Skin resurfacing at 1930 nm
View Patent ↗Non-ablative skin resurfacing can include generating electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 1920 nm to about 1950 nm and a fluence of about 3 J/cm 2 to about 6 J/cm 2 . The electromagnetic radiation is delivered to a target region of skin to cause thermal injury to the epidermis in the target region sufficient to elicit a healing response that produces a substantially improved skin condition without detachment of the epidermis (e.g., within 3 days of treatment).
1. A method of non-ablative skin resurfacing, comprising:
generating electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 1920 nm to about 1950 nm and a fluence of about 3 J/cm 2 to about 6 J/cm 2 ;
delivering the electromagnetic radiation to a target region of skin; and
causing thermal injury to an epidermis in the target region sufficient to elicit a healing response that produces a substantially improved skin condition without detachment of the epidermis.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising causing thermal injury while leaving the epidermis intact for up to 3 days.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising causing thermal injury while leaving the epidermis intact for up to 7 days.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising causing thermal injury to an upper portion of a dermis in the target region of skin.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising causing cell necrosis to a depth of up to 300 micrometers in a dermis while leaving the epidermis intact for at least 3 days.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising causing thermal injury without acute cosmetic disturbance to the epidermis.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising matching optical penetration depth of the electromagnetic radiation to a thickness of the epidermis.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising exposing the target region of skin to the electromagnetic radiation for up to 1 second.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation is about 1930 nm.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation is about 1947 nm.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating the electromagnetic radiation using a pulsed source.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating the electromagnetic radiation using at least one of scanned or gated continuous wave source.
13. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a plurality of thermal injuries, each thermal injury separated from adjacent thermal injuries by substantially undamaged epidermal tissue.
14. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a pattern of thermal injuries in the target region of skin.
15. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a reverse fractional pattern including regions of undamaged tissue surrounded by damaged tissue.
16. The method of claim 1 further comprising using a thulium-doped laser to generate the electromagnetic radiation.
17. The method of claim 1 further comprising using a thulium:YAP laser to generate the electromagnetic radiation.
18. A method of non-ablative skin resurfacing, comprising:
generating electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 1920 nm to about 1950 nm and a fluence of about 3 J/cm 2 to about 6 J/cm 2 ;
delivering the electromagnetic radiation to a target region of skin including an epidermis and a dermis; and
causing thermal injury to the epidermis and to the dermis in the target region sufficient to elicit a healing response that produces a substantially improved skin condition without detachment of the epidermis.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising causing cell necrosis to a depth of up to 300 micrometers in the dermis while leaving the epidermis intact for at least 3 days.
20. The method of claim 18 further comprising matching optical penetration depth of the electromagnetic radiation to a thickness of the epidermis.
21. The method of claim 18 further comprising exposing the target region of skin to the electromagnetic radiation for up to 1 second.
22. The method of claim 16 wherein the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation is about 1930 nm.
23. A method of non-ablative skin resurfacing, comprising:
generating electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 1930 nm and a fluence of up to 5 J/cm 2 ;
delivering the electromagnetic radiation to a target region of skin; and
causing thermal injury to the epidermis in the target region sufficient to elicit a healing response that produces a substantially improved skin condition without detachment of the epidermis.
24. A method of non-ablative skin resurfacing, comprising:
generating electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 1920 nm to about 1950 nm, a fluence of about 3 J/cm 2 to about 6 J/cm 2 , and a pulse duration up to 1 second;
delivering the electromagnetic radiation to a target region of skin; and
causing thermal injury to the epidermis in the target region sufficient to elicit a healing response that produces a substantially improved skin condition without detachment of the epidermis.
25. The method of claim 24 further comprising causing cell necrosis to a depth of up to 300 micrometers in the dermis leaving the epidermis intact for at least 3 days.
26. The method of claim 24 wherein the pulse duration is less than or equal to 250 milliseconds.
27. The method of claim 24 further comprising using a thulium doped laser to generate the electromagnetic radiation.
28. The method of claim 24 further comprising using a diode laser to generate the electromagnetic radiation.
29. The method of claim 24 further comprising:
causing cell necrosis to a depth of up to 300 micrometers in the dermis; and
reducing the appearance of wrinkles.