Hair removal device and method

• US 5,226,907 A
• Filed: 10/29/1991
• Issued: 07/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ThermoLase Corp. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Thermotrex Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tankovich, Nikolai I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAWSON, GLENN K
• Application Number:
  US07/783,789
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 128/395, 128/398, 606/1, 606/15, 606/9, 606/16, 606/36, 606/43, 606/131, 606/133
• US Class Current: 606/133
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 26/00 Hair-singeing apparatus; Apparatus for removing superfluous hair, e.g. tweezers removing hair using electrosurgical instruments A61B18/04, A61B18/18
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00761 Removing layer of skin tissue, e.g. wrinkles, scars or cancerous tissue
• 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: A61M 2037/0007 having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0092 using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic vibrations, e.g. phonophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/067 using laser light

Abstract

The present invention provides a device and process for the permanent removal and of unwanted human hair. Hair on a section of skin is contaminated with a substance having high absorption of a frequency band of light which passes through the surface of the skin. The skin is illuminated with light at this frequency band at sufficient intensity and duration to kill the follicles of the hair. Specific embodiments to produce death of the follicles by heating and by photochemical reaction.

Claims

1. A process for the permanent destruction of plurality of hairs growing on a section of human skin comprising the steps of:

(a) applying to said hairs and skin section a contaminant having a high absorption of at least one frequency band of light which penetrates human skin,

(b) cleaning the skin leaving at least a portion of the hairs under the skin contaminated with said contaminant,

(c) illuminating said skin section with said at least one frequency band of light, a significant portion of which is absorbed in said contaminant so as to permanently destroy said plurality of hairs,

wherein said contaminant is comprised of an oil and absorber suspended in said oil.

2. The process as in claim 1 wherein said absorber is carbon powder.

3. The process as in claim 2 wherein said frequency band of light is produced by a laser.

4. The process as in claim 2 wherein said frequency band of light is a band centered about 10.6 microns (wavelength) and is produced by a CO² laser.