Infrared Emitting Hair Roller And Methods Of Use

Abstract

A hair roller and roller cover that emit electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths that directly affect the disulfide bonds in hair (and may also affect alterations in secondary protein structure). The invention includes methods of perming hair and a kit of infrared emitting hair rollers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An infrared emitting hair roller that emits electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths that directly cleave disulfide bonds in hair. 
     
     
         2 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 1  comprising:
 a hollow cylindrical shaft having an interior, an inner surface and an outer surface; 
 one or more sources of infrared radiation inside the shaft; 
 a power source capable of activating the one or more sources of infrared radiation. 
 
     
     
         3 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 2  wherein the cylindrical shaft is such that, when the infrared radiation sources are on, a hair shaping-effective amount of infrared light can escape from the shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 3  wherein the shaft has a number of holes that pass from the interior of the shaft to the outer surface of the shaft. 
     
     
         5 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 3  wherein the shaft is translucent or transparent. 
     
     
         6 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 5  wherein the shaft is made out of polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, glass or glass-ceramic. 
     
     
         7 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 2  wherein the one or more sources of infrared radiation comprises an array of light emitting diodes located inside the cylindrical shaft of the roller. 
     
     
         8 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 7  wherein the light emitting diodes are electrically connected to the power source by using printed circuit technology to deposit conductive material on the inner surface of the roller. 
     
     
         9 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 7  wherein the array of light emitting diodes rests on a flexible substrate having conductive material deposited thereon. 
     
     
         10 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 2  wherein the one or more sources of infrared radiation comprises one or more incandescent bulbs. 
     
     
         11 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 2  wherein the one or more sources of infrared radiation comprises one or more materials that naturally emit in the infrared part of the spectrum. 
     
     
         12 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more emitting materials must be activated to emit in the infrared part of the spectrum. 
     
     
         13 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 12 , wherein the emitting material is activated by heating to a temperature above 25° C. 
     
     
         14 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 13 , further comprising a heating element that is able to raise the temperature of the emitter material to 40° C. to 175° C. 
     
     
         15 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 12 , wherein, once activated, the one or more emitting materials emit infrared radiation at a wavelength and intensity that is effective to reshape human hair in less than ten minutes. 
     
     
         16 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more emitting materials are selected from the group consisting of tourmalines, ceramics, graphite, gypsums, and clays. 
     
     
         17 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 2  wherein the one or more sources of infrared radiation emits a negligible amount of UV light, from a skin safety point of view. 
     
     
         18 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 2  wherein the power source is a charge storing device located inside the cylindrical shaft. 
     
     
         19 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 18  wherein the charge storing device is rechargeable and/or can be removed from the electric circuit of the roller for disposal. 
     
     
         20 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 2  in which the intensity of the infrared radiation source is variable, and controllable by a user. 
     
     
         21 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 2  further comprising an on-off switch that is operable by a user. 
     
     
         22 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 2  further comprising a roller cover that can be placed over the roller and removed from the roller. 
     
     
         23 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 22  in which the roller cover completes an electric circuit between the power source and the IR source, when the cover is placed over the roller. 
     
     
         24 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 22  wherein an internal surface of the roller cover reflects infrared radiation. 
     
     
         25 . The infrared emitting hair roller of  claim 22  wherein an internal surface of the roller cover comprises source of infrared light. 
     
     
         26 . A method of perming hair comprising the steps of:
 providing an infrared emitting hair roller that emits electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths that directly affect the disulfide bonds in hair;   securing a tress of hair about the roller;   activating the roller to emit photons that are able to cleave disulfide bonds; and   causing the photons to be directly absorbed by the disulfide bonds in the hair.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of covering the roller and hair tress with a roller cover, to prevent light leakage to other parts of the hair outside the tress being treated. 
     
     
         28 . A kit comprising:
 multiple infrared emitting rollers, each roller comprising:   a hollow cylindrical shaft having an interior;   one or more sources of infrared radiation inside the shaft;   an electric charge storing device inside the shaft, electrically connected to the one or more sources of infrared radiation; and   a base for holding the rollers, wherein the base is also a charging station for the charge storing devices.   
     
     
         29 . The kit of  claim 28  wherein the base comprises electronic circuitry that includes a programmable element.