Method and apparatus for dermatological hypopigmentation
US9801677B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 7, 2009 |
| Grant date | Oct 31, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 25, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61F2007/0292
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
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.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.