228 results about "Rugae" patented technology

Devices, systems, and methods treat cosmetic defects, and often apply cooling with at least one tissue-penetrating probe inserted through of the skin of a patient. The cooling may remodel one or more target tissue so as to effect a desired change in a composition of the target tissue and / or a change in its behavior. Exemplary embodiments of the cooling treatments will interfere with the nerve / muscle contractile function chain so as to mitigate wrinkles of the skin. Related treatments may be used therapeutically for treatment of back and other muscle spasms, chronic pain, and the like. Some embodiments may remodel subcutaneous adipose tissue so as to alter a shape or appearance of the skin surface.

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 1.5 mm, Applicants use an Er:Glass laser with a wavelength of 1.54 microns.< / PTEXT>

A preformed, seamless, three-dimensional, anatomically contoured prosthetic device for reinforcing breast tissue and supporting a breast implant includes a flat back wall, a concave front wall and a curved transitional region between the flat back wall and the front wall defining a smoothly curved bottom periphery. A concave receiving space is defined by the back wall and the front wall for at least partially receiving and supporting the breast implant therein. The three-dimensional prosthetic device is free of wrinkles, creases, folds or seams, which may have otherwise caused potential tissue irritation, bacteria hosting, infection and palpability problems.

The present invention provides systems, apparatus and methods for selective applying energy to a patient's dermis tissue to generate the growth of new collagen in this tissue, while minimizing the effect on the outer epidermis layer, thereby minimizing or suppressing the wound healing phase of the procedure. In one aspect of the invention, a method includes positioning a first electrode adjacent to, or in contact with, a region on or within a patient's skin, and applying a sufficient high frequency voltage between the first electrode and a second electrode to create a heat injury to a target tissue within the patient's dermis layer without ablating the epidermis layer overlying the target tissue. Typically, the voltage applied to the first and second electrodes is sufficient to induce heating of the dermis layer to about 60.degree.-80.degree. C., preferably about 65.degree.-75.degree. C. This induced heating causes the patient's body to undergo a wound healing response in the slightly inflamed tissue of the dermis. The wound healing process involves the generation of neo-collagen in the dermis layer, which fills in the wrinkle in the patient's skin.

A method for the treatment of wrinkles on human skin, by stimulating collagen growth beneath the epidermis layer, comprising the steps of: arranging a pulsed dye laser generator in light communication with a pulsed dye laser delivery device. The pulsed dye laser delivery device is applied against tissue having wrinkles. The pulsed dye laser generator generates a pulsed dye laser light. A pulsed dye laser light from the pulsed dye laser delivery device is directed onto the tissue, to reach hemoglobin in a collagen layer up to about 1.2 mm. beneath the surface of the tissue to effect growth changes therein.

The present invention comprises a plurality of injectable hollow particulate fillers suspended in a biocompatible fluid carrier to significantly improve the clumping resistance and injectability of the composition. The hollow particulate fillers have a lower effective density and are able to suspend in the carrier without precipitation. The loss of skin volume as a result of aging, diseases, weight loss, and injury can lead to uneven skin surface (e.g. wrinkle, etc.). The uneven skin can be repaired by injecting appropriate amount of hollow fillers underneath the skin. Some cases of urinary incontinence occur when the resistance to urine flow has decreased excessively. Continence is restored by injecting the present invention to the urethra tissue to increase resistance to urine outflow. Similarly, the present invention allows for the control of gastric fluid reflux by submucosal injections of the fillers to the esophageal-gastric and gastric-pyloric junction. For patients with vesicoureteral reflux, it can be treated by injection of the present invention into patients' ureteral tissue. This invention can also be used to repair defective or inadequately functioning muscles of the anal sphincter by administering an effective amount of injectable hollow fillers into the defect or anal sinuses.

A preformed, seamless, three-dimensional, anatomically contoured prosthetic device for reinforcing breast tissue and supporting a breast implant includes a flat back wall, a concave front wall and a curved transitional region between the flat back wall and the front wall defining a smoothly curved bottom periphery. A concave receiving space is defined by the back wall and the front wall for at least partially receiving and supporting the breast implant therein. The three-dimensional prosthetic device is free of wrinkles, creases, folds or seams, which may have otherwise caused potential tissue irritation, bacteria hosting, infection and palpability problems.

The invention relates to the use of a thermal reversible gel, such as a copolymer composition, as a biological filler or implant. The gel has a semi-solid form at body temperature, but upon cooling to a temperature below a threshold level, the gel is liquefied and can be re-shaped, re-sized, manipulated or removed from the body. The gel may be used as a subcutaneous implant, a biological filler, joint or tissue spacer, for wrinkle filling or other cosmetic implants, as a soft-tissue replacement for reconstructive surgery, or as a barrier within the lumen of a biological structure, such as a blood vessel. The implant may be used to provide reversible birth control by providing, for example, a reversible barrier to the cervix or a reversible blockage of the lumen of the vas deferens.

The present invention relates, generally, to methods of providing long-term minimization of wrinkles or folds in the skin by injecting a bolus of hyaluronic acid deep into the skin. The methods of the present invention are particularly beneficial for improving the contours of the cheeks, filling folds under the eyes, and providing the visual effect of a chin implant, without requiring the use of surgical procedures.

Disclosed is a system and method for treatment of skin disorders. More particularly, the disclosed invention is directed toward the use of multiple light sources for treating skin with or without the use of a topical compositions or photomodulation enhancing agents. Dual light emitting diodes may, for example, be used at relatively low power (less than about 10 J / cm2) to photomodulate skin or living tissue to reduce wrinkles, fine lines, acne, acne bacteria, and other skin disorders.

Topical skin care compositions are provided for the improvement of the appearance of the skin, namely of the skin comprising the face, surrounding the eyes, mouth, and hands, as well as the skin of the body. The skin care compositions include synergistic combinations of active peptide ingredients that are specially formulated to enhance the natural appearance of the face, hands, and / or body. Specifically, the synergistic skin care compositions may be applied to one or more of the skin surrounding the eyes, mouth, nose, forehead, ears, neck, hands, feed, and overall body to give the skin thereof a cleaner, smoother and more wrinkle free appearance.

A method of treating a patient in cosmetic surgery, using first and second hollow tubular surgical members and a suture to be surgically inserted under the patient's facial skin, including the following steps: cutting a single incision in the patient's facial skin adjacent to the area of the ear; threading the first and second hollow tubular members with a continuous suture having thereon a plurality of spaced-apart, movable cross sutures; inserting the insertion tip with the threaded suture through the incision and under the facial skin, toward the patient's fold line in the nasal area; removing the second hollow tubular member from the first hollow tubular member and from the nasal area and out through the single incision, while leaving in place the suture and the plurality of cross sutures so they are disposed in the facial tissue; pulling on the proximal tip of the suture which is extending out of the incision in order to pull the plurality of cross sutures in the facial tissue which causes the cross sutures to move from their substantially parallel relationship to the suture so that they are moved to a position which is substantially perpendicular to the suture in order to engage and anchor the cross sutures in the facial tissue; pulling and tieing off the suture in the area of the incision which operates to pull the facial tissue and the facial fold line more tightly in order to minimize the appearance of the facial fold line in the nasal area.

A device and methods for treating tissue via laser energy to induce tissue reduction and / or necrosis are described herein. Laser energy may be applied to a tissue region via an optical fiber advanced through a lumen of at least one needle. Fluid may also be infused or injected into the tissue region through at least one needle. Tissue reduction and / or necrosis of a target tissue region in turn reduces the appearance of droopy, baggy and / or wrinkled skin.

A surgical thread for plastic surgery which is extremely simple in structure, is safe for human use, effectively removes sagging and wrinkling of skin, and further enables the tensing action to the skin to be maintained for a long period of time, that is, a surgical thread for plastic surgery comprised of a thread shaped member comprised of a thread body, to be implanted in the inside layers of the skin, partially formed in its longitudinal direction with projections for anchoring in the inside skin layers, wherein at least the thread body is comprised of an absorbable thread, and the thread body or the projections are formed with residual film parts which will not be absorbed by the inside skin layers, and a method of imparting tension to the skin using the same.

Method and apparatus for training facial muscles to reduce wrinkles employs a flexible stretchable membrane held in contact with the skin over a muscle group while manipulating a hand-held device with a motorized rotary brush over the membrane, so that the bristles stimulate and train the muscle group while the flexible membrane protects and stabilizes the skin.

Combination therapies for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on aged skin or non-precancerous, normal photodamaged section of skin, in a patient not being treated for viral infection or skin cancer comprising (i) topical application of an imidazoquinoline amine derivative in a dermatologically-acceptable carrier in further combination with one or more cosmetic treatments selected from the group consisting of: (i) Light Emitting Diode (L.E.D.) Light Therapy; (ii) Intense Pulsed Light (I.P.L.) Therapy; (iii) laser skin resurfacing; (iv) mechanical exfoliation; (v) superficial, medium depth or deep chemical peels; (vi) radiofrequency treatment; (vii) ultrasound treatment; (viii) intradermal and intraepidermal injections with hyaluronic acid and derivatives thereof; and (ix) cryosurgery.

Surgical instruments and their methods of use enable a surgeon to form a precut lamellar disk that is removed by the same through a single incision along the perimeter of the cornea. This may be done using one this one instrument. Another instrument enables the surgeon to scrap off adhering parts. One more instrument enables the surgeon to hold a folded cornea donor disk to avoid inverting the disk upon unfolding. Yet another instrument enables the surgeon to “iron out” wrinkles in the implanted donor cornea.

A non-rotating anatomical-shaped breast implant having a front side with a smooth surface and a rear side with a textured surface. A smooth surface ripples or wrinkles little, if at all. Rippling or wrinkling of the implant may undesirably produce a visible or palpable waviness on the skin of the breast. A smooth surface is more likely to produce the look and feel of a natural breast. A rear side with a textured surface is desirable because tissue growth of the body, after the implant has been implanted, engages the textured surface to anchor the implant in place such that the front side with the smooth surface remains matched with the front side of the body and such that the anatomical-shaped breast implant with its tear drop shaped fullness remains at a natural position within the breast. The disclosure further includes a method for minimizing the rotation of an implant within the body and a method for making an implant envelope that has different thicknesses.

Pants having a hip-up function capable of shaping buttocks are provided. The pants having a hip-up function include an elastic lining for shaping a body, and an elastic wrinkle portion provided in a cleavage portion between buttocks in the lining.

An apparatus and method for treating superficial skin conditions with radio frequency energy. The apparatus includes a probe that is coupled to a radio frequency console. The probe has at least one tip that can be inserted into skin tissue. Radio frequency energy can be delivered to the skin tissue through the tip. The radio frequency energy denatures tissue to cause tissue shrinkage. The tissue shrinkage can reduce or remove wrinkles, or reduce or eliminate the visual appearance of blood carrying tissue such as facial spider veins.

A massage device intended to be applied to the skin of a user. The massage device may include a body, at least one massage member that is fixed relative to the body, and at least one massage member that can rotate relative to the body when moved over the skin in contact therewith. At least part of the fixed massage member in contact with the skin is able to move following the path of at least part of the mobile massage member in contact with the skin so as to cause at least one skin fold to be formed between the said massage members as the device is moved around.

The subject invention relates to a skin cream that can be used to moisturize and rejuvenate skin that has been damaged by exposure to sunlight or which has simply been affected over the years by intrinsic aging. It can also be used to slow the rate of photo-induced aging to maintain beautiful skin tone and texture over the years. It inhibits the formation of wrinkles and in some cases reduces the depth of existing wrinkles or eliminates them entirely. In some cases, the skin cream of this invention also lightens age spots and other types of blemishes associated with aging. This invention is based upon the discovery that alkyl lactates, such as ethyl lactate, can be used to improve the penetration of active ingredients in skin care formulations deep into lower layers of the skin tissue. For instance, ethyl lactate can be included in aqueous based skin creams, such as oil in water emulsions, to deliver active ingredients deep into the skin structure. Ethyl lactate is particularly desirable for utilization in conjunction with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) containing skin cream formulations. This is beneficial because the overall effectiveness of skin creams that utilize ascorbic acid as an active ingredient is contingent upon delivery of the ascorbic acid through the outer layers of the stratum corneum and viable epidermis and into the dermis layer of the skin structure. The present invention more specifically discloses a topical formulation comprising about 1 weight percent to about 20 weight percent ascorbic acid, about 1 weight percent to about 10 weight percent of an amino acid selected from the group consisting of phenylalanine and tyrosine, about 0.5 weight percent to about 5 weight percent of a non-toxic zinc salt, about 0.01 weight percent to about 20 weight percent of an alkyl lactate, wherein the alkyl group in the alkyl lactate contains from 2 to about 12 carbon atoms, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.