Method and device for skin treatment by muscle stimulation

Abstract

A method and a system for skin treatment are presented. A muscle stimulating element is configured to provide muscle stimulation to a muscle layer located below the skin tissue, a handheld applicator is configured to be placed in vicinity of the skin tissue to deliver a muscle stimulation flow from said muscle stimulating element to cause selective contraction and expansion of one or more muscles in the muscle layer located below the skin tissue; and a control board is configured and operable to activate the muscle stimulating element according to one or more activation patterns adapted to provide said muscle stimulation flow to thereby provide one or more treatments to the skin tissue.

1 . A method of treating a person's skin tissue, comprising:
 providing a skin tissue treatment apparatus comprising:   a muscle stimulating element configured to provide muscle stimulation to a muscle layer located below the skin tissue,   a handheld applicator configured to be placed in vicinity of the skin tissue to deliver a muscle stimulation flow from said muscle stimulating element to cause selective contraction and expansion of one or more muscles in the muscle layer located below the skin tissue;   and   providing a control board configured and operable to activate the muscle stimulating element according to one or more activation patterns adapted to provide said muscle stimulation flow to thereby provide one or more treatments to the skin tissue.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said one or more treatments to the skin tissue comprise one or more of the following: skin tightening, reducing distance between epidermis layer and the muscle layer, fibroblast metabolism and/or collagen production in a skin layer above the muscle layer. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising moving said handheld applicator over the skin tissue, thereby providing said muscle stimulation flow and causing the selective contraction and expansion of one or more muscles in the muscle layer located below the skin tissue. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said handheld applicator comprises one or more heads configured to contact the skin tissue during said one or more treatments, wherein said one or more heads comprise one or more electrodes in electrical communication with said muscle stimulating element. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said muscle stimulating element comprises an electrical pulse generator configured to generate DC current having a value between +500 to −500 milliamperes to provide electrical muscle stimulation signal (EMS) to the one or more muscles in the muscle layer located below the skin tissue, and wherein said one or more electrodes are configured to deliver the electrical muscle stimulation signal to the skin tissue. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said activation pattern of said EMS is user selectable and includes one or more of the following: signal intensity, frequency, and duration, thereby enabling to optimize the one or more treatments for different users or different positions on body of the treated person. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said control board is configured and operable to alternate polarity of the one or more electrodes to thereby provide said muscle stimulation flow and cause the selective contraction and expansion of one or more muscles in the muscle layer located below the skin tissue. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said control board is configured to alternately turn said muscle stimulating element on and off to thereby provide said muscle stimulation flow and cause the selective contraction and expansion of the one or more muscles in the muscle layer located below the skin tissue. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes, the control board being configured to activate the plurality of electrodes in sequence to thereby provide said muscle stimulation flow and cause the selective contraction and expansion of one or more muscles in the muscle layer located below the skin tissue. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising pressing the handheld applicator against the person's skin tissue by applying a positive or a negative pressure on the skin tissue by one or more heads carried by the handheld applicator during the one or more treatments. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said one or more heads are configured to apply the positive pressure by one or more of the following: vibrating, pushing pounding, and manually. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , further providing a vacuum source and wherein said one or more heads are configured to apply the negative pressure by suction. 
     
     
         13 . A system of treating a person's skin tissue, comprising:
 a skin tissue treatment apparatus comprising:   a muscle stimulating element configured to provide muscle stimulation to a muscle layer located below the skin tissue,   a handheld applicator configured to be placed in vicinity of the skin tissue to deliver a muscle stimulation flow from said muscle stimulating element to cause selective contraction and expansion of one or more muscles in the muscle layer located below the skin tissue; and   a control board configured and operable to activate the muscle stimulating element according to one or more activation patterns adapted to provide said muscle stimulation flow to thereby provide one or more treatments to the skin tissue.   
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein said handheld applicator is moved over the skin tissue during the one or more treatments, thereby providing said muscle stimulation flow and causing the selective contraction and expansion of one or more muscles in the muscle layer located below the skin tissue. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein said handheld applicator comprises one or more heads configured to contact the skin tissue during said one or more treatments, wherein said one or more heads comprise one or more electrodes in electrical communication with said muscle stimulating element. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said muscle stimulating element comprises an electrical pulse generator configured to generate DC current having a value between +500 to −500 milliamperes to provide electrical muscle stimulation signal (EMS) to the one or more muscles in the muscle layer located below the skin tissue, and wherein said one or more electrodes are configured to deliver the electrical muscle stimulation signal to the skin tissue. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said activation pattern of said EMS is user selectable and includes one or more of the following: signal intensity, frequency, and duration, thereby enabling to optimize the one or more treatments for different users or different positions on body of the treated person. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein said control board is configured and operable to alternate polarity of the one or more electrodes to thereby provide said muscle stimulation flow and cause the selective contraction and expansion of one or more muscles in the muscle layer located below the skin tissue. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein said control board is configured to alternately turn said muscle stimulating element on and off to thereby provide said muscle stimulation flow and cause the selective contraction and expansion of the one or more muscles in the muscle layer located below the skin tissue. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein said one or more electrodes comprise at least one of the following:
 one or more monopolar electrodes, and wherein respective one or more return electrodes are located outside the handheld applicator;
 one or more bi-polar electrodes; 
 at least three electrodes, with at least one electrode representing a first pole of a circuit and at least two electrodes representing an opposite pole of the circuit. 
   
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein said one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes, the control board being configured to activate the plurality of electrodes in sequence to thereby provide said muscle stimulation flow and cause the selective contraction and expansion of one or more muscles in the muscle layer located below the skin tissue. 
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the handheld applicator is pressed against the person's skin tissue by applying a positive or a negative pressure on the skin tissue by one or more heads carried by the handheld applicator during the one or more treatments. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 22 , wherein said one or more heads are configured to apply the positive pressure by one or more of the following: vibrating, pushing pounding, and manually. 
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 22 , further comprising a vacuum source and wherein said one or more heads are configured to apply the negative pressure by suction.