METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING AND CONTROLLING DENSITY OF FRACTIONAL TISSUE TREATMENTS
First Claim
1. A method for controlled fractional skin treatment comprising:
- manually moving a handpiece across a target region of skin;
directing electromagnetic energy via the handpiece toward the target region in a manner so as to provide a fractional treatment;
sensing at least one positional parameter, skin response and/or skin characteristic in the target region; and
automatically adjusting treatment density of the fractional treatment in real-time in response to the sensed at least one positional parameter, skin characteristic and/or skin response.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for fractional treatment of skin by irradiating the skin with electromagnetic energy is disclosed. Sources of the electromagnetic energy can include radio frequency (RF) generators, lasers, and flashlamps. The apparatus includes at least one sensor configured to detect a positional parameter, a skin characteristic, a skin response, or combinations thereof. The sensor provides feedback to a controller. The controller controls the treatment parameters, including the treatment density. By sensing the positional parameter, skin characteristic and/or skin response to a treatment, the controller automatically adjusts treatment density in real-time in response to the sensed positional parameter, skin characteristic and/or skin response.
173 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for controlled fractional skin treatment comprising:
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manually moving a handpiece across a target region of skin; directing electromagnetic energy via the handpiece toward the target region in a manner so as to provide a fractional treatment; sensing at least one positional parameter, skin response and/or skin characteristic in the target region; and automatically adjusting treatment density of the fractional treatment in real-time in response to the sensed at least one positional parameter, skin characteristic and/or skin response. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An apparatus for controlled fractional skin treatment comprising:
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at least one electromagnetic source configured to generate electromagnetic treatment energy capable of treating skin when delivered in a fractional manner; a manually movable handpiece operably coupled to the electromagnetic source, wherein the handpiece is configured to deliver the electromagnetic treatment energy in a fractional manner to a target region of skin so as to provide a fractional skin treatment; a controller operably coupled to the electromagnetic source, wherein the controller is configured to activate or adjust one or more parameters of the electromagnetic source; and a sensor operably coupled to the controller, wherein the sensor is configured to sense at least one positional parameter, skin response and/or skin characteristic in the target region; wherein positional, skin response and/or skin characteristic feedback from the sensor is used by the controller to control density of the fractional treatment by activation or adjustment of the one or more parameters of the electromagnetic source and/or handpiece. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification