Method for rejuvenating and tightening human skin utilizing a cryogenic applicator

• US 20100318076A1
• Filed: 08/18/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olga Goulko
• Original Assignee: Olga Goulko
• Inventors: Goulko, Olga
• Granted Patent: US 7,993,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/0218 with open-end cryogenic probe, e.g. for spraying fluid directly on tissue or via a tissue-contacting porous tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1861 with an instrument inserted into a body lumen or cavity, e.g. a catheter

Abstract

A method for tightening and rejuvenating skin utilizing a cryogenic applicator, which includes the steps of holding a handle of a barrel of the cryogenic applicator in a hand, fluidly communicating the barrel with a source of a biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid to supply the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid through a hollow interior of the barrel, out through a plurality of openings in a distal portion of the barrel, and onto a head of the cryogenic applicator, rolling the head quickly, smoothly, and evenly over the skin being treated for a period of time in an order of hundredths or tenths of a second, and sparging the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid onto the skin quickly, evenly, and smoothly when the head is rolled on the skin, and thereby tightening and rejuvenating the skin.

Claims

1. A method for tightening and rejuvenating skin utilizing a cryogenic applicator, comprising the steps of:

a) holding a the cryogenic applicator in a hand;

b) fluidly communicating the cryogenic applicator with a source of a biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid to supply the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid through the cryogenic applicator;

c) rolling the cryogenic applicator quickly, smoothly, and evenly over the skin being treated for a period of time in an order of hundredths or tenths of a second; and

d) sparging the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid onto the skin quickly, evenly, and smoothly when the cryogenic applicator is rolled on the skin, and thereby tightening and rejuvenating the skin.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said holding step includes holding a handle of a barrel of the cryogenic applicator in a hand.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said fluid communicating step includes fluidly communicating the barrel of the cryogenic applicator with a source of a biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid to supply the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid through a hollow interior of the barrel, out through a plurality of openings in a distal portion of the barrel, and onto a head of the cryogenic applicator.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said rolling step includes rolling the head quickly, smoothly, and evenly over the skin being treated for a period of time in an order of hundredths or tenths of a second.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said sparging step includes sparging the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid onto the skin quickly, evenly, and smoothly when the head is rolled on the skin, and thereby tightening and rejuvenating the skin.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of fluidly connecting a cryogenic interface of the barrel to the source of the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid to supply the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid through the barrel to the head.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said fluidly communicating step includes fluidly communicating the cryogenic applicator with a source of a biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid that is liquid nitrogen to supply the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid through the cryogenic applicator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said holding step includes holding a handle of a barrel of the cryogenic applicator, which is slender, and elongated in a hand.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

directing, by the hollow interior of the barrel, the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic liquid to the head.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said fluid communicating step includes fluidly communicating the barrel of the cryogenic applicator with a source of a biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid to supply the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid through a hollow interior of the barrel, out through a plurality of openings in a distal portion of the barrel, which extend radially therethrough and are spaced axially therealong, and onto a head of the cryogenic applicator by virtue of the plurality of openings in the distal portion of the barrel communicating with the hollow interior of the barrel for passing the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic liquid to the head.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said holding step includes holding a handle of a barrel of the cryogenic applicator, which has a circumferential groove extending completely therearound and being located where a proximal portion of the barrel meets a distal portion of the barrel, in a hand.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said holding step includes holding a handle of a barrel of the cryogenic applicator, which has a distal end terminating in an end that is closed and has a tit extending axially outwardly therefrom.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said fluidly connecting step includes fluidly communicating a cryogenic interface of the barrel, which is a flexible tube that fluidly communicates with the proximal portion of the barrel and is for fluidly communicating with the source of the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid to supply the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid through the hollow interior of the barrel, out through the plurality of openings in the distal portion of the barrel, and onto the head that in turn sparges the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid onto the skin quickly, evenly, and smoothly when the head is rolled on the skin, and thereby rejuvenating the skin.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said fluid communicating step includes fluidly communicating the barrel of the cryogenic applicator with a source of a biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid to supply the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid through a hollow interior of the barrel, out through a plurality of openings in a distal portion of the barrel, and onto a head of the cryogenic applicator, which has a drum and a web.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said fluid communicating step includes fluidly communicating the barrel of the cryogenic applicator with a source of a biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid to supply the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid through a hollow interior of the barrel, out through a plurality of openings in a distal portion of the barrel, and onto a head of the cryogenic applicator, which has the drum that is open surfaced, generally cylindrically shaped, and rotatably mounted to a distal portion of the barrel.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said fluid communicating step includes fluidly communicating the barrel of the cryogenic applicator with a source of a biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid to supply the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid through a hollow interior of the barrel, out through a plurality of openings in a distal portion of the barrel, and onto a head of the cryogenic applicator, which has the drum that is a mesh.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said fluid communicating step includes fluidly communicating the barrel of the cryogenic applicator with a source of a biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid to supply the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid through a hollow interior of the barrel, out through a plurality of openings in a distal portion of the barrel, and onto a head of the cryogenic applicator, which has the web that is a soft porous material that overlies the mesh of the drum of the head, is affixed to the mesh of the drum of the head, and contacts the skin in a rolling action.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said fluid communicating step includes fluidly communicating the barrel of the cryogenic applicator with a source of a biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid to supply the biocompatible non-toxic cryogenic fluid through a hollow interior of the barrel, out through a plurality of openings in a distal portion of the barrel, and onto a head of the cryogenic applicator, which has the web that is the soft porous material that is selected from the group consisting of cotton, fabric, woven, and non-woven.