1837 results about "Hair follicle" patented technology

A method and apparatus for producing hair growth stimulation using light energy, topical compositions, and combinations thereof. By using photomodulation resulting from cellular responses to exposure to specific wavelengths of light, optionally in conjunction with topical compositions and procedures for enhancing the penetration of such compositions, hair follicles are activated to produce hair growth.

The evolution of a skin condition over time can be useful in its assessment. In an illustrative arrangement, a user captures skin images at different times, using a smartphone. The images are co-registered, color-corrected, and presented to the user (or a clinician) for review, e.g., in a temporal sequence, or as one image presented as a ghosted overlay atop another. Image registration can employ nevi, hair follicles, wrinkles, pores, and pigmented regions as keypoints. With some imaging spectra, keypoints from below the outermost layer of skin can be used. Hair may be removed for image registration, and restored for image review. Transformations in addition to rotation and affine transforms can be employed. Diagnostic correlations with reference image sequences can be made, employing machine learning in some instances. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

A hair transplantation method and apparatus utilizes a stereotactic robot, which includes a robotic arm, having a hair follicle introducer associated with the robotic arm.

A method and apparatus are provided for dermatological treatment by focusing ultrasound energy in a volume of tissue below the dermis to obtain selective heating and thermal damage of certain portions of the volume while sparing other portions of the treatment volume from thermal damage. Selective heating of fibrous septae can be achieved while relatively sparing surrounding fatty tissue, which can lead to some shrinkage of the fibrous septae and reduction in the appearance of wrinkles. The matrix of hair follicles can also be selectively heated to provide relatively safe temporary or permanent hair removal. The superficial musculoaponeurotic system can also be selectively heated to obtain a tightening of the overlying skin.

Automated systems and methods for delivery of a therapeutic or cosmetic substance into cutaneous, subcutaneous or intramuscular tissue, wherein an automated (e.g., robotic) arm is maneuvered to position a delivery device proximate a targeted location (e.g., an existing hair follicle, a location for implanting a skin filler, or a location for intradermal tattoo ink injection) on a patient's skin surface; and a substantially automated process is used to cause the delivery device to puncture the skin surface and penetrate to a desired depth into the tissue at the targeted location, and deliver the substance therein.

A method and apparatus for removing hairs from living skin is provided involving the measurement with a colorimeter of the color of the area of the skin where the hair is to be removed to obtain a representative color value, employing the color value to select an optimum range of laser energy necessary to inactivate hair follicles in the area, yet minimize any inflammatory reaction, and directing laser energy of optimum range at the skin area to depilate such area.

Devices and methods for applying tension to an area of skin, in particular for follicular unit removal and implant in a hair transplantation procedure are provided. The devices may include a frame with at least two skin contact members that hold to the skin. Also disclosed are various ways to apply a force displacing the skin contact members apart, thus creating tension in the skin therebetween. The devices and methods may incorporate suction that helps the skin contact members securely hold to the skin. Barbs or microbarbs also may be used to help secure the skin contact members to the skin. The frame may surround the skin area with tensile forces applied outward in multiple directions, or the frame may be a bifurcated pair of fingers that applies tension substantially uni-directionally. Adjusting members and indicators may be provided to control and display the magnitude of tensile force applied to skin. The tensioning devices and methods may be incorporated into a robotic hair transplantation system.

A method and apparatus are provided for hair growth management by applying low energy optical radiation to a treatment area of a patient's skin, which radiation is sufficient to at least traumatize a matrix portion of each follicle being treated, but not to cause either necrosis of most of each said follicle or immediate gross alteration of any hair shaft therein. The treatments are preferably performed a plurality of times at selected time intervals to achieve a desired level of hair growth management.

Tools and methods are provided for dissecting and/or removing biological units, such as hair follicles, from the body surface based on the images both above and below a body surface to reduce potential damage to the removed biological unit. The invention may be used in fully automated systems and also in a hand-held devices and systems. A system may produce a series of three-dimensional images of the body surface indicating follicular unit size, shape, position, and orientation both above and below the skin surface. The images may be utilized by an automated follicular unit harvesting tool, or maybe stored for later use. Imaging techniques include devices that sense light in the visible or infrared spectrums, optical coherence tomography, and ultrahigh frequency ultrasound.

A hair transplantation device can include a generally tubular guide configured to locate a hair follicle bulb by sliding over a hair shaft down to an upper surface of a hair follicle. The guide can have a blunt distal end configured not to transect the hair follicle bulb. The hair transplantation device also includes an outer tubular member sized and configured to be advanced around the guide. The outer tubular member has a dilator and a harvester. The device can be used in a follicle transplantation method in which the guide locates a hair follicle bulb, and the outer tubular member is slid over the guide. Once the outer tubular member is aligned with the guide, the harvesting portion is advanced, cutting dermal tissue surrounding the hair follicle. The outer tubular member is then withdrawn with the hair follicle, relocated in a recipient area, and the hair follicle implanted.

The present invention provides a filamentary structure for the introduction of agents into a living host, comprising a filament comprising a solid core and a porous sheath which coats at least a portion of the solid core. When the filamentary structure is to be permanently implanted into a living host, both the solid core and the porous sheath are bioabsorbable. When the filamentary structure is to be temporarily implanted into the skin of a living host to deliver agents, such as cells, therein, the porous sheath is preferably bioabsorbable but the core need only be biocompatable, not bioabsorabable. The devices and methods of the present invention enable one to regenerate hair follicles, to introduce genetically altered cells or encapsulated cells to a living host transdermally, to regenerate bones, and to deliver drugs transdermally.

The present invention discloses a device, kit and a method for the treatment of a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit. Moreover, a device and kit for treatment of a hair growth disorder is disclosed. The kit for treating a hair growth disorder may comprise at least one formulation comprising a hair growth modulating agent and at least one electrically powered device for promoting delivery of the hair growth modulating agent into and/or onto the body area. Preferably, the device is a thin and flexible patch. Methods of using such a device/kit for treatment of a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit is also disclosed.

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for delivering substances, e.g., therapeutic substances, into openings on or near a skin surface, such as hair follicles, pores and/or into sebaceous glands. This can be achieved by using an apparatus to direct a substance into the openings under pressure via one or more nozzles or slits. A portion of the sebum present in the hair follicle is optionally heated and/or removed, e.g. using low-pressure conduit located on the lower surface of the apparatus, before introducing the therapeutic substance.

The harvesting of hair for a hair transplant procedure employs a hollow drill with an imaging system which permits alignment of center of the cutting edge of a hollow tube with the axis of the follicular unit to be removed. The diameter of the hollow tube is chosen such that when properly aligned, a follicular unit is removed without damaging critical anatomical portions of the follicles. In one embodiment, a medium in either liquid or vapor form is introduced to cool or freeze the skin over the surface of the selected follicular unit. In another embodiment, suction is applied to aid in the removal of the excised follicular unit. In still another embodiment, a robotic arm is employed to position the hollow needle in each instance. In another embodiment, an electrical current or heat is applied to kill the shaft of the selected follicular unit without its removal.

The present invention relates to an improved scaffold which is constructed to mimic the architecture of the native hair follicle. The present invention also relates to the use of specific compositions and methods of manufacture to produce scaffolds that combine biocompatibility with the desired rates of bioabsorption. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a biomimetic hair follicle graft and a method for seeding the graft with cells and implanting the graft into the skin where the growth of a new hair shaft is desired. A further embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for hair multiplication in which cells are multiplied in culture and aliquoted into a multitude of bioabsorbable scaffolds in combination with cultured keratinocytes or other allogenic cells.

Apparatus and methods for removing hair and/or devitalizing follicles using electromagnetic energy to actively target and treat a hair and/or a follicle are disclosed. The electromagnetic energy can be of a selective or non-selective wavelength. The apparatus comprises a handpiece; a detector that uses electromagnetic energy to detect the presence of a hair and/or follicle in a portion of skin, detect a position of the hair and/or follicle in a plane, and detect an angle at which the hair and/or follicle intersects the plane; a delivery element configured to receive treatment energy from a treatment energy source and deliver the treatment energy to a portion of skin; and a controller that uses feedback from the detector to control the delivery element and/or to control the treatment energy source so as to control the delivery of the treatment energy to the portion of skin via the handpiece in a manner so as to cause hair removal and/or follicular devitalization; wherein the handpiece, the detector, the delivery element and the controller are operably coupled. Optionally, the apparatus can also include an analyzer operably coupled to the handpiece, the detector, the delivery element and/or the controller.

The present invention relates to a device and method for implanting hair follicle-inducing cells within the scalp. The hair follicle cells are generated by the use of tissue culture process from autologous donor cells. The cells are placed upon a microprojection array for implantation within the scalp utilizing predetermined parameters of angle, density and depth.

The present invention relates to methods of modulating epithelial stem cell lineage by regulating the expression of Lef1 or a BMP inhibitor and/or the stability of β-catenin or the expression of a Wnt; regulating the expression or activity of GATA-3; or regulating BMPR1A activity either at the level of receptor expression or at the level of pathway activation. Methods of regulating E-cadherin, GATA-3, BMPR1A and HK1-hair keratin and methods of identifying agents which modulate the epithelial stem cell lineage are further provided. Such agents are useful for inhibiting or stimulating inner root sheath development or hair follicle formation.