59 projecting beyond the support 56 to give the tool a soft edge and thereby minimise shear stress in the skin near the tool edge during sliding. The tool is shaped rather like that on a plasterers trowel and is used to slide in alternating directions as shown with arrow 58.

The tool blade 56 must be stiff in at least one axis preferably along the axis of the handle 57 to allow sufficient contact pressure to be applied. The blade tool may carry a second face for rubbing on its reverse side. The friction face material 59 may be non-woven fibre, or a foam friction face or a composite friction face with a thin film covering a rough friction face made with foam. The support face 56 is generally flat and may as an alternative carry a special friction face in the form of an embossed thermoformecj structure coupled directly thereto, the thermoformed structure carrying a lotion for slow release during sliding. A high friction rubbery material was found particularly useful for treating subcutaneous adipose tissues that tend to collect at the back of female legs 68. If a rubbery polyurethane (TPU) friction face is used then formulations that are predominantly water provided a vigorous stick/slip action that vibrates deep into the adipose deposits.

Figure 6 illustrates a tool for implementing the method in which a container 60 is sized and shaped for gripping by hand, roughly 35mm diameter and 100mm long, in this tool the container lid 63 that constitutes a support onto which the friction pad is attached.

A tubular plastic holder 60, described as a propel/repel stick holder and based on a design used for deodorant sticks is used. The moulding may be round as shown 60 or it may be oblong or elliptical or any other practical mouldable shape. The moulding has a rotary knob 61 coupled to an internal screw (not shown) and upon turning 61 the contents stored within the tool body 60 are forced upwards. A column of pads 61, each of which in use serves as a friction pad, made with an absorbent material such as foam, non- woven fibres in a form ranging from a thin paper wipe to a thick lofty non-woven polymeric web and each with friction faces 62 thereon. Each pad, and therefore each friction pad may have two faces that can be used as a friction face and the density of these faces may differ to provide an optional soft or stiff friction face. Also the actual materials used in a column of pads (bodies) stored within the same holder may be varied for purposes of delivering a sequence of treatments, perhaps starting with a soft friction face working up to a more aggressive face as the skin becomes accustomed to the process.

These pads are placed in the holder 60, usually laid one upon the other unsecured so as to be easily lifted off, but may optionally be interlinked with ties or adhesives run down the central screw hole 67. Separators 66 made with plastic sheet may be placed between the bodies to minimise contamination and internal flow through the stacked column 68 in storage.

The bodies may be stored dry or pre-impregnated with a compound such as shaving lubricant, for example either a gel or soap. A cap 63 has means of attaching a friction pad, such means may be a contact adhesive or preferably an array of hooks 64 that engage with loops of fibre within a body 65.

The method for using the tool is to remove the cap 63 from the body 60, turn knob 61 to expose a new body 62, invert cap 63 and press the array of hooks 64 against the new friction pad 62 to engage it. Replace the cp 63 onto the body 60 with new friction pad 65 on top of the cap. The tool may then be used as shown in preceding example Figure 4.

When the first bodies are not impregnated the shaving soap is either applied by dipping the tool with friction pad attached into a soap tub, or a shaving lubricant is somehow dispensed onto the friction face prior to use.

Alternatively and most conveniently the first bodies 82 are impregnated with lubricant and an optional separation disc 66 is placed between impregnated discs to allow them to be easily separated as they are dispensed. The soap in the friction pad 65 should be soft enough to allow the hooks 64 to penetrate.

Figure 7 illustrates a further example of a tool for implementing the method, the tool having a more rugged long life friction face 70 moulded into or mounted onto the cap 71. The friction face shown is an example of an array of protrusions either moulded or thermoforrned from flat a sheet of thermoplastic material. The protrusions preferably need to be deformable so they can form a frictional engagement with skin when sliding without causing discomfort. The thermoformed protrusions are shaped to be cleaned by rinsing after use to prevent entrapment of biological contaminants.

The tool comprises a cover 72, covering a fluid storage cavity within body 73 and a cap 71 with a friction pad with a friction face 70 thereon. In use the cap 71 with friction pad 70 thereon is removable from the support 72 and fluid such as for example a shower gel or shaving lubricant is dispensed from orifices 75 in cover 72 onto a friction face 70 by turning knob 74 to force the fluid out of slots 75. The friction pad 70 on cap 71 is then slid down over support (cover) 72 and retained; the tool is used to vigorously rub against the skin, generally as described in the earlier examples and with reference to Figure 4. For other applications such as shaving legs or applying shower gels or other cleaning and conditioning treatments, the outside areas 76 on the tool body 73, which is used primarily as a holding area, may also be partly or fully covered with a friction surface 76 and these are useful for applying treatments to large areas of skin such as legs. When friction areas on the container walls 76 are also used as rubbing faces then for practical purposes fluid must be dispensed form orifices 75 directly onto the skin. The friction face must be cleanable by rinsing of hygiene purposes.

An alternative arrangement is to incorporate the dispenser orifice 75 into the friction pad 71 either adjacent to or within the friction face 70, but this requires a one way valve be used at the orifice to prevent contamination from the friction face 70 entering the storage cavity during rubbing with friction face 70. In such an arrangement the holdable body 73 acts as the support.

Figure 8 illustrates a motorised vibrator with a tubular casing 90, 91 sized and shaped to be hand holdable. The aim of this tool is to exercise subcutaneous tissue with a friction face 92 that grips but does not slide against the skin, which is beneficial when treating subcutaneous tissue under areas with very thin skin, such as lips and delicate skin under the eyes. The casing 90, 91 houses a small motor or vibrator (not shown) that couples to a second body 101 upon which is positioned a friction pad, a first body 102, which friction pad is resiliently deformable, and which friction pad 102 defines a planar friction face 92, supported by support 101 that is smaller than the friction pad 92, thereby giving the friction pad 102 and friction face 92 a soft overhanging edge 103.

In use the friction face 92 alternates in the direction 93 in the first half cycle and 94 in the second hatf cycle. The alternating friction pad 102 with friction face 92 thereon is positioned between two static pads 95 and 96 that are fixed to the case 90. The distance of travel of 93, 94 is equal and opposite and is preferably adjustable. In use, case 90 is positioned normal to the skin surface and pressed against the skin to position the friction face 92 on the friction pad 102 against the skin with a first force 97, which first force divides between friction face 92 and pads 95, 96. As the friction pad with first face 92 thereon alternates between pads 95 and 96 the skin is sequentially stretched and compressed against the two static pads 95, 96 and the cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues under 92 and between 95, 96 are exercised as illustrated in Figure 1. The edges of support pads 95, 96 and friction pad 102 and friction face 92 are shaped with a radius 103 to minimise shear stress transitions within the skin as directions of the applied stresses 93, 94 alternate. The friction pad and friction face materials may be any of those described herein before, but the most practical have been found to be a foam of rubbery plastic composition either moulded to shape or in the form of a thin film stretched over a foam body. The tool can equally be configured with another shape of friction face such as for example a static pad forming a ring that surrounds a circular alternating friction pad.

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate two distinct variants of the tool with similar functions.

Figs 9A and B are schematic cross section diagrams, Fig 9A shows a side view of a stick like tool with an elliptically shaped friction face and Fig 9B shows the end view of the same tool. Fig.10 shows how this tool is held.

Fig 9C is a side view of a blade like tool with an elliptically shaped friction face. Fig 9D shows the end view of this tool, Fig. 11 shows how this tool is held in use.

Figs. 9A to 9D show tools sliding over skin to exercise subcutaneous tissue. In each case, the tool is provided with a friction pad 201 with friction face 202 thereon for rubbing, and a support 203 upon which the friction pad 201 is mounted, the support 203 provided with means of holding the tool. The friction pad 201 and support 202 are arranged to support friction face 203. In different aspects, the friction pad 201 comprises (A) a lofty non-woven fibre material; or both a compressible foam layer and a layer of friction-enhancing material defining a friction face. The contact area with an x' dimension 214 the longer axis; 215 the y' axis, the shorter axis and pad depth is 216 -z'.

It will be noted that the shape of the support 203 of each of the tool variants of Figures 9A and B, and 9C and 0 differs somewhat, but that each support 203 defines a planar support surface upon which the friction pad 202 is received. Also, bounding the planar support surface 204 the support 203 defines upwardly curving edges 205. It will be further noted that the edges 206 of the friction face 202 of the friction pad 201 project beyond the planar support face 204 and in use, tend to curl around the curving edges 305 of the support 203 to provide soft edges thereto.

The mode of use of the tool variants of Figures 9A and 9C is to stroke generally in the direction of the longer axis of the friction face shown as the x' dimension 214, the length of stroke should generally not exceed the length of the longer axis of the tool, and preferably (when treating the neck) with stroke lengths should be less than three quarters (75%) x' dimension 214 and most preferably when treating the face the stroke length is less than half (50%) the x' dimension 214 to minimise edge transitions during rubbing. The force vectors 207 and 208 are essentially as earlier described, particularly in relation to Figure 1. Additionally the force vectors 207 and 208, which operate similar to those of Fig. 1, are shown schematically aligned with springs 209 and dashpots 210 to indicate visco-elastic behaviour (of Maxwell materials as described earlier herein) in the cutaneous layer 211 and in particular the subcutaneous layer 212 shown schematically as a large honeycomb.

Figure 10 shows a variant of the stick form tool of Figure 4 and Figure 11 shows a variant of the blade-like tool of Figure 5. In both cases, the friction pads 301 of the tools of Figures 10 and 11 have edges 306 of the friction face (not visible) of the friction pad 301 that project beyond the planar support face (not visible) and that in use, tend to curl around the edges 305 of the support 303 to provide soft edges thereto. The tools in Figs. 10 and 11 are gripped to facilitate stroking along the longer x' axis of the friction pads 301.

Figure 12 shows an idealised fibrous crossed net or mesh 401 with bonded cross fibres 402 made by a continuous extrusion or moulding of polymeric filaments, the semi-molten filaments bonding together upon contact. The average spacing of the mesh forming irregular rectangular void spaces 403 that are sized to allow unshaven facial stubble 404 to penetrate and recover after being pushed over hair stubble 405 as the mesh Is pressed against and slide against stubble on facial skin in the direction of arrow 406. The direction of arrow 406 is in the direction of the nap that means the average direction of hair growth.

The hairs shown have also been previously shaved In this direction, as evidenced by the chamfered cut 407.

When the direction of sliding 406 is reversed the mesh fibres catch under the base of the stubble 408 and exert greater bending force at 409 the bending action causing damage to the hair at the point it emerges from the follicle orifice 409. The sliding is conducted In the presence of hydrous composition which lubricates the meshlhair interface and reduces friction to a level that sliding is tolerably comfortable. The damage caused opens the scale like covering 410 on the hair shaft allowing improved water wetting and softening of the hair.

Repeated bending of the hair by these means also exercise the arrector pili muscle in the dermis (not shown). This muscle reacts by contracting slightly in length and firming, as it is trained with repetitive rubbing with the mesh 401, the trained muscle which surrounds the buried lower portion of the follicle tends to lift the hair off the skin and supports it by tightening the follicles grip of the hair shaft, thus holding it more erect and firm preparatory to shaving generally as shown in 404. This improves the shave because the angle of cut 407 is more acute and wear is reduced because the cut length is reduced. Also detrimental bending moments that can fatigue a fine cutting edge are reduced because the hair shaft is more firmly griped bends away less from the cutting edge as the cut force is applied.

A fibre meshed net as shown in Figure 12 may be stretched over a resilient absorbent body such as a sponge or a lofty non-woven body. In the case of a lofty non-woven body the mesh may be formed with fibres within the body as described by reference to the following diagrams.

Figure 13 depicts an idealized first layer 420 on the face of a thermoformed non-woven web. Whilst the fibres 421 are depicted here in a highly ordered arrangement, in practice they are far less ordered save for their average density is concentrated at nodes 422 where they are bonded to form a net-like layer. And the density at the space 423 between the high density nodes 422 is minimal: This is described/referred to in the description as void space 423. The distribution of fibres therefore varies from a maximum at the bond nodes 422 and to a minimus at 423 their equidistant centres.

Figure 13 also shows several stubs of two days growth of hair 425/6 for the purpose of drawing a comparison with Figure 12 (404) and to Illustrate how the relatively chaotic distribution of fibres 421 as shown in Figure 13 scaled to provide useful frictional engagement with hair 42415 and thereby provides some frictional engagement with the skin.

The layer of fibres 420/1 is shown as a single layer; however it should be born in mind that an average friction face will ãomprise a multiplicity of fibre layers, in the range 2 to 50, most likely 5 to 15.

If the direction of sliding is as indicated by arrow 424, which is the same direction as the hair lay 425/6, the fibre spacing is such as to allow 425/6 to stand off the surface while other hairs are pressed against the surface 427. Upon reversing the direction of the sliding arrow 424, fibres engage the hairs near their base 428 and the hairs are bent severely against the nap (natural direction of growth). Thus the friction is greater when sliding against the nap.

Figure 14 is a schematic block of lofty non-woven web 430 with loft height 431 of the order of 2.5mm or more and a rectangular cut away section 432 reduced in height down to the last layer 433 as previously illustrated at 420 in Figure 13.

The underside rubbing face 434 is substantially flat, and dimensioned with void spaces of sufficient dimensions to allow hair to engage during sliding as illustrated previously at 425/617 in Figure 13.

Thus fibres are spaced sufficiently apart and retained in an open pattern to allow wetted hair to frictional slide in and out of engagement and exercise an average 2 days growth on an average mature male face.

Preferably the rubbing face 434 is formed by mild thermoforming that displaces fibres both sideways and inwards and positions fibres into dense nodes 435 ready for bonding with beads 436. The beads are preferably of a polymeric thermoplastic elastomer in the form of an air drying adhesive, or a UV curable adhesive or an extrudable hot melt material that acts as an adhesive. Thus the web face 434 is indented slightly as non-woven fibres are displaced inwards 438 as well as sideways into an approximate net or mesh form generally as depicted in 435 and inwards 438. Droplets of adhesive 436 are placed on the surface 434 in a regular matrix so as to form bonds between displaced adjacent fibres and retain the displaced fibres in a mesh like arrangement generally as shown. A majority of the fibres, for example 437 are bonded at both ends 439 so as to form loops 437 between two bond sites 439. The actual density of fibres is much greater than shown schematically. A typical male beard hair shaft will be of the order of 10 times the diameter of a typical fibre within the non-woven web, but the fibre will be more than 10 times stronger than a wetted hair in tension.

The adhesive bonds 436 are formed with an elastomeric material and the tip of the bond blobs protrude slightly above the surface 434 and act as rubbing elements that rub directly against the skin during sliding. Bonded fibres strung between the bonding blobs are dragged across the skin during sliding, which act as catchers to catch, bend and exercise hair stubble during sliding as shown in Figure 13.

Figure 15 shows a similar cut away view of a lofty non-woven fibrous web 440 as shown at 430 in Figure 14. The non-woven body differs from that shown Figure 14 by having the bonds 441 extruded vertically to form a matrix of bristle like columns 442. Fibres are actually bonded all the way up the columns 443 and therefore stiffen the structure, If the columns are extruded with elastomeric material they add significant resilience to the depth 444. The rubbing surface 445 is identical to 434 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 shows a similar cut away view of a lofty non-woven fibrous web 450 as shown at 430 in Figure 14 but with the bond beads extruded in the horizontal x' 451 and y' 452 planes to form a net of elastomeric material joined at 453. The actual net is flexible but the x 451 and y 452 ties cannot stretch because they are constrained by inelastic fibres within. However the extruded ties 451 and 452 have smooth under-surfaces 454 that act as elastomeric friction pads that frictionally engage with the surface of the skin during sliding. Again the fibres are shown schematically to be less dense in the centre of each rectangle 455. It will be appreciated that the fibres of a lofty non-woven web are spaced apart and may be randomly orientated in any plane within the web. In this case the fibres in each rectangle have been displaced and opened so their spacing is suitable for engaging hairs on the surface of skin and sliding without grabbing and stalling. For sliding the web needs to first be wetted with a suitable fluid and means are required for attaching the web back face 456 onto a mounting face.

Suitable materials for forming the cross ties 451 and 452 are elastomeric adhesives similar to that used for bonds in Figures 14 and 15, chosen to be able to wet the surface and flow between fibres then bond onto the fibre surface. A convenient way of applying these adhesive is to extrude the elastomer In liquid form in the cross hatch pattern onto the surface 457 and then initiate cross linking (cure) by the application of external energy once the liquid has penetrated to the desired depth. The external energy applied as heat to evaporate solvents or ultra violet light to initiate chemical interactions. The mix may be either a single two pack system where the second pack includes a catalyst. Suitable materials may be selected from the Cemedine Japananies range for example the Cemadine silicone modified polymer type EROOI. An alternative material supplied be Delo Industrial Adhesives AG D-86949, designated Delo-Photobond 4442, a registered mark, described in their literature as a modified acrylate that is solvent free and said to have been tested for its biocomparibility and fulfils the requirements according to USP 23, 1995, for Class VI Plastics -70°C.

Alternatively hot melt adhesives are extruded from fine tubes onto or into the surface, in which case the hot melt must be chosen to weld to the fibres rather than melt them. A material that potentially might be used for this purpose with nylon is Wacker Geniomer 140, (Geniomer being a registered mark of Wacker-Chemi AG -0-81737), described as a thermoplastic silicone elastomer that extrudes at about 160°C.

Figure 17 shows a combination of the constructions shown in Figure 15 and 16 and thus, comprising both a net of elastomeric material 453 and a matrix of upright bristle columns 442. In essence this provides a cellular reinforced structure 460 that supports the rubbing face 461 and provides the most effective frictional massage of the skin whilst effectively exercising the hair prior to wet shaving.

The function of the adhesive is to bind a group of non-woven fibres together and also form a rubbing pad for rubbing against skin.

More generally, Applicant has observed that regular application of shaving lubricants with the friction tool herein can extend razor blade life. This is thought to be due to several favourable improvements. First, the tools when used according to the method the wetting of the hairs is improved and this reduces hair strength that in turn reduces the cutting force and abrasion on the razor edge. Second by exercising associated skin and soft tissue supporting the skin, and especially by training the arrector pili muscle over time, this causes the hair shafts to slightly stand off the skin and improves follicle support, thus the blade does not push the hair away as readily at the commencement of cutting thereby providing a shorter shear path and less abrasion and bending load at the cutting edge. The evidence for this was observed when after discontinuing regular (daily) rubbing, new hair still shaved more readily for a period extending beyond one month. Third, razor blade cutting edges are said to be prone to wear associated with electro-chemical pItting corrosion influenced by uneven charge distribution along a blade edge (see background in US patent no. 5,329,699). Given that static or triboelectric effects occur during frictional rubbing between surfaces, and in particular skin and/or hair and plastics/metals; therefore if unshaved wet hairs are rubbed with fibrous insulators such as fibres in a lofty non-woven web, charge transfer with metal ions is likely. Any transferred charges would presumably decay rapidly in the presence of water based lubricants, therefore the better the wetting of the hair the less retained charge and less likelihood of electrochemical corrosion and wear during cuthng. High local charges are known to accumulate in human skin and it is customary for Electro Static Discharge (ESD) hand creams to be used when handling charge sensitive products like semiconductors, thus suitable water based wetting agents are known and similar conductive additives should be used in pre.shave cosmetics with the rubbing tools herein. It is believed reduction of charge transfer ultimately reduces wear on razor blades during subsequent shaving because less corrosion sites are created on the blade during shaving.

Thus, by use of a friction tool and the method of use described herein, means are provided of reducing razor blade wear. For example the working life of a three bladed safety razor has been shown to extend from an average of 10 shaves to in excess of 75 daily shaves after applying pre shave treatment with a tool as illustrated in Figure 10 and a post shave treatment with a tool as illustrated in Figure 11.

Finally the rheology of materials applied by the friction tools described herein may change under the influence of stresses induced by these tools, such as shear forces, pressure, and temperature. Shear forces are known to raise emulsion viscosity by accelerating separation of phases and thereby provide means of concentrating active chemicals at the rubbing interface. In particular the increase in viscosity relates to separation and evaporation of water. Thus, the friction tools herein may be employed to achieve such separation when for example, applying cosmetic formulations (e.g. emulsion form) to the skin.

Examples of cosmetic formulations with which the friction tool may be so-employed to apply shear include those described in US20070264210. 1 2455286 Friction tool for use in a cosmetic method