WATERLESS SEBUM REMOVAL PROCESSES

Abstract

WATERLESS SEBUM REMOVAL METHODS Methods for removing sebum from a subject without water. The methods include bringing a subject's hair into contact with a stream of heated air, for example, generated by a waterless sebum removal device. When the heated air stream comes into contact with the sebum, it warms and softens the sebum to facilitate its removal from the subject. Methods may specifically exploit the Coandă effect to increase the contact of the subject's hair with an absorbent substrate in order to transfer the heated sebum to the substrate during use. The methods may also use devices that include sensors and control circuitry for intelligent management of device operation, including regulating the temperature of the heated air stream, to ensure effective sebum removal without damaging the subject's hair. Figure for abstract: none

Claims

Demands

1. A method for waterless removal of sebum from a subject, the method comprising: - bringing the scalp or hair of the subject into contact with a heated airflow from a waterless sebum removal device, said device comprising a head (29a) having an air duct inside, such that the heated airflow comes into contact with, warms and softens the sebum on the subject to facilitate the removal of the sebum from the subject.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising: - bringing the hair into contact with the device, wherein the heated airflow is heated according to a process of heating the fibers of the device; or - bringing the scalp into contact with the device, wherein the heated airflow is heated according to a process of heating the scalp of the device; - wherein an operating temperature range of the heated airflow as defined by the process of heating the scalp is lower than an operating temperature range of the heated airflow as defined by the process of heating the fibers.

3. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, comprising: - activating the device to generate the heated airflow with an air blower disposed inside the device and configured to generate an airflow inside the device and a heating element disposed inside the device and configured to heat the airflow in order to produce the heated airflow.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising: - grasping a handle of the device, wherein the handle includes an air duct therein which is fluidly connected to the air duct of the head (29a), wherein the passage of an airflow, or heated airflow, from the air duct of the handle to the air duct of the head causes the heated airflow to pass through an air vent (29d) of the head.

5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a heating process for generating the device's heated airflow is configured to heat an airflow from the device above a minimum temperature threshold to soften sebum and below a maximum temperature threshold to protect hair from heat damage.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the device comprises an absorbent substrate, positioned on curved portions of the head, which is configured to come into contact with the hair displaced by the Coanda effect and absorb sebum from the hair during use.

7. A method according to claim 6, comprising: - heating an absorbent substrate, so that the sebum is heated when it is in contact with a heated absorbent substrate to decrease viscosity and facilitate the removal of sebum.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein a heated absorbent substrate is infused with a composition.

9. Method of maintaining an operating temperature of a heated airflow of a sebum removal device, the method comprising: - generating, with a motorized fan, an airflow inside the device; - heating, with a heating element, the airflow to produce a heated airflow; - measuring, with a thermal sensor, the temperature of the heated airflow to produce a measured temperature; - comparing, with logic circuitry, the measured temperature with a minimum threshold, in which the measured temperature is below the minimum threshold, the heated airflow is heated with the heating element, or in which the measured temperature is above the minimum threshold, the heated airflow is not heated with the heating element.

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