Applicator attachable to skin treatment device and skin treatment method using the same

Abstract

An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device that is capable of simultaneously applying RF energy and optic energy to a patient's skin, and a skin treatment method using the applicator are developed. The skin treatment device comprises: a housing, one or pair of electrodes arranged inside of the housing for generating the high frequency waves, a suction cavity formed in front of the electrodes while it is contacting to the patient's skin, opposite end installed to the housing and an lateral vacuum pocket that is connected to a flow pathway connected to a vacuum system for generating negative pressure inside the applicator. Thus, the patient's skin is lifted by suction force to place between the pair of electrodes for easily and effectively penetrating the laser beams in to the dermis.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a conventional skin treatment device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing obliquely showing an applicator of the conventional skin treatment device.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual drawing showing the conventional applicator positioned to contact a patient's skin for treatment.

FIG. 4 is a front cross-section of a skin treatment applicator according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side cross-section of a skin treatment applicator according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side cross-section of a skin treatment applicator according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a photo showing a practical skin treatment by the skin treatment applicator of the present invention.

FIGS. 8 to 10 are the mimetic diagrams illustrating each step of the skin treatment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a mimetic diagram illustrating a step of suction and cooling.

FIG. 9 is a mimetic diagram illustrating a step of suction and laser beam illumination.

FIG. 10 is a mimetic diagram illustrating a step of suction and RF high frequency illumination.

FIG. 11 is a mimetic diagram illustrating the overall technical process of the skin treatment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a mimetic diagram illustrating the formation of a hot spot relating to each step of the skin treatment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a graph illustrating the penetration depth depending on the wavelength of the laser beam.

FIG. 14 is a graph illustrating a skin Chromophore depending on the wavelength of the laser beam.

FIG. 15 is a photo showing the test results comparing the skin treatment by the laser beam and RF energy depending on the skin suction.

FIG. 16 is a photo showing a comparison experiment of the energy absorbing reaction on the flesh specimen containing less hemoglobin being tested by the skin treatment method of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a photo showing a perpendicular cross-section of the flesh specimen in the comparison experiment of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a photo showing a comparison experiment of the energy absorbing reaction by varying the surface cooling temperature of the flesh specimen containing relatively more hemoglobin than that of FIGS. 16 and 17 being tested by the skin treatment method of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a photo showing a perpendicular cross-section of the specimen in the comparison experiment of FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is the photos showing the variation of (a) Type I Collagen (b) Type III Collagen before and after being treated by the skin treatment device of the present invention.

Claims

1. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device, which is capable of simultaneously applying RF energy and optic energy to a patient's skin, the applicator comprising: a housing (11) for protecting inner mechanisms,one or more electrodes (14) arranged inside of the housing for generating high frequency radiation, anda capsule (23) forming a suction cavity (16) at an inlet portion, in which one end of the electrode (14) contacts a patient's skin and the opposite end of the electrode (14) is attached to the housing, an inner space (17) connected to the suction cavity (16), and a flow passage (21) for interconnecting between a vacuum unit and the inner space (17) for generating a negative pressure in the inner space, and wherein the electrode is partially exposed between one end and opposite end.

2. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing (11) further includes a cooling unit (15) for removing excessive heat generated by the electrode (14) to moderate the temperature.

3. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cooling unit (15) further comprises a thermocouple (15a) that is tightly surrounding a pair of electrodes (14) and a cooling block (15b) that is tightly surrounding the thermocouple (15a).

4. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing has a pair of electrodes (14) arranged therein for emitting high frequency waves to the patient's epidermis.

5. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing has a single electrode (14) for emitting high frequency waves to the patient's dermis.

6. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flow passage (21) further comprises a filter (22) for preventing foreign objects on the patient's skin from being sucked in.

7. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing (11) further comprises a diode infrared laser (12) for emitting near infrared laser beams in the range of 800˜1000 nm and a permeating element (13) installed in front of the diode infrared laser (12) for permeating the infrared laser beams.

8. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said near infrared laser beams have a wavelength of about 915 nm.

9. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing (11) further comprises a three-color emitting diode (31) obliquely installed lateral to the permeating element (13) for selectively emitting either blue, red or infrared light, and a reflecting element (32) installed opposite said three-color emitting diode (31) for reflecting the emitted light.

10. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said three-color emitting diode (31) emits red light with a wavelength in the range of 630 nm to 640 nm.

11. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing (11) further comprises a first mounting block (41) for coupling said capsule (23), a second mounting block (43) for coupling said first mounting block (41) at the front and said housing (11) at the rear, wherein the capsule (23) is formed with a female thread (23a) near its inner rim and the first mounting block (41) is formed with a male thread (41a) at a front portion for threading to said female thread (23a) of the capsule (23).

12. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first mounting block (41) is formed with a flange (41b) at a rear portion, and said second mounting block (43) is formed with a front annular groove (43a) for elastically coupling with said flange (41b) of said first mounting block (41).

13. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said second mounting block (43) is formed with a rear annular groove (43a), and the front portion of the housing (11) is formed with a tip flange (11a) for elastically coupling with said rear annular groove (43b) of said second mounting block (43).

14. An applicator attachable to a skin treatment device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said capsule (23) further comprises a lateral vacuum pocket (25) connected to said flow passage (21), said first mounting block (41) consists of a tube plug (51a) having a first flow path (51) connected to the lateral vacuum pocket (25), and said second mounting block (43) consists of an extension tube (53a) having a second flow path (53) for connecting to the first flow path (51) of the tube plug (51a).

15. A method for skin treatment by using an applicator attachable to a skin treatment device, the applicator contacting a patient's skin for developing a negative pressure in a suction cavity at an inlet portion, warming up an electrode installed inside the housing and generating a negative pressure at a flow passage in the applicator by a vacuum system, the method comprising steps of: sucking part of the epidermis of the patient into the suction cavity (16), andemitting high frequency waves to the patient's skin, while simultaneously sucking and stimulating the patient's skin.

16. A method for skin treatment by using an applicator as claimed of claim 15, between the previous steps of sucking and emitting high frequency waves, the method further comprising a step of: cooling the electrodes for protecting the patient's skin from overheating.

17. A method for skin treatment by using an applicator as claimed of claim 15, prior to the step of emitting high frequency waves, the method further comprising a step of: emitting near infrared beams with a wavelength in the range of 800 nm˜1,000 nm for the high frequency waves by a diode laser (12) onto the patient's skin, wherein the near infrared beam passes through a permeating element (13).

18. A method for skin treatment by using an applicator as claimed of claim 15, the method further comprising step of: emitting near infrared beam with a wavelength of 915 nm for the high frequency waves by a laser emitter onto the patient's skin.

19. A method for skin treatment by using an applicator as claimed of claim 15, after the step of emitting high frequency waves, the method further comprising a step of: emitting red light beams with a wavelength in the range of 630 nm˜660 nm onto the patient's skin.

20. A method for skin treatment by using an applicator as claimed one of claim 16, after the step of emitting high frequency waves, the method further comprising the step of: emitting red light beam of 630˜660 nm range onto the patient skin.