# US 12,178,895 B2 · Hair contouring treatments using photoresponsive hydrogels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,178,895 B2 - Document ID: US12178895B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/490,878 - Filed: 2021-09-30 - Published: 2023-03-30 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-09-30 - Assignees: L'oreal - Applicants: L'oreal - Inventors: David B. Kosecoff - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178895B2 ## CPC - A61K 8/042: {Gels} - A45D 7/06: combined chemical and thermal - A61K 8/19: containing inorganic ingredients - A61K 8/8158: {Homopolymers or copolymers of amides or imides, e.g. (meth) acrylamide; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers} - A61K 8/8194: {Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, at least one having two or more carbon-to-carbon double bonds; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers} - A61Q 5/04: Preparations for permanent waving or straightening the hair - A61Q 5/06: Preparations for styling the hair, e.g. by temporary shaping or colouring - A45D 2/00: Hair-curling or hair-waving appliances (heated curling-tongs, curling-irons A45D1/00 ){; Appliances for hair dressing treatment not otherwise provided for} - A45D 2200/205: Radiation, e.g. UV, infrared - A61K 2800/413: Nanosized, i.e. having sizes below 100 nm - A61K 2800/81: Preparation or application process involves irradiation - A61K 2800/87: Application Devices; Containers; Packaging - A61K 2800/95: Involves in-situ formation or cross-linking of polymers - H05B 47/105: in response to determined parameters - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - A45D: HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT (wigs, toupees or the like A41G3/00, A41G5/00; hairdressers' chairs A47C1/04; hair cutting appliances, razors B26B); EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING - A61Q: SPECIFIC USE OF COSMETICS OR SIMILAR TOILETRY PREPARATIONS - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract Devices, systems, materials, and methods for contouring a volume of hair are described. A hair contouring device can include a contouring source. The contouring source can be configured to generate contouring electromagnetic radiation within a first energy range to induce a conformation change of a hydrogel formulation. The hair contouring device can include a fixing source. The fixing source can be configured to generate curing electromagnetic radiation within a second energy range to induce a photo-curing transition of the hydrogel formulation. The hair contouring device can include an input component. The hair contouring device can also include control circuitry, electrically coupled with the contouring source, the fixing source, and the input component. The control circuitry can be configured to receive an input from the input component and to control the contouring source or the fixing source in accordance with the input. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hair contouring device, comprising: a contouring source, configured to generate contouring electromagnetic radiation within a first energy range to induce a conformation change of a hydrogel formulation; and a fixing source, configured to generate curing electromagnetic radiation within a second energy range to induce a photo-curing transition of the hydrogel formulation; an input component; control circuitry, electrically coupled with the contouring source, the fixing source, and the input component, the control circuitry being configured to receive an input from the input component and to control the contouring source or the fixing source in accordance with the input; a radiation sensor, electronically coupled with the control circuitry; and one or more non-transitory memory devices, electronically coupled with the control circuitry and storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the control circuitry, cause the control circuitry to perform operations comprising: generating a mapping of a biological surface using the radiation sensor, the biological surface comprising hair and the hydrogel formulation, the mapping describing a volume of the hair relative to the biological surface; generating a projection of a hair contouring design onto the mapping, wherein the hair contouring design defines a contouring treatment to be applied to the volume of the hair; and determining an exposure profile and an exposure duration using the projection exposing the volume of the hair to the contouring electromagnetic radiation using the contouring source in accordance with the exposure profile and the exposure duration; and exposing the volume of the hair to the curing electromagnetic radiation using the fixing source. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hair contouring device of claim 1, wherein the conformation change of the hydrogel formulation comprises a volumetric expansion or contraction of the hydrogel formulation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hair contouring device of claim 1, wherein the photo-curing transition of the hydrogel formulation comprises a crosslinking of the hydrogel formulation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hair contouring device of claim 1, wherein: the input comprises a contouring control or a fixing control; the control circuitry is configured to activate the contouring source in response to receiving the contouring control; and the control circuitry is configured to activate the curing source in response to receiving the fixing control. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hair contouring device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the control circuitry to perform operations comprising: receiving the hair contouring design via the input component, wherein the input component comprises communication circuitry configured to pair with a client computing device and to receive the input from the client computing device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The hair contouring device of claim 1, wherein the hydrogel formulation comprises photo-responsive filaments, and wherein the photo-responsive filaments exhibit anisotropic deformation in response to exposure to the contouring electromagnetic radiation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The hair contouring device of claim 1, wherein the first energy range corresponds to near-ultraviolet wavelengths from about 300 nm to about 400 nm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The hair contouring device of claim 1, wherein the first energy range corresponds to near-infrared wavelengths from about 750 nm to about 1400 nm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The hair contouring device of claim 8, wherein the hydrogel formulation comprises upconverting nanoparticles, wherein the upconverting nanoparticles emit ultraviolet photons when exposed to the contouring electromagnetic radiation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The hair contouring device of claim 1, wherein the first energy range corresponds to visible wavelengths from about 400 nm to about 750 nm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The hair contouring device of claim 1, wherein the hydrogel formulation comprises a photo-initiator dispersed in poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The hair contouring device of claim 1, wherein the hydrogel formulation comprises an absorber material dispersed in a hydrogel comprising poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAm) copolymerized with spiropyrane. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The hair contouring device of claim 12, wherein the absorber material comprises chromium oxide or iron oxide particles. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The hair contouring device of claim 1, wherein the second energy range corresponds to near-ultraviolet wavelengths, visible wavelengths, or near-infrared wavelengths, being non-overlapping with the first energy range. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method of contouring hair using a hydrogel formulation and a device of claim 1, the method comprising: applying the hydrogel formulation to a volume of hair; exposing the volume of hair to contouring electromagnetic radiation within a first energy range to induce a conformation change of the hydrogel formulation, the conformation change comprising a volumetric expansion or contraction of the hydrogel formulation; and exposing the volume of hair to curing electromagnetic radiation within a second energy range to induce a photo-curing transition of the hydrogel formulation, the photo-curing transition comprising a crosslinking of the hydrogel formulation; wherein the contouring electromagnetic radiation and the curing electromagnetic radiation are generated by a hair contouring device comprising a contouring source of the contouring electromagnetic radiation, a fixing source of the curing electromagnetic radiation, an input component, and control circuitry, the control circuitry being electrically coupled with the contouring source, the radiation sensor, the fixing source, and the input component. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of contouring hair of claim 15, further comprising: generating a mapping of the volume of hair using a radiation sensor, the radiation sensor being electronically coupled with the control circuitry; generating a projection of a hair contouring design onto the mapping, wherein the hair contouring design defines a contouring treatment to be applied to the volume of hair; and determining an exposure profile and an exposure duration using the projection, wherein exposing the volume of hair to the contouring electromagnetic radiation comprises controlling the contouring source in accordance with the exposure profile and the exposure duration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of contouring hair of claim 16, further comprising: receiving the hair contouring design via communication circuitry configured to pair with a client computing device and to receive the input from the client computing device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of contouring hair of claim 15, further comprising: receiving an input from the input component, the input comprising a contouring control or a fixing control; activating the contouring source in response to receiving the contouring control; and activating the fixing source in response to receiving the fixing control. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of contouring hair of claim 15, wherein the hydrogel formulation comprises photo-responsive filaments, and wherein the photo-responsive filaments exhibit anisotropic deformation in response to exposure to the contouring electromagnetic radiation.