Abstract The roots of human hairs of a patient are devitalized using high intensity, short duration pulses of light having wavelengths with respect to which the skin of the patient is non-absorbative and the hair of the patient is relatively absorbative. A narrow, focused beam of the light is aimed at the epidermis of the patient adjacent the hair such that an extension of the beam intersects the hair root at an angle relative to the skin surface. A short pulse passes through the skin and is absorbed in the hair root, destroying its blood supply. Apparatus for practicing the method employs a manually controlled two-axis positioning system supporting the focusing system that is connected to a laser light source by a flexible fiber optic bundle. A shutter selectively positionable in the optical path allows a low intensity beam to be produced for aiming and the shutter is removed from the optical path for the pulse period to produce the high energy beam.
The method of devitalizing a hair of a human subject as part of a process of depilation, comprising: aiming a source of a narrow beam of light, the source having a substantial component of wavelength to which the skin of the patient is substantially non-absorbative and the hair root of the patient is substantially absorbative, at a point on the epidermis of the patient spaced from the exit point of the hair body and in a direction such that the extension of the beam would intersect the hair root, and applying a short, high-energy pulse of such light energy from such beam to cause sufficient heating of the hair root to destroy the blood vessels supplying the hair root.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
119 words
The method of devitalizing a hair of a human subject as part of a process of depilation, comprising: aiming a source of a narrow beam of light, the source having a substantial component of wavelength to which the skin of the patient is substantially non-absorbative and the hair root of the patient is substantially absorbative, at a point on the epidermis of the patient spaced from the exit point of the hair body and in a direction such that the extension of the beam would intersect the hair root, and applying a short, high-energy pulse of such light energy from such beam to cause sufficient heating of the hair root to destroy the blood vessels supplying the hair root.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 in which the light energy source is an argon laser.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2 in which the light pulse has a duration of between 0.020 and 0.30 seconds.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 in which the aiming is achieved by use of a relatively continuous beam of lower energy intensity and wider cross-section than said light pulse, said low intensity beam being projected along the same optical path as said light pulse.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 4 in which the source of the light pulse and the lower energy aiming beam constitute a laser and a beam attenuator normally disposed in the optical path of the laser, which attenuator is removed from the path for the pulse duration to achieve said light pulse.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of pulling on the section of a hair body which extends from the epidermis following the devitalization to achieve depilation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 in which the light pulse has a wavelength substantially at 5,000 angstroms.