Dermal Melasma Treatment via Focused EMR and Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for dermal melasma are ineffective as they struggle to target pigmented cells in the dermis without causing excessive damage to healthy skin tissue, due to challenges in accessing and affecting melanin and melanophages located deeper within the skin.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that focuses highly-convergent electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with specific wavelengths between 600 nm and 850 nm onto pigmented regions in the dermis, using a radiation emitter arrangement and optical arrangement to achieve selective energy absorption and thermal damage, while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If optical energy is applied to target pigmented cells in the dermis, then the pigmented appearance is reduced, but excessive damage occurs to the overlying epidermis and upper dermis
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment divides the skin into distinct layers (epidermis and dermis) and applies optical energy selectively to the dermal layer where pigmented cells are located, avoiding excessive damage to the overlying epidermis by targeting only the specific depth where melanin and melanophages are present
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies optical energy with specific wavelengths (600-850 nm) that are selectively absorbed by pigmented cells in the dermis, creating localized thermal damage only where pigmented structures exist, while leaving surrounding healthy tissue and overlying epidermis unaffected
2Use of energy by moving object
If sufficient optical energy is delivered to reach deeper dermis, then pigmented cells are affected, but near-surface absorption prevents adequate energy delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter of the optical energy to the 600-850 nm range, which optimizes penetration depth through the epidermis while maintaining sufficient absorption by dermal pigmented cells, thereby delivering adequate energy to the deeper dermis without excessive near-surface absorption
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment process monitors energy absorption and tissue response to adjust the optical energy parameters, ensuring that sufficient energy reaches the deeper dermis to affect pigmented cells while preventing excessive absorption by overlying tissue through real-time feedback control
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively reduces the appearance of melasma by selectively damaging pigmented cells in the dermis while avoiding unwanted thermal damage to unpigmented tissue and the overlying epidermis, providing a more targeted and efficient treatment for dermal melasma.
Implementation Method 1
application of light or optical energy of certain wavelengths can be strongly absorbed by pigmented cells, thereby damaging them
Implementation Method 2
focusing highly-convergent electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with specific wavelengths between 600 nm and 850 nm onto pigmented regions in the dermis, using a radiation emitter arrangement and optical arrangement to achieve selective energy absorption and thermal damage
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~2
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
Exemplary methods and devices can be provided for improving the appearance of dermal melasma. This can be done, e.g., focusing electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength between about 600 nm and 850 nm into a region of the pigmented dermal tissue at a depth between about 150 and 400 microns, using a lens arrangement having a large numerical aperture between about 0.5 and 0.9. The exemplary local dwell time of the focused radiation can be less than a few milliseconds, and a local fluence provided in the focal region can be between about 50 and 500 J/cm2. The focal region can be scanned through the dermal tissue at speeds on the order of a few cm/s. Such parameters can provide sufficient energy absorption by pigmented cells in the dermis to disrupt them while avoiding damage to the overlying tissue and unpigmented dermal tissue.