Patent ID: 7935139

Claim:
An apparatus for treating a skin target, the apparatus comprising: a light source adapted to generate eye-hazardous polychromatic light with a radiance that is more than 10*k1*k2*(t^⅓) J/cm 2 /sr, where k2=1 and t is a pulse duration of the eye-safe polychromatic light in seconds, k1=1 for a wavelength ranging from 580 to 700 nm, k1=1.3 for a wavelength of approximately 570 nm, k1=1.6 for a wavelength of approximately 830 nm, k1=3 for a wavelength of approximately 940 nm, and k1=5 for a wavelength greater than 1050 nm having a source energy density sufficient to treat a skin target; a light guide adapted to deliver the eye-hazardous polychromatic light from the light source to a distal end of the light guide; and a diffusing unit attachable to the distal end of the light guide and configured to contact the skin target, the diffusing unit configured (i) to receive the eye-hazardous polychromatic light from the light guide and deliver to the skin target the eye-hazardous polychromatic light having an energy density substantially equal to the source energy density when the diffusing unit is in contact with the skin target and (ii) to receive the eye-hazardous polychromatic light from the light guide and deliver at a distance from the diffusing unit eye-safe polychromatic light with a radiance that is less than 10*k1*k2*(t^⅓) J/cm 2 /sr having a second energy density substantially less than the source energy density when the diffusing unit is spaced from the skin.