Aesthetic thermal sculpting of skin
AssigneeApsara Medical Corporation
InventorsPhilip E. Eggers, Annette Campbell-White, Bryant A. Toth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method, system and apparatus for carrying out a controlled heating of dermis to achieve a percentage of linear collagen shrinkage. Implants are employed which preferably are configured as a thermal barrier defining support of an outwardly disposed support surface which carries one or more heater segments. Located along heating channels at the interface between dermis and next adjacent subcutaneous tissue, the structure protects the latter from thermally induced damage while directing heat energy into the former.
Claims50
The method for effecting a controlled shrinkage of collagen within the dermis of skin comprising the steps:
- (a) determining a skin region for shrinkage;
- (b) providing one or more heater implants controllable to provide a heating output and dimensioned for location at dermis substantially only between epidermis and subcutaneous tissue;
- (c) determining the extent of collagen shrinkage to be effected at said skin region;
- (d) determining one or more heating channel locations along said skin region;
- (e) determining a target temperature to be developed within the dermis at said heating channels to achieve said extent of collagen shrinkage with a developed collagen matrix having tensile strength integrity effective to support neocollagenisis;
- (f) locating said one or more heater implants in thermal treatment relationship with dermis along said one or more heating channel locations;
- (g) controllably effecting a heating of said one or more heater implants to said target temperature or temperatures;
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- (h) monitoring the extent of collagen shrinkage.
The method for effecting a controlled shrinkage of collagen within the dermis of skin, comprising the steps:
- (a) determining a skin region for shrinkage;
- (b) providing one or more heater implants each comprising a thermally insulative flat support having a lengthwise dimension extending between leading and trailing ends and a widthwise dimension, having a support surface supporting one or more electrically energizable heater segments each controllable to provide a heating output;
- (c) determining the extent of collagen shrinkage to be effected at said skin region;
- (d) determining one or more heating channel locations along said skin region;
- (e) determining a target temperature for each said heating output and the corresponding anticipated interval of treatment at said heating channel locations to achieve said extent of collagen shrinkage;
- (f) locating each heater implant along a heating channel generally at the interface between dermis and next adjacent subcutaneous tissue in an orientation wherein said heater segments are in thermal exchange relationship with dermis and thermal insulative relationship with said next adjacent subcutaneous tissue;
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- (g) effecting an energization of said one or more heater segments substantially to said target temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.