Eye-Safe Dermatologic Treatment Apparatus and Method

Abstract

A dermatologic treatment apparatus is disclosed which includes one or more housings with at least one housing configured for manipulation in a dermatologic treatment procedure, a light source, and an electrical circuit. The circuit energizes the light source to produce output light pulses. A light path includes an aperture through which eye-safe light pulses are propagated having properties sufficient for providing efficacious treatment. An optical diffuser is disposed along the light path to reduce the integrated radiance to an eye-safe level. The apparatus produces an output fluence not less than 4 J/cm 2 .

1 - 78 . (canceled) 
   
   
       79 . A method for performing a hair-removal procedure on a human comprising the steps of
 directing an optical outlet at a target area of a human,   providing a light source generating collimated light of 4-100 J/cm 2  across the optical outlet and having sufficient fluence to effect a hair-removal dermatological treatment; and   diffusing the light so that the light emitted from the optical outlet is eye safe.   
   
   
       80 . The method of  claim 79  wherein the fluence is sufficient that the hair removal is permanent. 
   
   
       81 . The method of  claim 79  wherein the light source generates pulses of light. 
   
   
       82 . The method of  claim 79  wherein the light is primarily within a spectral band of 500 nm to 1100 nm. 
   
   
       83 . The method of  claim 81  wherein the pulses have a pulse duration between 10 milliseconds and 1 second. 
   
   
       84 . The method of  claim 79  wherein the light source is divergent. 
   
   
       85 . The method of  claim 79  wherein the providing step includes distributing light substantially uniformly across the optical outlet.