Skin treating device with protection against radiation pulse overdose

Abstract

A device for the treatment of skin by radiation pulses. The device has a detector measuring a biophysical property of skin, such as temperature increase, dispersion or absorption coefficient, or reflection coefficient for light having a predetermined wavelength, and also has a control unit which determines, from the biophysical property, a safe dose of radiation. The device automatically protects against an overdose from the radiation source. The invention can be used, not only in a hair removing device such as a laser epilator, a laser shaver or a flashlight epilator, but also in devices for the medical treatment of skin by means of radiation, such as photodermatology systems.

1 - 14 . (canceled)  
     
     
         15 . A device for treating skin with a radiation pulse, the device comprising: 
 imaging means for imaging the skin to determine at least one target position on the skin;    testing and measuring means for testing the skin subsequent to an imaging of the skin to thereby measure at least one biophysical property of the skin;    dose determining means for determining a maximum pulse dose of the radiation pulse for the skin as a function of at least one measurement of the least one biophysical property of the skin; and    pulse generating means for generating the radiation pulse with a treatment pulse dose equal to or less than the maximum pulse dose.    
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the testing and measuring means measures a temperature of the skin.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the testing and measuring means measures a variation of a temperature of the skin.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the testing and measuring means compares a temperature of the skin as related to a predetermined critical value.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the testing and measuring means measures a scattering coefficient of the skin.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the testing and measuring means measures an absorption coefficient of the skin.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the testing and measuring means measures a reflection coefficient of the skin.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the treatment pulse dose removes hair from the skin without substantially effecting the skin.  
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the pulse generating stage includes a laser source as a source of the radiation pulse.  
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the pulse generating stage includes a flashlight as a source of the radiation pulse.  
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the radiation pulse is one of a plurality of radiation pulses and the pulse generating means is a means for generating all of the plurality of treatment pulse doses during a treatment of the skin with a treatment pulse dose equal or less than the maximum pulse dose.  
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the device comprises an exit opening, the imaging means images the skin opposite the exit opening, the radiation pulse is one of a plurality of radiation pulses and all of the plurality of the treatment pulses during a treatment of the skin are emitted through the exit opening.  
     
     
         27 . A method for treating skin with a radiation pulse, the method comprising 
 an imaging step for imaging the skin to determine at least one target position on the skin;    a testing and measuring step for testing the skin subsequent to an imaging of the skin to thereby measure at least one biophysical property of the skin;    a dose determining step for determining a maximum pulse dose of the radiation pulse for the skin as a function of at least one measurement of the least one biophysical property of the skin; and    a pulse generating step for generating the radiation pulse with a treatment pulse dose equal to or less than the maximum pulse dose.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the testing and measuring step measures a temperature of the skin.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the testing and measuring step measures a variation of a temperature of the skin.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the testing and measuring step compares a temperature of the skin as related to a predetermined critical value.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the testing and measuring step measures a scattering coefficient of the skin.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the testing and measuring step measures an absorption coefficient of the skin.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the testing and measuring step measures a reflection coefficient of the skin.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the treatment pulse dose removes hair from the skin without substantially effecting the skin.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein a source of the radiation pulse is a laser source.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein a source of the radiation pulse is a flashlight.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the radiation pulse is one of a plurality of radiation pulses and the pulse generating means is a means for generating all of the plurality of treatment pulse doses during a treatment of the skin with a treatment pulse dose equal or less than the maximum pulse dose.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 27  comprising a radiation dose administering step, wherein the radiation dose administering step and the imaging step are effected through the same exit opening of a housing.  
     
     
         39 . A device for treating skin with a radiation pulse, the device comprising: 
 an imaging stage operable to image the skin to determine at least one target position on the skin;    a controller;    a testing and measuring stage operable by the controller to test the skin subsequent to an imaging of the skin to thereby measure at least one biophysical property of the skin;    a dose determining stage operable by the controller to determine a maximum pulse dose of the radiation pulse for the skin as a function of at least one measurement of the least one biophysical property of the skin; and    a pulse generating stage operable by the controller to generate the radiation pulse with a treatment pulse dose equal to or less than the maximum pulse dose.    
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein the controller operates the testing and measuring stage to measure temperature of the skin.  
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein the controller operates the testing and measuring stage to measure a variation of a temperature of the skin.  
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein the controller operates the testing and measuring stage to compare a temperature of the skin as related to a predetermined critical value.  
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein the controller operates the testing and measuring stage to measure a scattering coefficient of the skin.  
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein the controller operates the testing and measuring stage to measure an absorption coefficient of the skin.  
     
     
         45 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein the controller operates the testing and measuring stage to measure a reflection coefficient of the skin.  
     
     
         46 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein the treatment pulse dose removes hair from the skin without substantially effecting the skin.  
     
     
         47 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein the pulse generating stage includes a laser source as a source of the radiation pulse.  
     
     
         48 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein the pulse generating stage includes a flashlight as a source of the radiation pulse.  
     
     
         49 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein the radiation pulse is one of a plurality of radiation pulses and the pulse generating stage is a operable by the controller to generate all of the plurality of treatment pulse doses during a treatment of the skin only with a treatment pulse dose equal or less than the maximum pulse dose.  
     
     
         50 . The device of  claim 39 , the device comprising an exit opening, the imaging stage being operable to image the skin opposite the exit opening, the radiation pulse being one of a plurality of treatment pulses, all of the plurality of the treatment pulses during a treatment of the skin being emitted through the exit opening.