Non-invasive fat removal

Abstract

A device for massaging skin, including, a RF generator adapted to generate a radio frequency AC current to heat fat tissue in the adipose layer of the skin, an electrical pulse generator adapted to generate pulses of DC current to provide electrical muscle stimulation for the muscles below the adipose layer, an applicator including one or more heads adapted to be placed in contact with the user's skin; and wherein the heads serve as massage contacts to massage the outer layer of a user's skin above the adipose layer or as electrodes to deliver the AC current and DC current, or as both.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A non-invasive fat removal device for fat reduction in a patient's skin treatment area by causing liquification and release of fat from fat cells contained in an adipose tissue layer into an extra cellular tissue of the patient's skin treatment area for lymphatic drainage therefrom, the adipose tissue layer overlying a muscle layer, the non-invasive fat removal device comprising:
 an electrical pulse generator to provide electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to the muscle layer located below the adipose tissue layer;   a radio frequency (RF) generator to provide RF energy to heat fat tissue in the adipose tissue layer of the patient's skin treatment area to cause liquification of the fat cells; and   a handheld applicator including at least two electrodes to be placed in contact with the patient's skin treatment area for applying electrical energy thereto;   at least one electrode of said at least two electrodes being in electrical contact with said electrical pulse generator;   at least one electrode of said at least two electrodes being in electrical contact with said RF generator;   said handheld applicator being intended to be manually pressed on the patient's skin treatment area and moved back and forth thereby positively massaging the patient's skin treatment area from above;   a control board configured to control the radio frequency (RF) generator and the electrical pulse generator;   said control board controlling said RF generator to provide RF energy to heat fat tissue in the adipose tissue layer to cause liquification of the fat cells while said electrical pulse generator applies electrical energy in the form of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to the patient's skin treatment area for stimulating muscles below the adipose tissue layer during said back and forth motion of the handheld application so that the adipose tissue layer is pressurized from above and below;   wherein such heating of the fat tissue in the adipose tissue layer by the RF energy applied with pressurization by the electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) during said repeated back and forth motion of the handheld applicator to cause reduction of the fat tissue in the adipose tissue layer by acceleration of natural fat cell metabolism causing the release of liquefied fat from the fat cells into the patient's extra cellular tissue for lymphatic drainage therefrom; and   wherein RF energy further heats collagen fibers to stimulate fibroblast metabolism, leading to skin tightening and new collagen production.   
     
     
         26 . A device according to  claim 25 , wherein said RF energy and said electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) are adapted to be applied to the patient's skin treatment area upon placing said handheld applicator in contact therewith. 
     
     
         27 . A device according to  claim 25 , wherein said RF energy and said electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) are adapted to be activated by activating a switch. 
     
     
         28 . A device according to  claim 25 , wherein the electrodes in the applicator of the device represent a first pole and an electrode external to the handheld applicator provides the opposite pole to form a closed circuit. 
     
     
         29 . A device according to  claim 25 , wherein said handheld applicator includes at least two spaced apart discrete heads for positively massaging the patient's skin treatment area and some of said at least two spaced apart heads serve as said at least two electrodes. 
     
     
         30 . A device according to  claim 25 , wherein less than all of said at least two electrodes only deliver said RF energy and less than all of said at least two electrodes only deliver said electrical muscle stimulation. 
     
     
         31 . A device according to  claim 25 , wherein the control board is configured to control operation of the device responsive to temperature measurements from the surface of the patient's skin treatment area. 
     
     
         32 . A device according to  claim 31 , further comprising a temperature sensor in said handheld applicator to provide temperature measurements from the surface of the patient's skin treatment area. 
     
     
         33 . A method of reducing fat in a patient's skin treatment area by causing the liquification and release of liquefied fat from fat cells contained in an adipose tissue layer into an extra cellular tissue of the patient's skin treatment area for lymphatic drainage therefrom, the adipose tissue layer overlying a muscle layer, the method comprising:
 providing a control board for controlling the radio frequency (RF) generator and the electrical pulse generator;   providing a handheld applicator including at least two electrodes for placing in intimate contact with the patient's skin treatment area for applying electrical energy thereto;   wherein at least one electrode of the at least two electrodes being in electrical contact with a RF generator for applying RF energy to the adipose tissue layer of the patient's skin treatment area; and   wherein at least one electrode of the at least two electrodes being in electrical contact with an electrical pulse generator for applying electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to the muscle layer underlying the adipose tissue layer of the patient's skin treatment area,   manually applying the handheld applicator back and forth on the patient's skin treatment area to positively massage same;   while the control board causes the radio frequency (RF) generator to heat the fat cells contained in the adipose tissue layer of the patient's skin treatment area during the handheld applicator's back and forth motion to liquefy the fat cells;   while the electrical pulse generator applies electrical energy in the form of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) stimulates the muscle layer below the adipose tissue layer-during the handheld applicator's repeated back and forth motion;   wherein the heating of the fat cells by RF energy simultaneously with manually applying the handheld applicator while pressurization by said stimulating by the electrical pulse generator applying electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) accelerates natural fat cell metabolism causing the release of liquefied fat from the fat cells into the patient's extra cellular tissue; and   wherein the RF energy further heats collagen fibers to stimulate fibroblast metabolism, leading to skin tightening and new collagen production.   
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein said heating and said stimulating are adapted to be activated when the handheld applicator is placed in contact with the patient's skin treatment area. 
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein less than all of said at least two of electrodes perform stimulating and heating and less than all of said at least two of electrodes form a closed circuit through the body of the patient. 
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein all electrodes are adapted to perform stimulating and heating. 
     
     
         37 . A device according to  claim 25 , wherein the electrical pulse generator is adapted to generate pulses in the range of 100 to 500 milliamperes. 
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein stimulating the muscle layer occurs with electrical current pulses in the range of 100 to 500 milliamperes. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the RF energy heats the patient's skin treatment area surface to a level of no more than 45° C. 
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 31 , wherein the RF energy heats the patient's skin treatment area's surface temperature is controlled by the control board to a level of no more than 45° C.