Tattoo Removal System and Method

Abstract

A treatment system and method includes use of a chemical facilitator to provide a result-effective event against one or more negative therapeutic effects related to exposing to a light output a skin portion including a condition treatable in whole or in part with light. In one exemplary embodiment for skin treatment including tattoo removal, perfluorodecalin is used to inhibit or resolve whitening, for example to speed a laser therapy session.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application relates and claims priority to: the U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61 / 528,130 entitled “System and Method for the Treatment of Vascular Lesions,” filed on Aug. 26, 2011, by Michael P. O'Neil; and the U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61 / 595,065 entitled “System and Method for Tattoo Removal,” filed on Feb. 4, 2012, by Michael P. O'Neil.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates generally to systems and methods for skin therapy procedures, and more particularly in one exemplary embodiment, to systems and methods including chemical use in one or more treatment processes or steps associated with skin tattoo procedures (e.g., tattoo lightening, part or full tattoo removal), which hereafter may be more generally referred to as “tattoo procedures” or a “tattoo procedure.”[0003]In another aspect, the invention more particularly relates to tattoo procedures including use of a chemical to promote treatment.[0004]In an...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

While some favorable treatment results have been achieved, no treatment regimen is without problems.

For example, full thickness burns that leave permanent scars have been observed as adverse events following laser phototherapy.

Thus, although various devices and techniques have been used, none so far have proven significantly effective.

Prior systems and methods simply are not significantly effective in controlling the thermal conversion of HbO2 and RHb into metHb.

Another reason for adverse events in tattoo treatment using prior systems and methods may be the unpredictable nature of the treatment site.

In practical terms, a pulse that is perfectly well tolerated in one location or tattoo portion may induce adverse effects (e.g., burning, scarring, pain, hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation) in another nearby location or portion.

A somewhat similar yet separate reason for adverse events in tattoo procedures using prior systems and methods may relate to an unacceptably low level of treatment repeatability.

Unwanted uncertainty and results stem from the unpredictability associated with optical and physiological differences across patients.

An effective set of treatment parameters in one patient may unexpectedly cause an adverse event in another patient with a seemingly identical tattoo or condition.

Prior systems and methods simply lack a desired robustness in that they are not significantly effective in controlling factors, e.g., the thermal conversion of HbO2 and RHb into metHb, across individual patients in a treatment group.

One problem, then, in a particular aspect may be viewed as an optical “runaway” effect.

Prior systems and methods may be unattractive because this adverse event may occur, for example, as the laser used in treatment is gradually increased in power and/or fluence.

As one example, vari

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