Device and method for treating skin

Abstract

A device for the cosmetic treatment of skin, especially for epilation, skin remodeling and treatment of acne whereby an appropriate cosmetically effective wavelength of light is produced using a fluorescent material pumped with ultraviolet light from an ultraviolet light source.

1 . A cosmetic skin treatment device comprising: 
 (a) a fluorescent material, said fluorescent material pumped by ultraviolet light and emitting cosmetically useful, omnidirectional light, said cosmetically useful light primarily of a single color; and    (b) a light source, said light source producing light having at least an about 10% ultraviolet component in a direction so as to illuminate said fluorescent material.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said light source is selected from a group of light sources consisting of coherent light sources, incoherent light sources, continuous lamps, flash lamps and lasers.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein said light source is lamp selected from a group of lamps consisting of Xe lamps and Xe—Hg lamps.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (d) a housing configured so as to direct said cosmetically useful light in a specific direction.    
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 (e) a filter, said filter being not transparent to ultraviolet light, positioned so as to prevent passage of ultraviolet light in said specific direction.    
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said ultraviolet component is at least about 15%.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said ultraviolet component is at least about 30%.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said ultraviolet component is at least about 40%.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said ultraviolet component is at least about 50%.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said single color is red.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said single color is blue.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said single color is green.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said light source is a flash lamp configured to produce flashes of light with a density of between 1 and 200 j cm −2 .  
   
   
       14 . A cosmetic skin treatment device comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of blocks of different fluorescent materials, each said fluorescent material, when pumped by ultraviolet light, emitting cosmetically useful light primarily of a single respective color;    (b) a holder for reversibly holding a selected one of said blocks of fluorescent material; and    (c) a light source for producing light having at least an about 10% ultraviolet component so as to illuminate said selected block.    
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 15 , comprising a first said block that emits primarily red light, a second said block that emits primarily green light and a third said block that emits primarily blue light.