A system for applying thermal therapy includes a portable housing and at least one conduit supportable in proximity to body tissue, the conduit having an inlet end and outlet end. The housing supports at least one thermoelectric module, a power storage unit, a pump, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The fluid inlet and fluid outlet are to the inlet and outlet of the conduit. The pump is operably connected to pump fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. The at least one thermoelectric module is coupled to generate a thermal change in fluid disposed between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The power storage unit is operably coupled to provide operating power to the pump and the at least one thermoelectric module.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide method and apparatus for effecting (e.g., lightening) an appearance of skin by cooling or freezing small separated surface regions of the skin to produce regions of local hypopigmentation. The width of the regions can be, for example, smaller than about 1 mm or 0.5 mm, and a distance between these frozen regions can be greater than about 3 times the width of the regions. An exemplary apparatus can be provided that includes a plurality of spatially-separated thermally conductive arrangements that can be affixed or otherwise coupled to a base. For example, the conductive arrangements can be regions of conductive material provided in or proximal to a thermal insulator, or thermally conductive protrusions affixed to the base. The conductive arrangements can be cooled and then contacted with the skin surface to produce the small regions of hypopigmentation.

A heat generator comprises a heat-generating composition that generates heat upon contact with air, a storage bag that can store the heat-generating composition in a storage part inside thereof, and an adhesive layer provided on one surface of the storage bag. The storage bag has, in plan view, an outer shape having a constricted part recessed inward between two convexly protruding first apex and second apex; and the storage bag is provided with a dividing part that divides the storage part and allows the storage bag to be folded between the first apex and the second apex.

This application relates to a hand-held cooling device for supplying a cryogen to a target region for cryotherapy. The device can include a cryogen container configured to contain a first cryogen having a first temperature and a nozzle configured to spray a first modified cryogen to the target region, the first modified cryogen having a second temperature higher than the first temperature. The device can also include a cryogen temperature regulator configured to receive the first cryogen and output the first modified cryogen to the nozzle, the cryogen temperature regulator disposed closer to the nozzle than the cryogen container. The cryogen temperature regulator can include a holder tube, a porous structure disposed inside a holder tube and a heater disposed around the holder tube and heating the holder tube so as to increase the first temperature to the second temperature while the first cryogen passes through the porous structure.

This application relates to a hand-held cooling device for supplying a cryogen to a target region for cryotherapy. The device can include a cryogen transfer unit configured to receive a first cryogen from an external cryogen reservoir, the first cryogen including i) a first amount of a liquid phase cryogen and ii) at least one of a first solid phase cryogen and a first gas phase cryogen. The device can also include a nozzle configured to spray a first modified cryogen to the target region. The device can further include a cryogen liquefier disposed between the cryogen container and the nozzle and configured to cool the first cryogen received from the cryogen transfer unit and output the first modified cryogen to the nozzle, the first modified cryogen including at least a second amount of the liquid phase cryogen more than the first amount of the liquid phase cryogen.

A wearable thermal gel-pack comprising a gel-pack body having a first portion including an inner surface and defining a gel cavity encapsulating a gel material therein and a second portion including a container with a first member coupled to the first portion, a second member pivotally coupled to the first member to form a joint and with an outer surface opposing the inner surface of the first portion, and a container cavity defined by the first and second members, the container cavity juxtaposed to and fluidly uncoupled to the gel cavity, the first and second members of the container having a closed position with a watertight configuration and an open position with a container opening in fluid communication with the container cavity and a strap couplable to the second member at a location along a strap length and operably configured to surround the inner surface of the first portion.

Treatment systems, methods, and apparatuses for treating acne, hyperhidrosis, and other skin conditions are described. Aspects of the technology can include cooling a surface of a patient's skin and detecting changes in the tissue. The tissue can be cooled a sufficient length of time and to a temperature low enough to affect glands or other targeted structures in the skin.

Embodiments include methods and systems for treating joint pain associated with a nerve. A needle of a cryogenic system may be inserted beneath a skin surface. The needle may include an electrically conducting structure at least partially surrounded by an electrical insulator for conducting electrical energy. The needle may include an outer lumen and an inner lumen extending distally within the outer lumen, the inner lumen include a distal opening open to the outer lumen. The needle may be positioned at a desired location in proximity to the nerve, and a cooling therapy including cooling cycles and thawing periods may be performed to cool tissue at the desired location. The cooling therapy may sufficiently reduce the joint pain.

Embodiments include methods and systems for treating back pain associated with a nerve. A needle of a cryogenic system may be inserted beneath a skin surface. The needle may include an electrically conducting structure at least partially surrounded by an electrical insulator for conducting electrical energy. The needle may include an outer lumen and an inner lumen extending distally within the outer lumen, the inner lumen include a distal opening open to the outer lumen. The needle may be positioned at a desired location in proximity to the nerve, and a cooling therapy including cooling cycles and thawing periods may be performed to cool tissue at the desired location. The cooling therapy may sufficiently reduce the back pain.

A device for cooling a living tissue is disclosed. The cooling device solves severe patient's waiting and clinic work load due to time-consuming anesthesia required by conventional therapies. The cooling device also significantly reduces psychological burden and pain of the patient for ocular anesthesia. The cooling device includes a cooling unit configured to cool a target area and a heat dissipating unit configured to dissipate heat from the cooling unit. The heat dissipating unit is also configured to regulate internal air flow to increase heat dissipating efficiency.