Methods for rejuvenating skin by heating tissue for cosmetic treatment of the face and body

• US 9,895,560 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2015
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Original Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Inventors: Barthe, Peter G., Slayton, Michael H., Makin, Inder Raj S.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUPCZEY, JR, RONALD JAMES
• Application Number:
  US14/740,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20150283408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0858 involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4461 Features of the scanning mechanism, e.g. for moving the transducer within the housing of the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/469 for selection of a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0034 Skin treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0052 using the same transducer for therapy and imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 with multiple treatment transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0082 Scanning transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/027 with multiple foci created simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

Methods for treating skin and subcutaneous tissue with energy such as ultrasound energy are disclosed. In various embodiments, ultrasound energy is applied at a region of interest to affect tissue by cutting, ablating, micro-ablating, coagulating, or otherwise affecting the subcutaneous tissue to conduct numerous procedures that are traditionally done invasively in a non-invasive manner. Methods of lifting sagging tissue on a face and/or neck are described. Treatment with heat is provided in several embodiments.

Claims

1. A method of rejuvenating skin, comprising:

placing an ultrasonic probe on a skin surface, wherein the skin surface is located over a subcutaneous tissue;

delivering diffuse ultrasound energy from the ultrasonic probe to the subcutaneous tissue for a heating effect;

delivering focused therapeutic ultrasound energy from the ultrasonic probe to the subcutaneous tissue,

thereby treating the subcutaneous tissue at a depth under the skin surface to rejuvenate the skin.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic probe further comprises an imaging element to image the subcutaneous tissue at the depth under the skin surface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating effect is a pretreatment heating effect.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein delivering the focused therapeutic ultrasound energy comprises delivering ultrasound energy from a single transduction element,

wherein the transduction element comprises a piezoelectrically active material, wherein the piezoelectrically active material is selected from the group consisting of:

a piezoelectric ceramic, a crystal, a plastic, a composite material, lithium niobate, lead titanate, barium titanate, and lead metaniobate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the focused therapeutic ultrasound energy has a frequency in a range of 3 MHz to 100 MHz.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the focused therapeutic ultrasound energy thermally treats a wrinkle on the skin surface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the focused therapeutic ultrasound energy is configured for producing a tissue effect, wherein the tissue effect is any one or more of the group consisting of:

ablative, hemostatic, and diathermic tissue effects.

8. A method of non-invasive skin rejuvenation, comprising:

acoustically coupling an ultrasound probe on a skin surface proximate a region comprising a tissue;

delivering ultrasound energy to the region for a pretreatment heating effect;

delivering focused ultrasound energy to the region to treat the tissue at a depth under the skin surface to rejuvenate skin.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising imaging the tissue under the skin surface.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the depth is up to 9 mm under the skin surface.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the tissue comprises any one or more of:

collagen, fat, and skin.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the pretreatment heating effect comprises a diffused heating effect.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the focused ultrasound energy thermally treats a wrinkle on the skin surface.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the focused ultrasound energy has a frequency in a range of 3 MHz to 100 MHz.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the focused ultrasound energy has a frequency of 7 MHz.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the focused ultrasound energy has a frequency of 10 MHz.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the focused ultrasound energy is configured for a tissue effect, wherein the tissue effect is any one or more of the group consisting of:

thermal and non-thermal streaming, cavitational, hydrodynamic, ablative, diathermic, and resonance-induced tissue effects.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the focused ultrasound energy has an ablative tissue effect.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein delivering the focused ultrasound energy comprises delivering ultrasound energy from a transduction element in the ultrasound probe, wherein the transduction element comprises a piezoelectrically active material.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the piezoelectrically active material is selected from the group consisting of:

a piezoelectric ceramic, a crystal, a plastic, a composite material, lithium niobate, lead titanate, barium titanate, and lead metaniobate.