Abstract: A spray of cryogen is patterned to create a pattern of cooled regions on a target tissue for cosmetic dermatological treatment. In one embodiment, the cryogen is patterned using a heated mask. An optical source is configured to irradiate the target tissue in a region at least partially overlapping the cooled regions to create a pattern of treatment zones. A control unit adjusts the timing of between the cryogen and optical pulses.

Abstract: A device and process for the permanent removal of unwanted human hair. Hair on a section of skin is contaminated with a substance having high absorption of a frequency band of light. The skin is illuminated with light at this frequency band at sufficient intensity and duration to kill the follicles or the skin tissue feeding of the hair. Specific embodiments to produce death of the follicles or the skin tissues feeding the hair by heating and by photochemical reaction.

Abstract: Methods of applying laser light to the skin, and apparatus therefor, include methods for removing hair, for bleaching hair, for transdermal drug delivery, for sensing a body function, for skin tightening, and for imaging subsurface structures are described. The hair removal methods and the hair bleaching methods include infiltrating a transparent fluid with an index of refraction greater than that of skin tissue into hair ducts to help transmit the laser light down the hair ducts. The transdermal drug delivery and body function sensing methods include exfoliating layers of the stratum corneum from a section of skin with laser light. A transdermal drug delivery patch can be placed over the exfoliated skin section, or an electrical sensor can be placed over the exfoliated skin section.

Abstract: A device for inhibiting growth of unwanted hair. A light-absorbing contaminant applied to the surface of a section of skin so that some of the contaminant infiltrates hair ducts is placed in spaced apart relationship to an illumination source that provides light absorbed by the contaminant. When the light penetrates the section of skin and is absorbed by the contaminant in the hair ducts, the follicles and/or skin tissue surrounding the follicles is heated so as to inhibit hair growth.

Abstract: Methods of applying laser light to the skin, and apparatus therefor, include methods for removing hair, for synchronizing hair growth, for stimulating hair growth, for treating Herpes virus, for reducing sweat and body odor, for in situ formation of a chromophore in hair ducts, for reducing light loss at the skin surface, for grafting of hair stem cells, and for removing keloid or hypertrophic scars. The hair removal methods include controlling the proportions of photomechanical and photothermal damage by selection of laser parameters, chromophore particle size and/or pulse duration, with optional dynamic skin cooling. Additional hair removal methods include infiltrating a photoactivated drug into hair ducts and exposing the skin to sunlight or administering an anti-proliferative agent into hair ducts, for example, by encapsulating the anti-proliferative agent in a slow release vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention provides a very simple easily administered skin treatment process for (1) the removal of superficial epidermal skin cells in the human skin (2) the reduction or removal of unwanted hair and (3) the mitigation of skin conditions such as acne and seborrhea. A contaminant having a high absorption at at least one wavelength of light is topically applied to a section of the surface of the skin. A preferred contaminant is a mixture of 20% by weight of one micron graphite particles in mineral oil. Graphite is a very strong absorber of 1.06 micron light produced by the Nd:YAG laser. Portions of the contaminant are forced to infiltrate into spaces between the superficial epidermal cells, into hair ducts in the skin and into and/or adjacent to sebaceous glands. The skin section is illuminated with short laser pulses at the matching wavelength, so as to impact sufficient energy to the contaminant to cause explosion in the contaminant.

Abstract: A process for the permanent destruction of unwanted human hair. Hair duct in a section of skin in which the unwanted hair is growing is contaminated with a contaminant having a very large number of small particles having a high absorption at at least one frequency band of light. The skin section is then illuminated with a series of short pulses of light at the frequency band of high absorption, the first of the short pulses having sufficient energy to cause a large number of the particles to explode into two or more fragments so as to spread said contaminant in the hair ducts and subsequent pulses having sufficient energy to cause a large number of the fragments to further explode into additional fragments to further spread the contaminant in the hair duct. The explosions and energy is transferred to and from the particles and fragments causing damage to skin tissue surrounding said hair ducts so as to cause death to the hairs growing in the ducts.

Abstract: A device and process for the permanent removal of unwanted human hair. Hair on a section of skin is contaminated with a substance having high absorption of a frequency band of light. The skin is illuminated with light at this frequency band at sufficient intensity and duration to kill the follicles or the skin tissue feeding the hair. Specific embodiments to produce death of the follicles or the skin tissues feeding the hair by heating and by photochemical reaction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a very simple easily administered skin treatment process for (1) the removal of superficial epidermal skin cells in the human skin (2) the reduction or removal of unwanted hair and (3) the mitigation of skin conditions such as acne and seborrhea. A contaminant having a high absorption at at least one wavelength of light is topically applied to a section of the surface of the skin. A preferred contaminant is a mixture of 20% by weight of one micron graphite particles in mineral oil. Graphite is a very strong absorber of 1.06 micron light produced by the Nd:YAG laser. Portions of the contaminant are forced to infiltrate into spaces between the superficial epidermal cells, into hair ducts in the skin and into and/or adjacent to sebaceous glands. The skin section is illuminated with short laser pulses at the matching wavelength, so as to impact sufficient energy to the contaminant to cause explosion in the contaminant.

Abstract: A process for the long term or permanent prevention of growth of unwanted hair. The upper portions of hair ducts (i.e. portions near the skin surface) in a section of skin are infiltrated with a contaminant having a high absorption at at least one frequency band of light. The skin is then illuminated using a process having at least two distinct phases. In a "mechanical" phase the skin section is illuminated (e.g., by a laser) with at least one short pulse of light sufficient to cause tiny explosions in the contaminant forcing portions of the contaminant more deeply into the hair ducts. During a "thermal" phase the skin section is then illuminated so as to heat the contaminant substantially without further explosion or vaporization of the contaminant. The hot contaminant heats portions of the skin tissue immediately surrounding the contaminant to a temperature high enough and for a long enough period of time to devitalize the tissue.

Abstract: A device and method for impotence correction. A device is implanted inside the body. It is programmable and controllable from outside the body. The press of a button sends a signal which initiates a process which simulates the body's natural reproductive processes. In a preferred embodiment, a programmable electronic device is implanted under abdominal muscle rectus. An electrical conductor is fixed to the surface of the pelvic splanchnic nerve. Stimulation of this nerve by low voltage electrical pulses from the electronic device causes neuromediators release which causes penis arterioles dilation which initiates erection. The electronic device is controlled by a controller operated by the patient or his partner. A second preferred embodiment also provides for emission stimulation. Emission is stimulated by electrical excitation of the pelvic plexus nerves from separate conductors from the electronic device.

Abstract: A process for the removal of superficial epidermal skin cells in the human skin. A contaminant having a high absorption at at least one wavelength of light is topically applied to the surface of the skin. Some of the contaminant is forced to infiltrate into spaces between the superficial epidermal cells. The skin section is illuminated with short laser pulses at the above wavelength, with at least one of the pulses having sufficient energy to cause some of the particles to explode tearing off the superficial epidermal skin cells. In a preferred embodiment, the contaminant includes 1 micron graphite particles and the laser used is a Nd:YAG laser.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device and process for the permanent removal and of unwanted human hair. Hair on a section of skin is contaminated with a substance having high absorption of a frequency band of light which passes through the surface of the skin. The skin is illuminated with light at this frequency band at sufficient intensity and duration to kill the follicles of the hair. Specific embodiments to produce death of the follicles by heating and by photochemical reaction.

Abstract: A laser treatment device and process with controlled cooling. The device contains a cooling element with high heat conduction properties, which is transparent to the laser beam. A surface of the cooling element is held in contact with the tissue being treated while at least one other surface of the cooling element is cooled by the evaporation of a cryogenic fluid. The cooling is coordinated with the application of the laser beam so as to control the temperatures of all affected layers of tissues. In a preferred embodiment useful for removal of wrinkles and spider veins, the cooling element is a sapphire plate. A cryogenic spray cools the top surface of the plate and the bottom surface of the plate is in contact with the skin. In preferred embodiments the wavelength of the laser beam is chosen so that absorption in targeted tissue is low enough so that substantial absorption occurs throughout the targeted tissue. In a preferred embodiment for treating large spider veins with diameters in the range of 1.

Abstract: A laser treatment device and process with controlled cooling. The device contains a cooling element with high heat conduction properties, which is transparent to the laser beam. A surface of the cooling element is held in contact with the tissue being treated while at least one other surface of the cooling element is cooled by the evaporation of a cryogenic fluid. The cooling is coordinated with the application of the laser beam so as to control the temperatures of all affected layers of tissues. In a preferred embodiment useful for removal of wrinkles and spider veins, the cooling element is a sapphire plate. A cryogenic spray cools the top surface of the plate and the bottom surface of the plate is in contact with the skin. In preferred embodiments the wavelength of the laser beam is chosen so that absorption in targeted tissue is low enough so that substantial absorption occurs throughout the targeted tissue. In a preferred embodiment for treating large spider veins with diameters in the range of 1.