Abstract: The present invention discloses a device and a method for controlling growth of hair on human skin with low doses of electromagnetic radiation, and a device for carrying out the method. In the method, radiation of a suitable spectrum is applied to the skin, in one or more pulses of between 1 and 100 ms, and with maximum fluencies on the skin between 1 and 12 J/cm2. By applying such low fluencies and at controlled pulse durations, follicles of the hairs are induced to the catagen phase. This means that the growth of the hairs of those follicles will stop. Although the method is not primarily aimed at immediate hair removal, hairs may be shed subsequently. In any case, further growth may be stopped for prolonged periods of time. The main advantage of the method is that the risk of damage to the skin is minimized.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for hair-growth control of hairs (3), in particular hairs growing from human skin (5). The device (1) has a laser source (7) for generating a laser beam (9) during a pulse time, an optical system (15) for focusing the laser beam into a focal spot (25), and a laser beam manipulator (17) for positioning the focal spot in a target position. According to the invention, a dimension of the focal spot (25) and a power of the generated laser beam (9) are such that, in the focal spot (25), the laser beam has a power density which is above a characteristic threshold value for hair-growth related skin tissue above which, for the pulse time, a laser induced optical breakdown (LIOB) phenomenon occurs in the hair-growth related skin tissue. The LIOB phenomenon results in a number of mechanical effects, such as cavitation and the generation of shock waves, which damage the hair-growth related skin tissue in positions surrounding the LIOB phenomenon.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for controlling growth of hair on human skin with low doses of electromagnetic radiation, and a device (1) for carrying out the method. In the method, radiation (13) of a suitable spectrum is applied to the skin (12), in one or more pulses of between 1 and 100 ms, and with maximum fluencies on the skin between 1 and 12 J/cm2. By applying such low fluencies and at controlled pulse durations, follicles of the hairs are induced to the catagen phase. This means that the growth of the hairs of those follicles will stop. Although the method is not primarily aimed at immediate hair removal, hairs may be shed subsequently. In any case, further growth may be stopped for prolonged periods of time. The main advantage of the method is that the risk of damage to the skin is minimized.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for administering electromagnetic radiation to human tissue, in particular light to skin. The device comprises a treatment head with a recess (10) in which the light is emitted and in which the air pressure may be decreased by a pump (11). The device also comprises a pressure gauge (8) for measuring the pressure in the recess (10). Above a certain threshold value the device will not function, because this indicates an incorrect positioning of the device on the skin, which might cause harm to persons. By providing the pressure gauge (8), an operator may determine whether the positioning of the treatment head is correct. The device is advantageously automated in that the pressure gauge (8) is connected to control means (5) for controlling the source (3) of radiation.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a device and a method for controlling growth of hair on human skin with low doses of electromagnetic radiation, and a device for carrying out the method. In the method, radiation of a suitable spectrum is applied to the skin, in one or more pulses of between 1 and 100 ms, and with maximum fluencies on the skin between 1 and 12 J/cm2. By applying such low fluencies and at controlled pulse durations, follicles of the hairs are induced to the catagen phase. This means that the growth of the hairs of those follicles will stop. Although the method is not primarily aimed at immediate hair removal, hairs may be shed subsequently. In any case, further growth may be stopped for prolonged periods of time. The main advantage of the method is that the risk of damage to the skin is minimized.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for hair-growth control of hairs (3), in particular hairs growing from human skin (5). The device (1) has a laser source (7) for generating a laser beam (9) during a pulse time, an optical system (15) for focusing the laser beam into a focal spot (25), and a laser beam manipulator (17) for positioning the focal spot in a target position. According to the invention, a dimension of the focal spot (25) and a power of the generated laser beam (9) are such that, in the focal spot (25), the laser beam has a power density which is above a characteristic threshold value for hair-growth related skin tissue above which, for the pulse time, a laser induced optical breakdown (LIOB) phenomenon occurs in the hair-growth related skin tissue. The LIOB phenomenon results in a number of mechanical effects, such as cavitation and the generation of shock waves, which damage the hair-growth related skin tissue in positions surrounding the LIOB phenomenon.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for treating human skin by means of radiation. The device has a housing (5) with a radiation exit opening (13), a radiation source (9) which is accommodated in the housing, and a radiation path (15) between the radiation source and the radiation exit opening. A radiation filter (17) is provided in the radiation path. According to the invention the radiation filter (17) comprises water (23) which is in solid state at least during an initial phase of operation of the device (1). The water in solid state has an optical transmission spectrum which corresponds to the optical transmission spectrum of water in liquid state as present in the skin. As a result the water in solid state acts as an ideal filter for the IR light and near IR light, which would otherwise be absorbed by the water in the skin and cause unwanted heating of the skin.

Abstract: A device treats skin by radiation. The device has a housing accommodating a radiation source and having an exit opening for the radiation. The device activates the radiation source only if the presence of skin immediately in front of the exit opening is detected. The radiation source cannot be activated if the exit opening is not covered.

Abstract: A device for the treatment of skin by radiation pulses. The device has a detector measuring a biophysical property of skin, such as temperature increase, dispersion or absorption coefficient, or reflection coefficient for light having a predetermined wavelength, and also has a control unit which determines, from the biophysical property, a safe dose of radiation. The device automatically protects against an overdose from the radiation source. The invention can be used, not only in a hair removing device such as a laser epilator, a laser shaver or a flashlight epilator, but also in devices for the medical treatment of skin by means of radiation, such as photodermatology systems.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hair removing device (1) comprising a hair removing member (3) for removing hairs from human skin and an auxiliary member for generating a change of the temperature of the skin present near the hair removing member. According to the invention, the auxiliary member comprises a heating member (13) for generating a rise in temperature of the skin present near the hair removing member. Said temperature rise has a pain masking effect, which can be attributed to the fact that the heat receptors present in the heated skin generate heat signals in the nervous system which block the pain signals generated by the adjacent pain receptors when the hairs are being removed. Thus, the user experiences less pain during the removal of the hairs. In a preferred embodiment, the heating member (13) comprises a skin contacting element (19) which is in thermal contact with a compound having a eutectic composition contained in a chamber (17) of a holder (15).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for the treatment of skin (7) by means of radiation. The device comprises a housing (3) accommodating a radiation source (9) and having an exit opening (15) for the radiation. The device has a control unit (37) which activates the radiation source only if the presence of the skin immediately in front of the exit opening is detected by a detector (43) that co-operates with the control unit. As a result, the radiation source cannot be activated if the exit opening is not covered.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for the treatment of skin (7) by means of radiation pulses. The device comprises a housing (3) accommodating a radiation source (9) and a control unit (37) for controlling the radiation source. According to the invention, the device has a detector (43), which is suitable for measuring a biophysical property of the skin, and the control unit has means for determining, on the basis of a value or a condition of the biophysical property measured by the detector, a pulse dose from the radiation source that is safe for skin. In this manner, the device is automatically protected against an overdose from the radiation source that could cause undesirable side-effects on the skin.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hair removing device (1) comprising a hair removing member (3) for removing hairs from human skin and an auxiliary member for generating a change of the temperature of the skin present near the hair removing member. According to the invention, the auxiliary member comprises a heating member (13) for generating a rise in temperature of the skin present near the hair removing member. Said temperature rise has a pain masking effect, which can be attributed to the fact that the heat receptors present in the heated skin generate heat signals in the nervous system which block the pain signals generated by the adjacent pain receptors when the hairs are being removed. Thus, the user experiences less pain during the removal of the hairs.