p&g trademark search, page-109

GBR : "I don’t believe that there would be any problems in trying to use a competitor’s product on the wand, as I don't believe that it would work, due to the fact that the micro-array’s “must be correctly matched to a product’s atomic structure and physical properties”"

adbm suggested, and I strongly believe that there is the potential for applicators to be used with competing products and that is why P&G have targeted 2 molecules that it has exclusive use of. i.e. so the applicator(s) cannot be used except with P&G products.

For something like a dandruff shampoo, the ingredients of Head & Shoulders are not too dissimilar to products of other manufacturers so an applicator that targets the active ingredient selenium sulfide may well function equally or nearly as well with a competing product.

If thats the case, then P&G can choose :

* not to target widely used ingredient at all, OR

* they could devise a method to physically prevent the applicator from being reused, OR

* they could just give in and sell an expensive reusable stand-alone applicator that is marketed as "works best with Head & shoulders, * also compatible with ..."

We really don't know where this is going, but its fund to speculate.