US 2005/0038486 A1 · Apparatus and method for producing facelift-like effects on soft tissue

Abstract

Apparatus and method for non-surgical soft-tissue contouring and elevation of the facial envelope by strengthening the facial elevators of said soft tissue facial envelope. The method comprises inducing skeletal muscle hypertrophy by applying a series of applications of a tensile load to targeted facial envelope muscles while delivering a sufficient level of electrical current using electrode probes across said targeted muscles to facilitate contraction of the underlying muscles under the tensile load. The tensile load creates a concentric and eccentric load on the muscle fibers and muscle fiber hypertrophy is optimized. The apparatus includes an adjustable outrigger attached to the torso, elastomer bands attached to the outrigger and to fixation tabs on the facial envelope under tension. Optimally designed spherical-shaped probe tips are used to minimize localized burns at the margins of the radius and to eliminate current concentration points, while obtaining full contractile excursion of muscle fibers under stretch.

Claims27

Dependent claims

An apparatus for producing facelift-like effects on the soft tissue facial envelope, including the brow, lids, midface, perioral region, jowls, cheeks and neck, by strengthening the facial elevators of said soft tissue facial envelope, the apparatus comprising:

a tensile resistive patient fixation structure;
a resistive outrigger releasably attachable to said fixation structure;
means for attaching said fixation structure to the torso of the patient;
one or more resistive elastomer bands;
one or more resistive elastomer band fixation tabs, said tabs being for releasable attachment to locations on the patient's soft-tissue to be treated using the apparatus;
and
each elastomer resistive band being attachable at one end to the resistive outrigger and an opposite end of the elastomer resistive band being attachable to the fixation tab in such a way as to create a tensile load condition measured by soft tissue descent of the portion of the soft tissue facial envelope being treated.

4 more elements

A method for non-surgical soft-tissue contouring and elevation of the facial envelope including the brow, lids, midface, perioral region, jowls, cheeks and neck, by strengthening the facial elevators of said soft tissue facial envelope, that is, resistance training for those muscles specific to facial soft tissue skin, the method comprising:

inducing skeletal muscle hypertrophy by applying a series of applications of a tensile load to targeted facial envelope muscles of a patient while delivering a sufficient level of electrical current using electrode probes in contact with and located across said targeted facial envelope muscles to facilitate contraction of the underlying muscles under the tensile load,
wherein the tensile load creates a concentric and eccentric load on the muscle fibers of the targeted facial envelope muscles, and
wherein muscle fiber hypertrophy is optimized.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and method for producing facelift-like effects on soft tissue

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for producing facelift-like effects on soft tissue

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27