Apparatus for treating cellulitis by combined methods

• US 20040236252A1
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: El.En. S.p.A
• Original Assignee: El.En. S.p.A
• Inventors: Masotti, Leonardo, Muzzi, Francesco
• Application Number:
  US10/483,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20040236252A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0214 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0242 by a fluid circulating in the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/025 by direct air flow on the patient's body
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2207/00 Anti-cellulite devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/005 Pneumatic massage
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/067 using laser light

Abstract

For the wide-ranging treatment of pathologies of the edematous fibroscleotic panniculopathy (EFP) type, such as cellulitis, a single apparatus, designed to make contact with the skin, comprises means for providing mechanical massage, means for extracting heat from the skin, and laser systems for biostimulation.

Claims

1. Apparatus for the wide-ranging treatment of pathologies of the edematous fibrosclerotic panniculopathy (EFP) type, commonly called cellulite, including a device, designed to make contact with the skin, wherein said device comprises means for providing mechanical massage, means for extracting heat from the skin, and laser systems for biostimulation.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by a pulsed suction unit connected to said device, said pulsed suction unit providing said mechanical massage.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a handpiece or a treatment head including a skin contacting surface which includes an area for mechanical massage connected to said pulsed suction unit, an area for the extraction of heat, and an area comprising laser diodes.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said handpiece or treatment head is provided with a recess in its skin contacting surface, said recess being connected to a passage for connection to said pulsed suction unit.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the area for skin massage is positioned in the center of said skin contacting surface and is surrounded by an annular cooled area for the extraction of heat and by an area comprising laser diodes.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the annular cooled area for the extraction of heat comprises a channel for the circulation of a coolant fluid.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the annular area comprising laser diodes is outside the annular cooled area for the extraction of heat and comprises a plurality of laser diodes spaced apart from each other at essentially equal intervals.

8. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said skin contacting area of said handpiece or treatment head has an elliptical shape.

9. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that said pulsed suction unit generates a pulsed suction with a frequency between 7 and 20 Hz.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said pulsed suction unit generates a maximum vacuum between 300 and 600 mbar.

11. A handpiece for an apparatus for the treatment of pathologies of the edematous fibrosclerotic panniculopathy (EFP) type, commonly called cellulite, including a skin contacting surface, which includes an area for mechanical massage connectable to a pulsed suction unit for providing mechanical massage, an area for the extraction of heat, and an area comprising laser diodes for biostimulation.

12. Handpiece according to claim 11, characterized by a recess in its skin contacting surface, said recess being connected to a passage for connection to a pulsed suction unit.

13. Handpiece according to claim 11, characterized in that the area for skin massage is positioned in the center of said skin contacting surface and is surrounded by an annular cooled area for the extraction of heat and by an area comprising laser diodes.

14. Handpiece according to claim 13, characterized in that the annular cooled area for the extraction of heat comprises a channel for the circulation of a coolant fluid.

15. Handpiece according to claim 13, characterized in that the annular area comprising laser diodes is outside the annular cooled area for the extraction of heat and comprises a plurality of laser diodes spaced apart from each other at essentially equal intervals.

16. Handpiece according to claim 11 characterized in that said skin contacting area has an elliptical shape.

17. A method for treatment of pathologies of the edematous fibrosclerotic panniculopathy (EFP) type, commonly called cellulite, wherein:

a device is applied on the skin of a person in need of said treatment, said device being designed to make contact with said skin and including means for providing mechanical massage, means for extracting heat from the skin, and laser systems for biostimulation; and

wherein a combined treatment of mechanical massage, laser biostimulation and heat extraction is applied on tissues of said person in need of said treatment through said device.

18. Method according to claim 17, wherein said mechanical massage is generated by a pulsed suction applied through said device by a pulsed suction unit connected thereto.