Skin treatment including patterned light

• US 20060276860A1
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Jung, Edward K.Y., Ferren, Bran
• Granted Patent: US 8,157,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/88
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00904 Automatic detection of target tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20351 Scanning mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/205547 Controller with specific architecture or programmatic algorithm for directing scan path, spot size or shape, or spot intensity, fluence or irradiance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0436 Shielding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/049 against light, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/26 Optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/42 Colour properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/434 Luminescent, Fluorescent; Optical brighteners; Photosensitizers
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/438 Thermochromatic; Photochromic; Phototropic
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/81 Preparation or application process involves irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/91 Injection
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/02 characterised by special physical form
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/0208 Tissues; Wipes; Patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/042 Gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/046 Aerosols; Foams
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/06 Emulsions
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0076 : Tattooing apparatus apparatus for marking animals A01K11/00; vaccine applicators having needles or other puncturing means A61B17/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 : Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/00 : Drugs for dermatological disorders
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 1/02 : Preparations containing skin colorants, e.g. pigments preparations in powder form A61Q1/12
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 1/025 : Semi-permanent tattoos, stencils, e.g. "permanent make-up"

Abstract

Methods and systems for treating skin for aesthetic or health purposes are described. According to various embodiments, photoresponsive materials and light are delivered in a controlled fashion to produce a patterned distribution of a material in the skin.

Claims

1. A system for delivering patterned light to skin, comprising:

a light source capable of producing light of at least one defined wavelength band;

a controllable optical system configured to receive a control signal generated according to a pattern representing a desired distribution of a material to a plurality of locations in or on a skin region, and responsive to the control signal to aim and focus light from said light source onto one or more selected skin locations of said plurality of skin locations according to the pattern; and

electronic circuitry configured to limit the flux and/or fluence of light produced by said light source at the surface of the skin to levels that are not significantly damaging to said skin.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an imaging device adapted for imaging a skin region containing at least a portion of said plurality of skin locations.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a device driver including one or more of hardware, software, or firmware for generating said control signal based upon pattern data stored in a machine readable medium.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said light source includes a laser.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said light source includes a laser diode or a light-emitting diode.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said light source emits light in an ultraviolet wavelength band.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said light source emits light in a visible or near-infrared wavelength band.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said controllable optical system comprises one or more deflectors configured to aim light from said light source, and wherein the position of at least one of said one or more deflectors is controllable to aim light toward at least one of said plurality of skin locations.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said controllable optical system comprises a positioner adapted to adjust the position of said light source.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said controllable optical system is controllable to focus said light source on at least two of said plurality of skin locations in sequence.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said controllable optical system is controllable to focus said light source on at least two of said plurality of skin locations simultaneously.

12. A method of delivering patterned light to skin, comprising:

delivering a photoresponsive material to at least a skin region of a subject;

placing a mask over said skin region, said mask including one or more light blocking regions and defining one or more light transmissive regions to form a pattern; and

exposing said skin region to light of wavelength band and/or fluence sufficient to produce modification of said photoresponsive material within said skin region beneath said one or more light transmissive regions defined by said mask.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein delivering a photoresponsive material includes delivering a photoresponsive material that is converted from an active form to an inactive form by exposure to light.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein delivering a photoresponsive material includes delivering a photoresponsive material that is converted from an inactive form to an active form by exposure to light.

15. The method of claim 12, including reversing said modification by exposing said skin region to light of a wavelength band, time-averaged flux and/or fluence sufficient to reverse said modification.

16. A method of forming a pattern in a skin volume, comprising:

delivering a photoresponsive material to at least a skin volume of a subject, said skin volume including a region having a depth underlying a skin surface having an area; and

aiming and focusing light of a wavelength band, time-averaged flux and/or fluence sufficient to cause modification of said photoresponsive material at a plurality of locations within said volume, at least a portion of said plurality of locations being at different depths within said region.

17. A method of producing a pattern on a surface comprising:

delivering patterned light of a restricted wavelength band to a skin surface coated with a photosensitive material, wherein said patterned light is capable of interacting with said photosensitive material to produce a visible pattern on said coated surface.

18. A method of manufacturing a targeted light delivery system, including:

providing a housing configured to be positioned relative to a skin region of a subject;

mounting a light source in fixed relationship with respect to said housing, said light source capable of delivering light of a wavelength band, time-averaged flux and/or fluence sufficient to activate a photoresponsive material in a skin region when the housing is positioned adjacent to the skin region;

mounting a controllable optical system with respect to said housing and said light source such that light from said light source may be focused on a skin region by said controllable optical system when said housing is positioned relative to the skin region; and

connecting driver interface circuitry to said light source and said controllable optical system, said driver interface circuitry adapted to receive one or more control signals and responsive to said control signals to drive said controllable optical system and said light source to focus light on one or more locations in the skin region according to a pattern.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said driver interface circuitry is adapted to receive said one or more control signals from a microprocessor-based controller.

20. The method of claim 19, including providing software code executable by said microprocessor-based controller to generate said one or more control signals.