Skin treatment method and apparatus

Abstract

A method of treating a skin tissue area (3) having a skin surface (5) is provided. The method comprises the steps of: deforming the skin tissue area into a deformed shape comprising a plurality of folds (17) in the skin tissue area; arranging radiofrequency electrodes (13) in contact with the skin surface on opposite sides of the deformed skin tissue area; and, while maintaining the skin tissue area in said deformed shape, providing a spatially continuous radiofrequency energy flow between the radiofrequency electrodes on opposite sides of the deformed skin tissue area through the deformed skin tissue area, thereby heating at least a portion (19) of the deformed skin tissue area; and releasing the skin tissue area from said deformed shape, thereby deforming said heated portion (19) into a wave-shaped zone of heated skin tissue having a depth relative to the skin surface that varies between a minimum and a maximum value in a direction between said opposite sides. Accordingly, an apparatus for treating a skin tissue area (3) is provided.

Claims

1. A method of operating an apparatus for treating a skin tissue area having a skin surface, comprising the steps of: deforming the skin tissue area into a deformed shape comprising a plurality of folds in the skin tissue area; arranging radiofrequency electrodes in contact with the skin surface on opposite sides of the deformed skin tissue area; and while maintaining the skin tissue area in said deformed shape, providing a spatially continuous radiofrequency energy flow between the radiofrequency electrodes on opposite sides of the deformed skin tissue area through the deformed skin tissue area, thereby heating at least a portion of the deformed skin tissue area; providing one or more signals from a profilometer to a controller on a height profile of said skin tissue area in said deformed shape; adjusting the deformation of said skin tissue area to provide at least one of a desired amplitude or wavelength responsive to said one or more signals provided by the profilometer to the controller; and releasing the skin tissue area from said deformed shape.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said released skin tissue area from said deformed shape yields a wave-shaped zone of heated skin tissue having a depth relative to the skin surface that varies between a minimum and a maximum value in a direction between said opposite sides.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising detecting a temperature profile of the wave-shaped zone of heated skin tissue.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising determining a depth profile of the zone of heated skin tissue with respect to a maximum of the temperature profile perpendicular to the skin surface.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising determining a depth profile of the zone of heated skin tissue with respect to one or more isotherms in the skin tissue.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing the spatially continuous radiofrequency energy flow between the radiofrequency electrodes and through the deformed skin tissue area comprises heating at least a portion of the deformed skin tissue area to a temperature in the range of 60-70 degrees Celsius.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIGS. 1-4 show steps of a method of treating a skin tissue area;

(3) FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of skin tissue treated with the method;

(4) FIG. 6 indicates skin tissue treated with fractional RF treatment, for comparison;

(5) FIG. 7 is a top view of skin tissue treated with the method;

(6) FIGS. 8-12 are thermographs of steps of a method of treating a skin tissue area, a corresponding cartoon and a graph of a measurement result, respectively;

(7) FIG. 13 indicates an embodiment of an apparatus for treating a skin tissue area as disclosed herein;

(8) FIGS. 14A-14F indicate mask patterns for use in embodiments of an apparatus;

(9) FIGS. 15A-15B indicate another embodiment of an apparatus for treating a skin tissue area as disclosed herein;

(10) FIGS. 16A-16B indicate part of an embodiment of an apparatus with a combination mask and electrode arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(11) It is noted that, in the drawings, like features may be identified with like reference signs. It is further noted that the drawings are schematic, not necessarily to scale and that details that are not required for understanding the present invention may have been omitted. The terms “upward”, “downward”, “below”, “above”, and the like relate to the embodiments as oriented in the drawings. Further, elements that are at least substantially identical or that perform an at least substantially identical function are denoted by the same numeral.

(12) FIGS. 1 and 2 show steps of the method of treating a skin tissue area. FIGS. 1 and 2 show in cross section an apparatus 1 for treating skin tissue, which apparatus is placed on a human skin tissue area 3. The skin tissue area 3 has a skin surface 5, an epidermis layer 7, a dermis layer 9 and a dermal-epidermal junction 11. Below the dermis layer 9 further tissue layers are present, which are not shown. The apparatus 1 comprises a number of radiofrequency (RF) electrodes 13, arrangeable in contact with the skin surface 5, and a power source 15 connected with the RF electrodes 13 to apply RF energy to the skin tissue area 3.

(13) In this embodiment, the RF electrodes 13 are configured to be brought into frictional contact with the skin surface 5, and to be movable with respect to each other (indicated with the arrows in FIG. 1) to thereby deform the skin tissue area 3 between the electrodes 13 from an initial shape (FIG. 1) into a deformed shape (FIG. 2) having a plurality of folds 17 in the skin tissue area 3 with relative protrusions and depressions of a desired amplitude and distance relative to each other, so that the dermal-epidermal junction 11 is folded into an oscillating wavy shape (FIG. 2).

(14) FIG. 3 indicates operation of the RF source 15, with the RF electrodes 13 in bipolar configuration and the polarity of the electrodes being varied with respect to each other, at high radiofrequency, while maintaining the skin tissue area 3 in the deformed shape. The RF energy flow will take the path of least electrical resistance between the RF electrodes 13 which generally corresponds to the shortest geometrical path. Thus, a spatially continuous radiofrequency energy flow is provided from one RF electrode 13 to the RF electrode 13 on the opposite side of the deformed skin tissue area 3 through the deformed skin tissue area 3, wherein the RF energy is distributed in a skin tissue zone 19 extending at varying depths with respect to the skin surface 5, here also crossing the dermal-epidermal junction 11. The RF energy is dissipated in the skin tissue zone 19 and heats it. The temperature and spatial extent of the skin tissue zone 19 are related to the power and duration of the applied RF energy.

(15) FIG. 4 shows that, if (the pinching force on) the skin tissue 3 is released and the folds 17 are removed, the skin tissue zone 19 that has been heated by the RF energy retains its depth variation relative to the skin surface and the skin tissue zone 19 is accordingly deformed into a wave-shaped zone having a depth that varies between a minimum and a different maximum value relative to the skin surface in a direction between said opposite sides. The depth profile of the heated skin tissue may be suitably determined with respect to (a maximum of) the temperature profile perpendicular to the skin surface and/or with respect to one or more isotherms in the skin tissue. The minimum depth value may be substantially zero and the maximum depth value may be several millimeters or even over a centimeter for deep skin folds 17, e.g. on a person's belly- or back region.

(16) FIG. 5 shows the skin tissue area 3 of FIG. 4 without the apparatus 1. FIG. 6 indicates an RF energy distribution, and thus the associated heating pattern, envisioned when using a known fractional RF apparatus with a relatively dense electrode pattern indicated by means of the bold arrows. The similarity will be striking to the skilled reader. However, as set out above, the RF fields between each pair of adjacent electrodes extend generally to little depth, which depth cannot be accurately controlled. Further, fractional RF systems and the use thereof are significantly more complex and delicate as compared to the present apparatus and method.

(17) FIG. 7 is a schematic top view of the skin surface 5 of a skin tissue area 3 treated with an embodiment of the presently provided method, indicating a striped pattern of heated (dark) versus cooler (light) skin tissue portions, corresponding to superficial and deep portions of the heated skin tissue zone 19, respectively. The temperature of the relatively superficial portions, corresponding to the bottoms of the folds 17, is indicative of the temperature in the deeper regions corresponding to the maxima of the folds 17.

(18) FIGS. 8, 9 and 11 show photographs, taken with a temperature-sensitive camera, of an underarm of a test subject. FIG. 10 is a cartoon of FIGS. 8 and 9. The thermal images were recorded with an FLIR infrared camera adjusted for the emissivity of human skin (0.98). For this experimental system, bipolar RF electrodes were embedded into fingers of a flexible glove, allowing simultaneous skin manipulation and RF treatment. FIG. 10 shows the underarm 21, the positions of the fingers 23 and the associated electrodes 13, as well as the folds 17 in the treated skin tissue area 3.

(19) FIG. 8 shows skin tissue being pinched between (the fingers 22 carrying) the RF electrodes, with individual folds 17 indicated with arrows, see also FIG. 10. The color scale corresponds to a surface temperature range of about 29.2-33.5° C. FIG. 9 shows the effect of RF being applied to the pinched area of FIG. 8 for 2.0 seconds, increasing the average surface temperature between the electrodes to 33° C. from about 31° C. FIG. 11 shows the effect of the heating when the pinching pressure is released. Generally linear and parallel portions with elevated surface temperatures of about 32.7° C. have been created in between the electrodes. FIG. 12 shows a line profile analysis through the heated zone as indicated in FIG. 11, showing the periodic surface temperature pattern created by the RF energy, comparable to FIG. 7. This allows controlling the operation of the apparatus by employing a suitable thermometer and a controller.

(20) FIG. 13 shows, similar to FIGS. 1-4, an embodiment of an apparatus 1′ that is particularly suitable for skin tissue areas 3 that are not easily folded by pinching as explained supra, comprising a mechanical deformer 25 in the form of a mask comprising a pattern of electrically insulating protrusions 27 corresponding to the plurality of folds 17 to be formed into the skin tissue area 3.

(21) Top views of typical patterns of electrodes 13 and protrusions 27 for forming a one-dimensional array of depressions and folds into the skin tissue area 3 to be treated are shown in FIGS. 14A-14D, and FIGS. 14E-14F similarly show exemplary patterns of protrusions 27 configured to deform the skin tissue area 3 into a deformed shape comprising a two-dimensional array of skin tissue folds 17. The deformer can have pins or edges of any type and/or configuration, e.g. as indicated in FIG. 14A, pins 27 placed in line with RF electrodes 13 and/or elongated edges placed in line with electrodes 13 as in FIGS. 14B-14C. The electrodes 13 can have different geometries and can even have a high aspect ratio to cover a significant area of skin. Other patterns, possibly irregularly shaped and/or producing non-equidistant or unevenly deep skin tissue folds, are equally conceivable.

(22) FIGS. 15A-15B show, similar to FIGS. 1-4 and 13, a further embodiment of an apparatus 1″ comprising a mechanical deformer 29 comprising a plurality of electrically insulating protrusions 27 connected with a vacuum system 31 capable of providing a sub-atmospheric pressure between at least some of the protrusions 27. When the deformer 29 is placed in contact with the skin surface 3 and the vacuum system is activated, the skin 3 can be sucked into the areas 33 of negative pressure between the protrusions 27 and conform to the edges 27 forming the desired folds 17 (FIG. 15B). The vacuum pressure may be controlled by employing a suitable profilometer and a controller.

(23) In a preferred embodiment, the insulating deformer portions 27 and RF electrodes 13 are integrated into a single series of objects, forming folds 17 by doming of the skin 3 between the objects when they are pressed against the skin surface 5. Such an arrangement is shown in the embodiment of FIG. 16A, the use of which is shown in FIG. 16B in similar fashion as in FIGS. 1-4, 13 and 15A-15B. The shown embodiment, resembling a known shaving device, enables the production of a radial pattern of skin folds 17 and associated heated skin tissue zones 19.

(24) In particular for flexible skin portions, e.g. facial skin, deforming features 27 of a skin deformer may be closely spaced in the millimeter or even sub-millimeter range, and fold amplitudes in the range of about 100-300 micrometer, e.g. in a range of about 150-250 micrometer, may suffice for suitable heating of the dermal-epidermal junction which may be located at a depth of about 100-200 micrometer from the skin surface. Little separation between the RF electrodes 13 may reduce the RF power required for suitable skin tissue heating.

(25) The presently provided apparatus allows treating much smaller zones of tissue layers than known devices, which serve to treat skin tissue areas of 1-50 cm.sup.2, typically regions of about 10 cm.sup.2. However, the use of the present apparatus and method is not dictated by inter-electrode distances and much smaller treatment areas and/or details are possible. For example, folded tissue areas with an interdistance of 0.1-2 cm (with respect to a direction generally perpendicular to the folds) and electrode sizes of 0.1-1 cm are possible, resulting in heated tissue zones with typical sizes and/or details of the order of 0.01-2 cm.sup.2. Also, in apparatus using vacuum pressure a relatively small under-pressure may suffice, e.g. 0.01-0.05 atmosphere (negative pressure) with respect to ambient pressure. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. For instance, any template capable of forming at least two skin protrusions can be used with both positive and negative pressure vacuum configurations. The fold depth and interfold distance can be varied to influence the treatment.

(26) The deformer or the vacuum surface can be used to conductively cool the skin to enhance the RF heating in deeper tissue layers.

(27) An additional feature of the skin manipulation can be a profilometer, e.g. a contact sensor and/or an optical sensor that facilitate determination of whether the amplitude of at least a portion of the skin tissue folds, e.g. particular skin tissue protrusions between deformer structures, are sufficient to trigger application of RF current.

(28) Any type of RF power settings can be used. In one embodiment, a frequency of 1 MHz and a power of 25 W is applied to the skin for a sustained period in the range of 1 msec-5 sec.

(29) In any one of the embodiments of an apparatus 1, 1′, 1″ according to the invention described before, the apparatus may comprise a control unit configured and arranged to operate the apparatus so as to form the skin tissue area into the desired deformed shape comprising a plurality of folds in the skin tissue area, maintain the skin tissue area in the deformed shape by application of the skin tissue deformer, and apply the desired spatially continuous radiofrequency energy flow through the deformed skin tissue area by application of the radiofrequency electrodes when arranged on opposite sides of the deformed skin tissue area, and release the skin tissue area from said deformed shape by application of the skin tissue deformer after application of the spatially continuous radiofrequency energy flow.

(30) It is further noted that in the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different embodiments and/or dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. A computer program may be stored or distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.