Method and apparatus for skin treatment

• US 20100121254A1
• Filed: 08/21/2009
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: MCDANIEL, David H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,017,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00765 Decreasing the barrier function of skin tissue by radiated energy, e.g. using ultrasound, using laser for skin perforation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22085 light-absorbing A61B2017/22087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00476 Hair follicles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1807 using light other than laser radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 41/0057 Photodynamic therapy with a photosensitizer, i.e. agent able to produce reactive oxygen species upon exposure to light or radiation, e.g. UV or visible light; photocleavage of nucleic acids with an agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 41/0071 PDT with porphyrins having exactly 20 ring atoms, i.e. based on the non-expanded tetrapyrrolic ring system, e.g. bacteriochlorin, chlorin-e6, or phthalocyanines
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0651 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0659 infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0617 Hair treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/067 using laser light
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/10 Anti-acne agents

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and method for treatment of skin disorders. More particularly, the disclosed invention is directed toward the use of multiple light sources for treating skin with or without the use of a topical compositions or photomodulation enhancing agents. Dual light emitting diodes may, for example, be used at relatively low power (less than about 10 J/cm2) to photomodulate skin or living tissue to reduce wrinkles, fine lines, acne, acne bacteria, and other skin disorders.

Claims

1. A process for treating skin disorders, comprising:

exposing skin to a first source of electromagnetic radiation having at least one dominant emissive wavelength between about 300 nm and about 1400 nm, and exposing the skin to a second source of electromagnetic radiation having at least one dominant emissive wavelength between about 300 nm and about 1400 nm.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the skin is exposed to the first source of electromagnetic radiation and the second source of electromagnetic radiation simultaneously.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the skin is exposed to the first source of electromagnetic radiation prior to being exposed to the second source of electromagnetic radiation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first source of electromagnetic radiation is selected from the group consisting of an ultrasound radiation emitter, a light emitting diode, a laser diode, a dye laser, metal halide lamps, a flashlamp, a mechanically filtered fluorescent light source, a mechanically filtered incandescent or filamentous light source, or combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second source of electromagnetic radiation is selected from the group consisting of an ultrasound radiation emitter, a light emitting diode, a laser diode, a dye laser, metal halide lamps, a flashlamp, a mechanically filtered fluorescent light source, a mechanically filtered incandescent or filamentous light source, or combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein either, or both, of the first or second source of electromagnetic radiation emits infrared radiation.

7. The method of any of claim 1 wherein the total energy fluence delivered to the living tissue is less than about 10 J/cm2.

8. The method of any of claim 1, comprising applying a photomodulating enhancing agent to the skin.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the photomodulation enhancing agent has an absorption maxima at a wavelength equal or approximate to the dominant emissive wavelength of the source of electromagnetic radiation of the first source of electromagnetic radiation, the second source of electromagnetic radiation, or both.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the dominant emissive wavelength of either the first source of electromagnetic radiation, the second source of electromagnetic radiation, or both is selected from the group consisting of 400 nm, 420 nm, 430 nm, 445 nm, 635 nm, 655 nm, 660 nm, 670 nm, 695 nm, 780 nm, 785 nm, 810 nm, 830 nm, 840 nm, 860 nm, 904 nm, 915 nm, 980 nm, 1015 nm, and 1060 nm.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said photomodulating enhancing agent is exposed to a plurality of pulses from at least one of either the first source of electromagnetic radiation or the second source of electromagnetic radiation.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said photomodulation enhancing agent is further exposed to a continuous wave of light from at least one of either the first source of electromagnetic radiation or the second source of electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength of between about 300 nm to about 1400 nm.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said photomodulation enhancing agent is exposed to a plurality of pulses from the first source of electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of from about 400 nm to about 440 nm and a continuous wave of light from the second source of electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of from about 590 nm to about 700 nm, wherein the continuous wave has a duration of at least about 1 minute and each of said pulses has a duration of less than about 1 second.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein each source of electromagnetic radiation is operated at an energy level of less than about 5.0 W/cm².

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the photomodulation enhancing agent comprises particles of a size enabling penetration of a sebaceous oil gland duct.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said particles have an average diameter of less than about 5 μ

m.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein said photomodulation enhancing agent comprises a composition have an active agent selected from the group consisting of at least one of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin F, Retin A (Tretinoin), Adapalene, Retinol, Hydroquinone, Kojic acid, a growth factor, echinacea, an antibiotic, an antifungal, an antiviral, a bleaching agent, an alpha hydroxy acid, a beta hydroxy acid, salicylic acid, antioxidant triad compound, a seaweed derivative, a salt water derivative, an antioxidant, a phytoanthocyanin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, a phytonutrient, a botanical product, a herbaceous product, a hormone, an enzyme, a mineral, a genetically engineered substance, a cofactor, a catalyst, an antiaging substance, insulin, trace elements (including ionic calcium, magnesium, etc), minerals, Rogaine, a hair growth stimulating substance, a hair growth inhibiting substance, a dye, a natural or synthetic melanin, a metalloproteinase inhibitor, proline, hydroxyproline, an anesthetic substance, chlorophyll, copper chlorophyllin, chloroplasts, carotenoids, bacteriochlorophyll, phycobilins, carotene, xanthophyll, anthocyanin, and derivatives, subcomponents, and analogs of the above, both natural and synthetic, and mixtures thereof.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the photomodulation enhancing agent is selected from the group consisting of chlorophyll, carotenoids, bacteriochlorophyll, phylocibins, porphyrins, derivatives thereof, and mixtures thereof.

19. The method of claim 9, comprising subjecting the photomodulation enhancing agent to a penetration enhancing procedure prior to exposing the photomodulation enhancing agent to either of said first or second sources of electromagnetic radiation.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said penetration enhancing procedure comprises a procedure selected from the group consisting of enzyme peel, microderm abrasion, solvent stripping, tape stripping, scrubbing, laser ablation, laser vaporization, chemical peeling, electrical stimulation, laser treatments using high peak power and short pulse durations, ultrasound, or combinations thereof.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the penetration enhancing procedure comprises microdermabrasion.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the penetration enhancing procedure comprises exposing said photomodulation enhancing agent to ultrasound.

23. A process for treating skin disorders, comprising:

applying a photomodulation enhancing agent to the skin proximate to or directly to a target living tissue;

exposing the photomodulating enhancing agent to a first source of electromagnetic radiation having at least one dominant emissive wavelength between about 300 nm and about 1400 nm, and

exposing the photomodulating enhancing agent to a second source of electromagnetic radiation having at least one dominant emissive wavelength between about 300 nm and about 1400 nm,

wherein the photomodulation enhancing agent has an absorption maxima corresponding to the dominant emissive wavelength of either the first or the second source of electromagnetic radiation.

24. A process for treating skin disorders, comprising:

exposing skin to a first source of electromagnetic radiation having at least one dominant emissive wavelength between about 400 nm and about 700 nm, and

exposing skin to a second source of electromagnetic radiation having at least one dominant emissive wavelength between about 700 nm and about 1400 nm,

wherein the total energy fluence received by the skin is less than about 10 J/cm2 and each of the first and second sources of electromagnetic radiation comprise light emitting diodes.