Microstructures for treating and conditioning skin

Abstract

An improved method and apparatus is provided as a system to enhance skin appearance and health, in which skin is cleaned (or exfoliated) and conditioned by use of microelements affixed to a base element or hand-held patch. The dimensions of the microelements are controlled so as to remove a certain number of layers of skin cells and to accumulate those skin cells, along with other foreign substances, into areas between the microelements. In addition, a conditioning compound or therapeutic active can be applied to the exfoliated skin to enhance the skin. Moreover, the amount of accumulated skin cells represents a self-limiting maximum quantity that cannot be substantially exceeded regardless of the number of attempts by a user to re-use the microstructure apparatus.

1 . A method for removing cells from skin, said method comprising: 
 (a) providing a microstructure having a substrate and a plurality of microelements;    (b) placing said microstructure on skin then rubbing the microstructure against said skin, thereby scraping and accumulating skin cells on said substrate in areas between said plurality of microelements; and    (c) withdrawing said microstructure from said skin, and thereby removing a large majority of said skin cells that have accumulated upon said substrate.    
   
   
       2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein an amount of accumulated skin cells is predetermined by controlling a length of said plurality of microelements and by controlling a spacing between said plurality of microelements.  
   
   
       3 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said amount of accumulated skin cells represents a self-limiting maximum quantity that cannot be substantially exceeded regardless of the number of attempts by a user to re-use the microstructure.  
   
   
       4 . (canceled)  
   
   
       5 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the shape of said plurality of microelements also tends to accumulate said skin cells during said rubbing step.  
   
   
       6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a shape of said plurality of microelements comprises one of: (a) a pyramid; or (b) an open, topless box having three walls; or (c) a wedge; or (d) an elongated triangle; or (e) a segmented elongated triangle; or (f) a cone; or (g) an inverted wedge with curved side walls; or (h) an inverted wedge with substantially flat side walls.  
   
   
       7 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of microelements are comprised of more than one of said shapes upon a single substrate, and a first particular one of said microelements tends to remove a first sized skin cell, while a second particular one of said microelements of a different shape tends to remove a second sized skin cell that is different in size from the first sized skin cell.  
   
   
       8 - 10 . (canceled)  
   
   
       11 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is substantially flexible, and is mounted onto a substantially flexible backing layer.  
   
   
       12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said backing layer is impregnated with a fluidic compound and thereby acts as a fluid reservoir for use with said substrate which contains at least one passageway and which allows said fluidic compound to flow therethrough from said backing layer.  
   
   
       13 - 14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . A microstructure apparatus, comprising: a substrate and a plurality of microelements affixed upon a first surface of said substrate; said plurality of microelements being of predetermined sizes and shapes so as to scrape a substantially predetermined quantity of skin cells from skin when said microstructure apparatus is placed upon said skin and moved in at least one predetermined direction; and said plurality of microelements being spaced-apart from one another upon said substrate by predetermined distances so as to remove a large majority of said scraped skin cells when said microstructure apparatus is withdrawn from said skin.  
   
   
       16 . The microstructure apparatus as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of microelements have a length and shape that tend to scrape skin cells loose without penetrating entirely through a stratum corneum layer of said skin.  
   
   
       17 . The microstructure apparatus as recited in  claim 15 , wherein a shape of said plurality of microelements comprises one of: (a) a pyramid; or (b) an open, topless box having three walls; or (c) a wedge; or (d) an elongated triangle; or (e) a segmented elongated triangle; or (f) a cone; or (g) an inverted wedge with curved side walls; or (h) an inverted wedge with substantially flat side walls.  
   
   
       18 . The microstructure apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the shape of said plurality of microelements is directional, such that said rubbing step is performed in at least one predetermined direction to facilitate the scraping of the skin cells.  
   
   
       19 . The microstructure apparatus as recited in  claim 15 , wherein a shape of at least some of said plurality of microelements and their adjacent substrate comprises one of: 
 (a) a pyramid having at least one channel along a wall of said pyramid, and at least one passageway in said substrate proximal to the wall of said pyramid, said channel being in fluidic communication with said passageway; or    (b) an open, topless box having three walls, and at least one passageway in said substrate proximal to one of said three walls; or    (c) a wedge having at least one passageway therethrough which is in fluidic communication with at least one other passageway in said substrate; or    (d) an elongated triangle having at least one channel along a wall of said elongated triangle, and at least one passageway in said substrate proximal to the wall of said elongated triangle, said channel being in fluidic communication with said passageway; or    (e) an inverted wedge with curved side walls having at least one passageway therethrough which is in fluidic communication with at least one other passageway in said substrate; or    (f) an inverted wedge with substantially flat side walls having at least one passageway therethrough which is in fluidic communication with at least one other passageway in said substrate.    
   
   
       20 . The microstructure apparatus as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising: at least one chamber located on a second surface of said substrate that is opposite from said first surface, and at least one fluidic compound that flows through said at least one passageway; wherein said microstructure apparatus performs both an exfoliation operation and a fluidic delivery operation using a single procedure upon said skin.  
   
   
       21 . The microstructure apparatus as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising: a backing layer that is mounted onto a second surface of said substrate that is opposite from said first surface, wherein said backing layer is impregnated with at least one fluidic compound and thereby acts as a fluid reservoir for use with said substrate which contains at least one passageway and which allows said at least one fluidic compound to flow therethrough from said backing layer.  
   
   
       22 . The microstructure apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , wherein both said substrate and backing layer are substantially flexible.  
   
   
       23 . A microstructure apparatus, comprising: a substrate and a plurality of microelements affixed upon a first surface of said substrate; said plurality of microelements being of predetermined sizes and shapes, and said plurality of microelements being spaced-apart from one another upon said substrate by predetermined distances; wherein said shape of said plurality of microelements comprises a wedge.  
   
   
       24 . The microstructure apparatus as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said wedge shape comprises one of: (a) an elongated body that is substantially flat on its top surface, which exhibits a substantially sharp edge at each of two ends, and which exhibits substantially flat side walls between said two ends; or (b) an elongated body that is substantially flat on its top surface, and which has two end surfaces and two side walls, wherein said side walls are curved and tapered such that said two end surfaces are narrower at their junction with said substrate than at their top edges with said top surface; or (c) an elongated body that is substantially flat on its top surface, and which has two end surfaces and two side walls, wherein said side walls are substantially flat and tapered such that said two end surfaces are narrower at their junction with said substrate than at their top edges with said top surface.  
   
   
       25 . A microstructure apparatus, comprising: a substrate and a plurality of microelements affixed upon a first surface of said substrate; said plurality of microelements being of predetermined sizes and shapes, and said plurality of microelements being spaced-apart from one another upon said substrate by predetermined distances; wherein said shape of said plurality of microelements comprises an elongated triangle.  
   
   
       26 . The microstructure apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said elongated triangle shape comprises one of: (a) an elongated body that has two three-sided end surfaces and two substantially flat side walls that come to an elongated top edge; or (b) at least two bodies that have two three-sided end surfaces and two substantially flat side walls that come to an elongated top edge, and which are spaced-apart from one another by a predetermined distance therebetween along said substrate, wherein said at least two bodies each exhibit a longitudinal axis which are substantially co-linear with one another.  
   
   
       27 . A microstructure apparatus, comprising: a substrate and a plurality of microelements affixed upon a first surface of said substrate; said plurality of microelements being of predetermined sizes and shapes, and said plurality of microelements being spaced-apart from one another upon said substrate by predetermined distances; wherein said shape of each of the plurality of microelements comprises a topless box-like structure exhibiting three connecting walls that are affixed to said substrate, said three connecting walls having a substantially perpendicular relationship to each adjacent said connecting wall where they join to create a corner, two of said three connecting walls being substantially parallel to one another with an open area therebetween at their ends which do not join with said third of the connecting walls.  
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step of providing a microstructure comprises the step of providing upstanding microelements having a concave cross-section, and wherein said step of rubbing said microstructure along the surface of the skin comprises the step of rubbing said microelements in the direction of concavity, whereby skin may accumulate in said concavity.  
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step of providing a microstructure comprises the step of providing upstanding microelements wherein said microelement is elongate, and has a major axis parallel to said substrate, and wherein said step of rubbing said microstructure along the surface of the skin comprises the step of rubbing said microelements substantially perpendicular to said major axis.  
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein said microelement has a proximal end at said substrate and a distal end remote therefrom, said distal end comprising an elongate vertex, said elongate vertex being substantially parallel to said major axis.