Systems and Methods for Enhancing the Delivery of Compounds to Skin Pores using Ultrasonic Waveforms

Abstract

The invention is a device for transmitting acoustical energy through the surface of the skin of a patient, coupled with the administration of a compound, for example an acne medication, for the purpose of temporarily expanding the patient's pore size and enhancing the delivery of the compound to the patient's pores. The ultrasonic transducer emits a sonic transmission of variable intensity and frequency for the purpose of enhancing the absorption of compounds that have first been deposited onto the surface of the skin and into skin pores that have been expanded by the ultrasound transmission.

1 . A method for delivering a compound to human skin, the method comprising:
 (a) depositing the compound at a treatment site on a surface of the skin; and   (b) directing an ultrasound waveform consisting of at least one non-sinusoidal waveform having a frequency in the range of 18 kHz to 175 kHz into the skin at least a portion of the treatment site using an ultrasonic device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one non-sinusoidal waveform has a frequency in the range of 20 kHz to 100 kHz. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (b) further comprises directing an ultrasound waveform consisting of at least one non-sinusoidal waveform having a frequency in the range of 18 kHz to 175 kHz into the skin at least a portion of the treatment site using an ultrasonic device in a manner that results in at least some of the compound penetrating at least a portion of an epidermal layer of the skin and no significant portion of the compound penetrating a dermal layer of the skin. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one-sinusoidal waveform comprises a sawtooth waveform. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one-sinusoidal waveform an alternating waveform that alternates between a first waveform for a first predetermined period and a second waveform for a second predetermined period, the second waveform being different from the first waveform. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one-sinusoidal waveform is an alternating waveform that alternates between a sawtooth waveform for a first period and a second waveform for a second period, the second waveform being different from the sawtooth waveform. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first period is of a longer duration than the second period. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the duration of the first predetermined period is at least twice the duration of the second predetermined period. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the duration of the first predetermined period is at least four times the duration of the second predetermined period. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the duration of the first predetermined period is about 80 milliseconds and the duration of the second predetermined period is about 20 milliseconds. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (a) further comprises depositing the compound at a treatment site on a surface of the skin, wherein the compound comprises a pharmaceutical compound for the treatment of acne. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (b) further comprises directing an ultrasound waveform consisting of at least one non-sinusoidal waveform having a frequency in the range of 18 kHz to 175 kHz into the skin at least a portion of the treatment site using an ultrasonic device having at least one transducer, wherein each of the at least one transducers is operated at an intensity in the range of 75 mW/sq.cm to 150 mW/sq.cm. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises depositing the compound at a treatment site on a surface of the skin, wherein the skin is located on a human face. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the compound comprises an acne treatment medication. 
     
     
         15 . A method for delivering a compound to human skin, the method comprising:
 (a) depositing the compound at a treatment site on a surface of the skin; and   (b) driving the compound into at least a portion of an epidermal layer of the skin at a treatment site without any significant portion of the compound penetrating a dermal layer of the skin by directing an ultrasound waveform consisting of at least one non-sinusoidal waveform into the skin at least a portion of the treatment site.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each of the at least one non-sinusoidal waveforms has a frequency in the range of 18 kHz to 175 kHz. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the ultrasound waveform consists of an alternating waveform consisting of a sawtooth waveform provided for a first period and a square waveform provided for a second period that is no more than one half of the first period. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first period is about 80 milliseconds and the second period is about 20 milliseconds. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein step (b) further comprises generating the ultrasonic waveform using an ultrasonic device having at least one transducer, wherein each of the at least one transducers is operated at an intensity in the range of 75 mW/sq.cm to 150 mW/sq.cm. 
     
     
         20 . A method for delivering an acne-treatment compound into human skin, the method comprising:
 (a) depositing the acne-treatment compound at a treatment site on a surface of the skin, wherein at least one pore is located in the skin at the treatment site;   (b) dilating the at least one pore using a first waveform; and   (c) driving the acne compound into at least a portion of an epidermal layer of the skin at a treatment site without any significant portion of the compound penetrating a dermal layer of the skin using a second waveform.   
     
     
         21 - 32 . (canceled)