Patent ID: 6358242
Filing Date: 2002-03-19
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
A method of permanent hair removal by laser post-treatments after conventional hair stripping, which is not limited by skin pigmentation, causes no pain, minimizes damage to surrounding tissue, and which utilizes a photosensitizer; comprising the steps of:a) selecting a photosensitizer that will activate at a wavelength that will not be limited by skin pigmentation and that has low residual melanin absorption to avoid depigmentation; b) applying said photosensitizer onto an area of skin treated by a conventional hair stripping process, so as to impregnate hair follicles within hair ducts within said area of skin; c) applying a solvent wipe to remove excess photosensitizer from said area of skin without significantly removing said photosensitizer from said hair follicles; d) selecting a laser delivery system for treatment based on said photosensitizer's activation wavelength; e) irradiating said area of skin with said laser delivery system; and f) whereby said photosensitizer in said impregnated hair follicles is activated and said impregnated hair follicles are destroyed with minimal damage to skin or other tissue surrounding said hair follicles.