Apparatuses and methods for treating neurological and/or neuropsychiatric disorders are by application of thermal energy to the patient's forehead region, for example, by maintaining a target temperature or temperature range to the forehead of a patient for a time period. In particular, described herein are regional brain cooling mechanisms to treat neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, and autism.

A thermal control unit for controlling a patient's temperature includes a fluid outlet for delivering temperature-controlled fluid to a patient, a pump, a heat exchanger, and a controller that automatically pauses thermal treatment of the patient prior the patient reaching a target temperature. During the pause, the controller assesses a reaction of the patient and changes a temperature of the fluid only inside the thermal control unit if the patient is likely to reach the target temperature without further thermal treatment. However, if the patient is unlikely to reach the target temperature without further thermal treatment, the controller restarts the thermal treatment. The controller may pause thermal treatment again prior to reaching the target temperature and assess the patient's reaction. In some embodiments, the controller may selectively include and exclude a fluid reservoir in a circulation channel within the thermal control unit.

A cold/hot compress strip device with a quick replaceable compress strip and an efficient cold/hot switch includes a host machine and a flexible compress strip fixable to an affected part on a human body surface, and the host machine can pump the cooled cold water from its container into the compress strip and circulate the cold water in the compress strip for cold compress, or can quickly discharge the cold water in the compress strip, and drive a heating film on the compress strip to generate heat for hot compress, so as to achieve an efficient cold/hot switch, and the compress strip can be replaced quickly as needed. The application of the cold/hot compress strip device is very simple and practical.

A cold/hot compress device with efficient cold/hot switch and quick compress strip replacement includes a host machine and a flexible compress strip, and the host machine can pump the cooled water into the compress strip for a cold compress of an affected part on a human body surface and also can quickly discharge the cold water contained in the compress strip and drive a heating film to generate heat for a hot compress without the need of heating the cold water for an efficient cold/hot switch. The flexible compress strip can be replaced quickly as needed, and its application is very simple and practical.

A method and system in accordance with a particular embodiments of the technology includes applying a substance onto skin of a human subject. The applied substance can include a freezing point depressant and a liposome, an oil-in-water emulsion, a water-in-oil emulsion, or an oil-in-oil emulsion and can be configured to protect or target tissue. The substance and a surface of the skin can be cooled using the applicator to treat acne and other skin conditions.

Systems and methods for affecting metabolism, such as the treatment of metabolic syndrome are disclosed. A method for treating metabolic syndrome can include one or more of the steps including identifying a region of the patient comprising glabrous tissue; positioning the region of the patient comprising glabrous tissue into an enclosed chamber; adjusting the relative humidity of the enclosed chamber sufficient to create a physiologic metabolic effect; and activating a convection fan within the chamber to promote heat transfer from the glabrous tissue. The method need not involve altering the temperature within the enclosed chamber.

A cooling device for removing heat from subcutaneous lipid-rich cells of a subject having skin is provided. The cooling device includes a support having a first portion and a second portion. A first cooling element having a first heat exchanging surface is located at the first portion of the support. A second cooling element having a second heat exchanging surface is located at the second portion of the support. At least one of the first and second cooling elements is movable along the support and is configured to rotate for adjusting an angle between the first and second heat exchanging surfaces.

A handpiece including a cooling device for a skin care device used for improving or treating a skin. The handpiece includes: a case; a cooling head part mounted at a fore-end inside the case and configured to generate cooling energy; a cooling plate part which has a rear end for receiving the cooling energy from the cooling head part and has a fore-end that cools a treatment site through the contact with the skin; a needle part which includes needles for penetrating into the skin during the procedure for skin care; and a linear motor unit which includes a driving unit configured to penetrate the cooling head part is coupled to the needle, and a motor unit located at a rear of the cooling head part and inducing a linear movement of the needle part by a forward and backward movement of a driving unit.

A thermostatic massage pad includes: a thermostatic pad, wherein a thermostatic water pipe is arranged inside the thermostatic pad; a cooling pad, wherein a cooling water pipe is arranged inside the cooling pad; a casing, wherein a thermostatic water pump and a cooling water pump are respectively arranged inside the casing, a thermostatic water tank is arranged at a top of the thermostatic water pump, a cooling water tank is arranged at a top of the cooling water pump, a water inlet end of the thermostatic water pump is connected to a water outlet of the thermostatic water tank, and a water inlet end of the cooling water pump is connected to a water outlet of the cooling water tank; a thermoelectric cooler, wherein an end surface of the thermoelectric cooler is fixedly connected to a wall surface of the thermostatic water tank.

A heat exchange module having a heat transfer fluid channel and a heat transfer plate in heat transfer relation with fluid in the channel. The reference side of a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) is in thermal contact with the plate. A heat transfer tile is in thermal contact with a user side of the TEC. The module is configured to be operatively positionable with the tile in heat transfer relation with skin of a patient.