Claims from a recent Pilogics L.P. Patent: 6/13/2013
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
- A device to stimulate a scalp comprising:
an array of stimulating elements adapted to pierce skin of said scalp no deeper than a thickness of a dermis, said stimulating elements are arranged along a circumference of at least one wheel, said wheel adapted to roll over said scalp.
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The device of claim 1 wherein said stimulating elements comprise needles.
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The device of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said stimulating elements release ions.
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The device of any one of claims 1-3, wherein said stimulating elements are further adapted to additionally stimulate the scalp to enhance movement of said ions to a level sufficient to cause a significant biological effect.
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The device of any one of claims 1-4, wherein,
a first group of stimulating elements of said array comprise a first metal;
a second group of stimulating elements of said array comprises a second metal; and
the electrochemical gradient is sufficient to cause ions to travel in an amount sufficient to cause a biological effect.
- The device of any one of claims 1-4, wherein:
said stimulating elements of said arrays comprise at least one metal; and said metal has an electro potential sufficient to cause ion injection.
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The device of any one of claims 3-6, wherein said ions comprise at least one of copper ions and zinc ions.
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The device of any of claims 1-7, wherein:
said stimulating elements are arranged to part hair on scalp during piercing by said stimulating elements;
said arranged to part hair comprises stimulating elements separated from one another along a dimension to form a gap sufficiently wide to avoid trapping hairs; and
said dimension comprises between 2mm and 5mm.
- The device of any one of claims 1-8, wherein:
said stimulating elements of said array are separated by 0.1mm to 1mm along an axis;
said stimulating elements are adapted to pierce skin to at least one depth between 100 micrometers and 1700 micrometers; and
said stimulating elements have a shape that forms a wound with a cross sectional area between 0.00001 mm 2 and 0.1 mm 2 at said dermis.
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The device of any one of claims 1-9, further comprising at least one element to vibrate at least one stimulating element.
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The device of claim 10, wherein said vibrate comprises vibrating to increase a cross section of a wound under said scalp by said stimulating element by a factor ranging from 2X - 20X.
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The device of claim 10 or claim 11, wherein said vibrate comprises vibrating at a frequency ranging from 50 Hz - 120 Hz and at an amplitude of 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm.
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The device of any one of claims 1-12, wherein at least one stimulating element is electrically coupled to a power source.
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The device of claim 13, further comprising:
ion injecting electrodes that touch the scalp connected to one terminal of said power source; and
an electrode that does not touch the scalp connected to a second terminal of the power source.
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The device of any one of claims 1-14, wherein at least one stimulating element is configured to provide heat adapted to maintain a temperature of said stimulating elements during said piercing of said scalp.
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The device of any one of claims 1-15, further comprising a controller for regulating the application of at least one of: temperature of said stimulating elements, number of said piercings of said skin by said stimulating elements, vibration of said stimulating elements, application of electrical current by said stimulating elements to said skin.
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The device of claim 16, further comprising:
a memory, said memory coupled to said controller, said memory containing data correlating stimulation parameters with a treatment; and
a sensor, said sensor coupled to said controller, said sensor configured to monitor said piercing of said skin by said stimulating elements.
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The device of any one of claims 1-17, further comprising a drug reservoir comprising at least one drug to administer to said scalp.
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The device of any one of claims 1-18, further comprising at least one of a motor and a handle, each configured to displace said array across said scalp.
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The device of any one of claims 1-19, further comprising an encoder operable to count revolutions or partial revolutions of said wheel.
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The device of any of claims 1-20, wherein said stimulation comprises light.
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The device of any of claims 1-21, wherein said light is delivered through at least one of transparent discs, stimulating elements and optical fibers.
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The device of any of claims 1-22, wherein said stimulating elements comprise optical fibers acting as needles to pierce skin.
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The device of any one of claims 1-23, wherein said stimulating elements comprise at least one injector configured to deliver stimulation directly into skin without needles.
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A device to stimulate a scalp comprising an array of stimulating elements adapted to pierce skin of said scalp no deeper than a thickness of a dermis.
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The device of claim 25, wherein said stimulating elements are independently displaceable along a long axis of said stimulating elements to pierce said scalp in synchronized motion.
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The device of claim 25 or claim 26, wherein said stimulating elements comprise needles and further comprising:
a power source in electrical communication with at least two of said needles, said power source coupled to apply a voltage across said at least two needles;
a vibrational element coupled to said array, said vibrational element operable to vibrate said needles along at least one axis; and
a heat source thermally coupled to said needles, said heat source operable to raise needles to a temperature sufficient to raise a temperature of a volume of skin to within a range of 45-70 degrees Celsius.
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The device of any one of claims 25-27, wherein at least one of said needles is coated or made from a first material that discharges zinc ions and at least one of said needles is coated or made from a second material that discharges copper ions.
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A method of stimulating a scalp comprising:
forming channels at least below an epidermal layer of skin of said scalp;
providing at least one stimulation from inside said channels;
effecting tissue adjacent to said channels; and
controlling said providing.
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The method of claim 29, wherein stimulating comprises wounding said skin in a non-contiguous pattern.
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The method of claim 29 or claim 30, wherein said wounding comprises wounding said skin at a density of 5-10 wounds per mm .
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The method of any one of claims 29-31, wherein said controlling comprises wounding said skin in a period of time ranging from 0.01 seconds to 0.1 seconds per wound, to reduce a pain level.
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The method of any one of claims 29-32, wherein said wounding comprises sufficiently wounding said skin to induce a wound healing response that regenerates hair follicles.
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The method of any one of claims 29-33, wherein said wounding comprises selectively wounding at a depth selected according to a stage of baldness.
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The method of any one of claims 29-34, wherein said stimulation is provided at multiple depths in the epidermis and/or dermis, ranging between 100 micrometers and 1700 micrometers.
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The method of any one of claims 29-35, wherein said stimulating comprises applying a vibration under said skin.
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The method of claim 36, wherein said controlling comprises applying a vibration to increase the cross sectional size of a wound under said skin by a factor of 2-20X.
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The method of any one of claims 29-37, wherein said stimulating comprises applying light under said skin.
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The method of c any one of claims 29-38, wherein said stimulating comprises applying heat sufficiently to induce a wound healing response that increases collagen production.
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The method of claim 39, wherein said controlling comprises applying sufficient heat to raise a temperature of a volume of skin to within a range of 45-70 degrees Celsius.
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The method of any one of claims 29-40, wherein said stimulating comprises applying at least one voltage gradient to an area of said skin.
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The method of any one of claims 29-41, wherein said stimulating comprises applying voltage in an opposite polarity to release copper ions under said skin.
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The method of any one of claims 29-42, wherein said stimulation comprises forming a galvanic current that releases zinc ions under said skin.
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The method of any one of claims 29-43, wherein:
said stimulating comprises applying an alternating current to alternate deposition of copper ions and zinc ions under said skin; and
a waveform of said alternating current is selected according to the ratio of the desired deposition of copper ions and zinc ions.
- The method of any one of claims 29-44, wherein:
said stimulating comprises depositing a selected amount of at least one of copper ions and zinc ions under said skin to inhibit type I 5-alpha-reductase to stimulate hair growth;
said selected amount of zinc ions ranges from 0.001 to 1 nanogram/cm per treatment;
the maximum total weekly dosage is between 2 nanograms/cm2 and 4 nanograms/cm2; and
said selected amount of said copper ions ranges from 1% to 50% of said selected zinc ion amount.
- The method of any one of claims 29-45, wherein said controlling comprises: applying said stimulation according to a position on said scalp; and
adjusting said providing according to hair growth.
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The method of any one of claims 29-46, wherein said controlling comprises measuring an impedance to determine contact of at least one needle with said skin.
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The method of any one of claims 29-47, wherein:
a treatment session of said stimulating said scalp is repeated at least once daily; and
said controlling comprises applying said stimulation during a particular treatment session to an area on said scalp smaller than the entire area being treated.
- The method of any one of claims 29-48, wherein:
hair loss is treated by said stimulation of said scalp; and
said method further comprises comparing said providing to a treatment plan.
- The method of any one of claims 29-49, wherein said stimulating comprises depositing at least one of copper ions and zinc ions under said skin to:
enrich the scalp with mineral nutrients in an amount sufficient to cause a biological effect; and
create electrical fields.
AND A PICTURE OF A DEVICE:
