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 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method of treating a person's skin tissue, comprising: providing a radio frequency (RF) generator configured to provide RF energy to heat the skin tissue of the person;
 providing an electrical pulse generator configured to provide electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to muscles in a muscle layer located below the skin tissue;   providing an applicator not configured to deliver cooling to a surface of the skin tissue, the applicator configured to be placed in contact with the surface of the skin tissue and including one or more electrodes configured to deliver the RF energy from the RF generator and the EMS from the electrical pulse generator to the skin tissue and the muscles respectively;   wherein the method including:   contacting the applicator to the surface of the skin tissue, then turning on and off the RF energy and the EMS, whereby application of the RF energy heats the surface of the skin tissue to a temperature above 40 degrees C. and less than 45 degrees C. and application of the EMS provides the muscle stimulation; and,   wherein no cooling is applied to the surface of the skin tissue before, during or after the application of the RF energy and the EMS.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the RF generator delivers AC current and the electrical pulse generator delivers direct current. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein at least one electrode of the one or more electrodes is in electrical contact with the RF generator. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein at least one electrode of the one or more electrodes is in electrical contact with the electrical pulse generator. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the electrical pulse generator is configured to generate pulses in a range of 100 to 500 milliamperes. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein stimulating the muscle layer occurs with electrical current in a range of 100 to 500 milliamperes. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising providing a control board for controlling the RF generator and the electrical pulse generator. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising providing a sensor in the handheld applicator to provide skin tissue measurements from the surface of the skin tissue to the control board. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the electrical pulse generator provides DC pulse signals between +500 ma to −500 ma. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the RF energy is delivered with a frequency between 0.5 MHz to 2 MHz. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the EMS is delivered with pulses of DC current between +1 to 500 ma. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising activating the RF generator and the electrical pulse generator in one or more of the following activation patterns: sequentially and repetitively. 
     
     
         38 . A device for treating a person's skin tissue, comprising:
 a radio frequency (RF) generator configured to provide RF energy to apply heat to the skin tissue;   an electrical pulse generator configured to provide electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to muscles in a muscle layer located below the skin tissue;   an applicator configured to be placed in contact with a surface of the skin tissue and including one or more electrodes configured to deliver the RF energy from the RF generator and the EMS from the electrical pulse generator to the skin tissue and the muscles respectively; and   a control board for controlling the RF generator and the electrical pulse generator,   whereby, after the applicator is placed in contact with the surface of skin tissue, the control board controls the RF generator and the electrical pulse generator such that the RF energy and the EMS are turned on and off, wherein application of the RF energy heats the surface of the skin tissue to a temperature above 40 degrees C. and less than 45 degrees C. without active cooling of the surface of the skin tissue, and the application of the EMS stimulates the muscles.   
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein at least one electrode of the one or more electrodes is in electrical contact with the RF generator. 
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein at least one electrode of the one or more electrodes is in electrical contact with the electrical pulse generator. 
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein the electrical pulse generator is configured to generate pulses in the range of 100 to 500 milliamperes. 
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein the electrical muscle stimulation occurs with electrical current in the range of 100 to 500 milliamperes. 
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 38 , further comprising a temperature sensor in the applicator to provide temperature measurements from the surface of the skin tissue. 
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein the electrical pulse generator provides DC pulse signals between +500 ma to −500 ma. 
     
     
         45 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein the RF energy is delivered with a frequency between 0.5 MHz to 2 MHz. 
     
     
         46 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein the EMS is delivered with pulses of DC current between +1 to 500 ma. 
     
     
         47 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein the control board is configured and operable to activate the electrical pulse generator and the RF generator in one or more of the following activation patterns: sequentially and repetitively.