Controlled strain skin treatment devices and methods

Abstract

Devices, kits and methods described herein may be for wound healing, including but not limited to the treatment, amelioration, or prevention of scars and/or keloids. The packaging, manipulation elements, applicator and/or tensioning device maybe used to apply and/or maintain a strain in an elastic dressing.

1 . A skin treatment system, comprising:
 an elastic planar structure with a load per millimeter width of at least 0.1 newtons at a strain of at least 0.4; and   a strain limiter coupled to the elastic planar structure and configured to resist straining of the elastic planar structure beyond a predetermined strain.   
     
     
         2 . The skin treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the strain limiter comprises a first handle at a first end of the strain limiter, and a second handle at a second end of the strain limiter. 
     
     
         3 . The skin treatment system of  claim 2 , comprising at least two elongate strain limiting structures. 
     
     
         4 . The skin treatment system of  claim 3 , wherein the first handle is contiguously coupled to the elastic planar structure between the first ends of the at least two elongate strain limiting structures. 
     
     
         5 . The skin treatment system of  claim 3 , wherein the first handle is non-contiguously coupled to the elastic planar structure between the first ends of the at least two elongate strain limiting structures. 
     
     
         6 . The skin treatment system of  claim 4 , wherein the second handle is contiguously coupled to the elastic planar structure between the second ends of the at least two elongate strain limiting structures. 
     
     
         7 . The skin treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined strain is at least 0.2. 
     
     
         8 . The skin treatment system of  claim 7 , wherein the predetermined strain is at least 0.4. 
     
     
         9 . The skin treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the strain limiter is releasably coupled to the elastic planar structure. 
     
     
         10 . The skin treatment system of  claim 9 , wherein the strain limiter is adhered to the elastic planar structure using an adhesive. 
     
     
         11 . The skin treatment system of  claim 10 , wherein the adhesive comprises a shear-resistance to a force level that is greater than the T-peel resistance to the force level. 
     
     
         12 . The skin treatment system of  claim 2 , wherein the first handle and the second handle comprises a substantially inelastic material relative to the elastic planar structure. 
     
     
         13 . The skin treatment system of  claim 12 , wherein the substantially inelastic material is a semi-rigid or rigid material. 
     
     
         14 . The skin treatment system of  claim 9 , wherein the strain limiter comprises at least one flexible, inelastic elongate element. 
     
     
         15 . The skin treatment system of  claim 14 , wherein the elastic planar structure comprises an unstrained configuration in which a distance between a first attachment region of the strain limiter and a second attachment region of the strain limiter is less than a length of the strain limiter between the first attachment region and the second attachment region. 
     
     
         16 . The skin treatment system of  claim 15 , wherein the elastic planar structure comprises a strained configuration at the predetermined strain wherein the distance between the first attachment region of the strain limiter and a second attachment region of the strain limiter is substantially equal to the a length of the strain limiter between the first attachment region and the second attachment region. 
     
     
         17 . The skin treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic planar structure comprises an unstrained configuration in which a first distance between a first attachment region of the limiter and a second attachment region of the strain limiter is less than a length of the strain limiter. 
     
     
         18 . The skin treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the strain limiter comprises a folded board with at least three two folds. 
     
     
         19 . The skin treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the strain limiter comprises a ratchet and pawl mechanism. 
     
     
         20 . The skin treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the strain limiter is selectively configured to resist straining of the elastic planar structure beyond a plurality of predetermined strains. 
     
     
         21 . The skin treatment system of  claim 20 , wherein each of the plurality of predetermined strains comprise graphical indicia on the strain limiter. 
     
     
         22 . A skin treatment system, comprising
 an elastic structure;   first and second handles attached to opposite regions of the elastic structure, wherein the first and second handles are coupled to the elastic structure and configured to provide a substantially uniform tensile force across the elastic structure; and   a strain indicator.   
     
     
         23 . The skin treatment system of  claim 22 , wherein the strain indicator comprises graphical indicia of the degree of strain. 
     
     
         24 . The skin treatment system of  claim 22 , wherein the strain indicator comprises numerical indicia of the degree of strain.