541 results about "SKIN REGIONS" patented technology

The present invention discloses a novel, user-wearable system for monitoring the oxygen concentration, or oxygenation trend, in the tissue of a subject undergoing aerobic stress. The system comprises a lightweight detector, worn against the skin surface of the subject, at the site being monitored. The system further includes wearable power pack and display means for displaying information indicative of the metabolic condition of the region being monitored. The detector preferably employs a continuous wave spectrophotometer having one or more sources of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between about 760 and 800 nanometers directed into the tissue of the subject. The detector utilizes photon migration to detect the portion of the transmitted radiation arriving at an adjacent skin region. The present invention also discloses methods for displaying the aerobic metabolic condition of a subject.

A region of skin, other than the fingertips, is stimulated. After stimulation, an opening is created in the skin (e.g., by lancing the skin) to cause a flow of body fluid from the region. At least a portion of this body fluid is transported to a testing device where the concentration of analyte (e.g., glucose) in the body fluid is then determined. It is found that the stimulation of the skin provides results that are generally closer to the results of measurements from the fingertips, the traditional site for obtaining body fluid for analyte testing.

A method for permanently removing hair utilizes the hair shaft and hair ducts to transmit light into the tissue sustaining the hair follicle, thereby permanently destroying or modifying the tissue in a manner which desirably mitigates hair growth. The method includes the steps of covering the patient's skin area with a high reflectance substance so as to substantially protect all skin components other than those sustaining the hair. The hair is optionally shaved or pulled out, and then the skin is illuminated with either a large-area electromagnetic radiation field for simultaneous destruction of multiple hair-follicles, or alternatively with a tightly-focused beam which destroys one hair at a time. Optionally, the beam may be rapidly scanned so as to destroy single hairs quickly in succession. The surrounding skin region is left substantially free of injury. This mitigates pain and enhances post hair removal healing.

A system and a method for rapidly tracking multiple faces uses a face-like region generator to find a face-like region by skin color, motion, and silhouette information. A face tracking engine tracks faces based on new and old faces, and skin colors provided by the face-like regions. The tracked face is fed into a face status checker for determining whether the face-like regions are old faces tracked in a previous frame or are possible new faces. If the face-like regions are old faces, a face verification engine checks whether there exists a predefined percentage of overlapping area between an old face and a skin region. If yes, the old face is still in the current frame and its position is in the center of the skin region, otherwise, the position of the old face is found by a correlation operation.

A method and apparatus is provided for identifying imperfections in a person's facial, forearm or hand skin and for recommending an appropriate remedial cosmetic. The method includes providing an apparatus having a programmable computer, a camera connected to the computer, at least one visible wavelength light source for separately generating at least two different color images and at least one ultraviolet wavelength light source for an ultraviolet light image. Further, the method includes placing the ultraviolet and color images into a program of the computer and processing the images for pinpointing areas of skin requiring preventative treatment including those with skin damage. A remedial set of cosmetic products can thereby be recommended.

The present invention generally provides methods and devices that allow more efficient delivery of a stimulus, such as optical radiation, to the skin. In many embodiments, negative and / or positive pressure is applied to one or more skin regions in order to maintain a skin target under tension so as to redistribute blood volume between the skin target and other skin segments. In many cases, such tension can cause a depletion of the volumetric blood content in the skin target (that is, in the blood vessels beneath a surface of the skin target), thereby facilitating delivery of radiation to the skin target.

Methods and systems for automatically generating a mask delineating a region of interest (ROI) within an image containing skin are disclosed. The image may be of an anatomical area containing skin, such as the face, neck, chest, shoulders, arms or hands, among others, or may be of portions of such areas, such as the cheek, forehead, or nose, among others. The mask that is generated is based on the locations of anatomical features or landmarks in the image, such as the eyes, nose, eyebrows and lips, which can vary from subject to subject and image to image. As such, masks can be adapted to individual subjects and to different images of the same subjects, while delineating anatomically standardized ROIs, thereby facilitating standardized, reproducible skin analysis over multiple subjects and / or over multiple images of each subject. Moreover, the masks can be limited to skin regions that include uniformly illuminated portions of skin while excluding skin regions in shadow or hot-spot areas that would otherwise provide erroneous feature analysis results. Methods and systems are also disclosed for automatically registering a skin mask delineating a skin ROI in a first image captured in one imaging modality (e.g., standard white light, UV light, polarized light, multi-spectral absorption or fluorescence imaging, etc.) onto a second image of the ROI captured in the same or another imaging modality. Such registration can be done using linear as well as non-linear spatial transformation techniques.

The present invention is generally directed to dermatological devices and methods in which one or more skin characteristics, such as the melanin index, are determined by analyzing radiation backscattered from a skin region illuminated by at least one, and preferably, two or more wavelengths, e.g., in a range of about 600 nm to about 900 nm. In many embodiments, the radiation is coupled to the skin via a waveguide, and an optical sensor is employed to ascertain contact between the waveguide (e.g., a waveguide surface adapted for contact with the skin) and the skin.

An apparatus adapted to inhibit pain signals generated by pain receptors in the skin during a skin related medical treatment such as an injection. An evacuation chamber is provided with an essentially rigid interface element larger than a threshold surface area through which a medical treatment can be administered to a selected skin region, one or more walls which are placeable in the vicinity of the skin region, an interior defined by the walls and by the interface element, and an opening at the bottom of the interior which is sealable by the skin region. A device generates a vacuum within the evacuation chamber interior to a level greater than the threshold vacuum level suitable for drawing the skin region through the opening towards, and in a compressing relation against, the interface element, to inhibit the transmission of a pain signal generated by pain receptors located within the skin region.

A method for reducing skin is disclosed, in which a plurality of incisions or removals are made to collectively form a patch of skin to be reduced, instead of making a single large treatment of the patch. Thus, scarring after healing is less noticeable. Preferably, the treated regions of skin are arranged such that a total area of all removed skin segments taken in a direction perpendicular to an axis of said patch changes gradually along said axis. The removed regions of skin are preferably navicular in shape, and the patches are preferably navicular in shape in the event an elongated incision is made. The removal of skin regions can be realized by proper treatment methods such as incisions and laser treatment.

An apparatus adapted to inhibit pain signals generated by pain receptors in the skin during a skin related medical treatment such as an injection. An evacuation chamber is provided with an essentially rigid interface element through which a medical treatment can be administered to a selected skin region, one or more walls which are placeable on, or in the vicinity of, the skin region, an interior defined by the walls and by the interface element, and an opening at the bottom of the interior which is sealable by the skin region. A device generates a vacuum within the evacuation chamber interior to a level suitable for drawing the skin region through the opening towards, and in a compressing relation against, the interface element, to inhibit the transmission of a pain signal generated by pain receptors located within the skin region.

The invention provides devices for the disruption of one or more layers of skin and methods of their use to administer therapeutic agents, e.g., antigens or drugs. The devices are designed to disrupt a defined area of skin. The defined area can approximate the area that a patch or other suitable vehicle for therapeutic agent, e.g., drug or vaccine, delivery is designed to contact. Exemplary devices employ a mask to define the area to be disrupted. Other devices disrupt a defined area by rotating in place. For devices that employ a mask that is secured to the skin, the invention provides methods of disrupting the stratum corneum by first securing the mask to the skin and then disrupting the skin. For rotating devices, the disrupting member is simply placed against the skin and actuated to effect disruption.

A treatment of sweat glands in a target region of skin includes generating electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 1,064 nm to about 1,800 nm. To decrease sweat production in a plurality of sweat glands, the electromagnetic radiation is delivered to a dermal interface defined by a dermal region and a subcutaneous fat region in the target region of skin to cause thermal injury to at least one of the dermal region, the subcutaneous fat region or the dermal interface. An epidermal region of the skin can be cooled at least one of before, during or after delivering the electromagnetic radiation to the dermal interface in the target region of skin.

Devices and methods for analyte concentration determination are provided. The subject devices have a housing having an aperture, a lancing element having a lancet held therein disposed within the housing, a manner for activating the lancing element to displace the lancet to provide an incision in an area of skin to provide physiological sample, and a manner for determining whether a sufficient amount of the physiological sample is present at the surface of the skin. The subject methods include lancing an area of skin to provide physiological sample at the surface of the area of skin, illuminating the physiological sample present at the surface of skin, detecting light reflected from the physiological sample, and determining whether the physiological sample is present in an amount sufficient for analyte concentration determination based upon the detected light. The subject invention also includes kits for use in practicing the subject methods.

Methods, systems, and devices to treat a region of skin; the treatment may be used to stimulate the production of collagen. The region of skin undergoes a series of negative and positive pressures, where the series is characterized by an electronically regulated duty cycle. The region of skin may also be cooled to affect the modulus of elasticity of collagen inside the skin.

The present invention provides a system for increasing skin rejuvenation of a region of a patient's skin comprising a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) frequency generator for constantly providing electromagnetic pulses to said region of a patient's skin and a deep tissue diathermy device for constantly applying heat to said region of a patient's skin up to temperature T. The system is adapted for simultaneously applying heat and PEMF to the region of a patient's skin,—wherein application of the system increases skin rejuvenation such that the skin rejuvenation increase (SRI) is greater than the sum of the SRI provided by electromagnetic pulses increase and the SRI provided by the deep tissue diathermy device increase.

The invention is a non-surgical method for the eradication of pigmentation and scar tissue from an area of skin. The method comprises repeatedly puncturing the area of skin with an array of needles. As the needles are inserted into the skin, the needles and surface of the skin are washed with a clean solution. As the needles are withdrawn from the skin, the flow of clean solution ceases and the dirty solution, which contains cellular fluids and pigments released by the action of the needles, is removed from the surface. The invention is also a solution, which is used to clean the needles and to aid in destroying the pigment containing cells, and an apparatus, which is especially designed to move the needles into and out of the surface of the skin and to provide synchronization of the motion of the needles and flow of the solution such as to maximize the effectiveness of the method.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method which employs an energy source, one or more switches, electronic control circuitry, and a surface that can be placed in contact with a region of a person's skin containing a benign pigmented lesion. Within the apparatus, electrical current is passed through a heating element that is thermally coupled to the surface so that this surface is heated rapidly and then is subsequently cooled rapidly. By judicious choice of the rate of heating, maximum temperatures achieved, and rate of cooling, thermal injury to the skin can be confined primarily to the epidermal region of the skin in contact with the surface.

New or significantly changed skin lesions are detected by providing digital baseline image data of an area of a subject's skin by placing a calibration piece on the area and then positioning a digital camera to frame the area within a field of view of the camera and digitally photographing the area to produce a digital baseline image of the area. The digital baseline image is downloaded from the camera to a computer, which digitally filters the baseline image to produce a partially transparent baseline image scaled to fit over a viewfinder display of the camera. The filtered baseline image is printed on a transparent sheet to produce template. Substantially later, a calibration piece is placed on the area, and the template is placed over the viewfinder display of the camera. The camera is positioned to frame that area within the field of view so as to align a live image of the area with the baseline image on the template. The area is photographed to produce a digital current image thereof. The current image is downloaded to the computer, which is operated to alternately display the aligned current image data and the baseline image data to allow visual identification of lesions which changed enough in the “alternating image comparison display” to identify a new or significantly growing lesion.

The present invention provides improved methods and apparatus for skin treatment. The apparatus includes multiple sources of optical energy or several blades that are scanned along a region of skin to form micro-line patterns of damaged tissue. The micro-lines are small in at least one dimension, having a width of less than about 1 mm, and the wounded regions promote beneficial results by stimulation of wound healing and tissue remodeling.

The present invention provides improved methods and apparatus for skin treatment. The apparatus includes multiple sources of optical energy or several blades that are scanned along a region of skin to form micro-line patterns of damaged tissue. The micro-lines are small in at least one dimension, having a width of less than about 1 mm, and the wounded regions promote beneficial results by stimulation of wound healing and tissue remodeling.

A method and apparatus for removing hairs from living skin is provided involving the measurement with a colorimeter of the color of the area of the skin where the hair is to be removed to obtain a representative color value, employing the color value to select an optimum range of laser energy necessary to inactivate hair follicles in the area, yet minimize any inflammatory reaction, and directing laser energy of optimum range at the skin area to depilate such area.

A manicure / pedicure glove for treatment of damaged skin areas and / or enhancing nail growth is presented. The glove comprises a single layer of breathable material having a second layer of material in a particular treatment area. The second layer of material is impregnated with a wax-based preparation and may or may not be separated from the external layer in the treatment area by a thin plastic film or exterior coating to ensure non-leakage. Alternatively, the glove may only cover the finger or toe tip. In use, the glove is provided. A hand or foot is inserted into the glove and the glove worn for a sufficient period to permit the wax-based preparation to penetrate into the treatment area. The glove is then removed and may be disposed or, or alternatively may be used for a specified number of repeated applications.

A robotic system for delivering energy for medical or cosmetic treatment of a region of skin of a subject includes a multi-axis robotic arm mounted on a base and terminating at a holder. An applicator for delivering energy to the skin is mounted in the holder. The holder has at least three range sensors generating outputs of a distance to at least three spaced apart locations on the surface of the skin. A controller associated with the robotic arm and the range sensors processes the outputs from the at least three range sensors to determine an orientation of the holder relative to the skin, and actuates the robotic arm to adjust an orientation of the holder such that an orientation of the applicator relative to the skin is maintained within a predefined range of desired angles.

Methods, systems, and devices to treat a region of skin; the treatment may be used to stimulate the production of collagen or destroy adipose tissue. The region of skin is exposed to a uniform energy application or series of applications. The region of skin may be exposed to positive and negative pressures. Therapeutic substances may be applied to the region of skin.

The applicator includes a housing and a motor contained therewithin which includes an output member, such as a shaft, which in operation moves in a reciprocating manner. A contact member is mounted for operation and moves in response to the action of the output shaft, such that the contact element in operation repeatedly contacts a selected skin area, moving toward and away from the skin area, substantially perpendicularly thereto. The contact member moves at a frequency within the range of 50 Hz to 200 Hz and with an amplitude of 0.010 to 0.075 inches. The repeated tapping action of the contact member against the skin increases the absorption of a skin formulation into the skin area being contacted.