US 4,608,978 A · Method and apparatus for photoepiltion

Abstract

The certain quantity of light energy sufficient to effect lifelessness in each of a particular type of hairs, such as is found in a face, arm or back, is provided to the tip of a hand held probe each time a switch is closed, independent of the duration of the switch closure. This relieves the electrologist from having to manually count times, or the number of pulses of light energy applied to a hair body, to effect lifelessness therein. Such counting has been a major part of the photoepilation procedure, and a burden on the electrologist's faculties. In one embodiment, actuating a foot switch provides a series of timed and spaced pulses of light energy for a period, which is selectable by rotating a wiper of a variable resistor-capacitor circuit. The sum of the energies of the pulses over the selected period equals the certain quantity of light energy. In another embodiment, depressing one of four foot switches provides one of four fixed periods of light pulses. In both embodiments, the certain quantity of light energy is first determined for the hair type and then that certain quantity is used for all the hairs of that type to be removed.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method of photoepilation of a plurality of hair bodies of at least one type from a patient, comprising:

A. providing an apparatus having a flash lamp that sources light energy to the tip of a probe, and a control circuit including means for providing pulses of electrical energy to said flash lamp for causing the lamp to flash to obtain sequential, like, timed and spaced incremental pulses of light energy, the control circuit including a manually actuable switch assembly for energizing the control circuit to provide said pulses of electrical energy and said pulses of light energy for a selectable period, the length of the period being indpendent of the length of time of actuation of the switch assembly;
B. selecting a certain period corresponding to the proper quantity of light energy in the form of timed and spaced pulses to be sourced at said tip to effect lifelessness in said particular type of hair body;
C. placing said tip properly in the vicinity of a hair to be removed;
D. actuating said switch assembly for a length of time independent of said period;
and
E. repeating said steps C and D for said plurality of hair bodies,
F. so that once the certain period is selected, said proper quantity of light energy automatically is provided to said probe tip independent of the length of time that said switch assembly is actuated.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for photoepiltion

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for photoepiltion

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10