Wrinkle reduction

Abstract

Wrinkles are cosmetically removed from a superficial area of mammalian skin tissue having an epidermal layer, a basal layer, and a dermal layer, by irradiating the dermal layer through the basal layer, the irradiation being selected to be absorbed by a chromophore in the dermal layer such that collagen present in the dermal layer is heated, while the basal layer remains intact so as to substantially inhibit contact of the dermal layer with ambient air.

1 . Apparatus for cosmetic reduction of wrinkles on superficial mammalian skin, the apparatus comprising a radiation delivery system for delivering substantially monochromatic radiation, said radiation being in a wavelength bandwidth of substantially 15 nm or less and in at least one of the ranges 570 nm to 600 nm and 750 nm to 850 nm, the delivery system including a pulsation system for pulsing the radiation delivered according to a predetermined regime in which the radiation delivered to the skin has an energy density substantially in the range 0.5 J/cm 2  to 5 J/cm 2  per pulse.  
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the radiation delivery system is set up to deliver the substantially monochromatic radiation in a bandwidth of substantially 15 nm or less substantially in at least one of the ranges 577 nm to 585 nm and 800 nm to 815 nm.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the radiation delivery system is set up to deliver radiation in a concentrated beam having a cross-section with a substantially uniform energy distribution across said beam cross section.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the radiation delivery system is set up to deliver radiation in a concentrated beam having a diameter substantially in the range 1 mm to 10 mm.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pulsation system is set up to provide radiation pulses each pulse having a duration substantially in the range 10 μs to 2 ms.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pulsation system is set up to provide radiation pulses each pulse having a duration substantially in the range 200 μs to 1 ms.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the radiation delivery system comprises a laser radiation delivery system.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the laser radiation delivery system comprises a dye laser radiation delivery system.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the dye laser radiation delivery system comprises a flashlamp pumped dye laser including a pulse forming network arranged to pulse the laser according to the predetermined pulse regime.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the laser radiation delivery system comprises a semiconductor laser radiation delivery system.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the radiation delivery means includes a radiation emitting LED device.  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the radiation delivery means includes at least one radiation filter arranged to filter radiation to permit the substantially monochromatic radiation to be delivered to the skin.  
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a control system arranged to permit the energy density to be varied within the range 0.5 J/cm 2  and 5 J/cm 2 .  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the control means is arranged to inhibit selection of an energy density substantially above 5 J/cm 2 .  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus for cosmetic reduction of wrinkles on a superficial area of mammalian skin, the apparatus comprising a radiation delivery system for delivering a radiation beam of predetermined monochromatic wavelength or narrow wavelength bandwidth to the skin, the radiation delivery system including a pulsation system for pulsing the radiation delivered according to a predetermined regime such that the total radiation energy density delivered to the skin is substantially in the range 0.5 J/cm 2  to 5 J/cm 2  per pulse.  
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 15 , which includes an optical arrangement for focussing the beam.  
     
     
         17 . A method of cosmetically removing wrinkles from a superficial area of mammalian skin tissue having, in the order specified, an epidermal layer, a basal layer, and a dermal layer, which method comprises: irradiating said dermal layer through said basal layer by means of visible or infra-red radiation, said irradiation being selected to be absorbed by a chromophore in said dermal layer such that collagen present in said dermal layer is heated, while said basal layer remains intact so as to substantially inhibit contact of said dermal layer with ambient air.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the irradiation is from a substantially monochromatic radiation source in a bandwidth of substantially 15 nm or less.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein said irradiation is from a coherent radiation source.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the source comprises a ruby laser arranged to target the dermis.  
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the source comprises a dye laser of wavelength selected to target oxyhemoglobin present in blood vessels in said dermal layer.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the source comprises a dye laser, a ruby laser, or a semiconductor laser which scans said area of mammalian skin tissue.  
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the laser comprising said source is pulsed.  
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein the pulsed laser has pulses of duration 10 μsec to 2 msec.  
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 17 , in which said superficial area of mammalian skin tissue is treated with an artificial chromophore which is absorbed into the dermal layer.  
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 25 , wherein the artificial chromophore is applied to the epidermal layer in the form of a liposome-containing topical formulation.