JP2008154830A - Optical apparatus for adjustment of hair growth - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical device for adjustment of hair growth which can be used without touching the skin and is safe to the eye. <P>SOLUTION: The optical device for adjustment of hair growth has a light casting portion 1 casting light on a target part 3 of a human body which is to be irradiated with light to adjust the growth of hair and a weak stimulation portion 2 giving weak stimulation to the part 3 to be irradiated with light. The weak stimulation portion 2 makes the eyes to be closed by giving weak stimulation to the eyes, and the light casting portion 1 casts light to adjust the growth of hair while the eyes are closed by the weak stimulation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical hair growth regulator that regulates the growth of hair by light irradiation.

  Conventionally, hair removal by light irradiation is known in the medical field. This uses a high-power laser or a high-power xenon flash lamp to perform hair removal by necrosis that destroys cells in the hair and hair follicles by photothermal reaction. However, when hair removal is performed by this method, there is a possibility that light is accidentally irradiated to the eyes. The eyes are particularly sensitive to light and can cause serious accidents.

In order to solve this problem, for example, the photo hair growth control device described in Patent Document 1 includes a sensor that detects contact with the skin, and irradiates light only when touching the skin. Can be prevented from being irradiated with light.
JP 2002-177405 A

  However, the light body hair growth regulating device described in Patent Document 1 always needs to be brought into contact with the skin when used, and lacks convenience. Further, there is a problem that the user feels uncomfortable due to contact with the skin.

  The present invention has been invented in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical hair growth control apparatus that can be used without contact with the skin and is safe for the eyes.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the light hair growth control device according to claim 1 is directed to a light irradiation unit that irradiates a light irradiation target part of a human body with light for adjusting growth of body hair, and a light irradiation target part. A weak stimulation unit that applies weak stimulation, and the weak stimulation unit applies weak stimulation to the eye to close the eye, and the light irradiation unit grows hair while the eye is closed by the weak stimulation. It is characterized by irradiating light that adjusts.

  The invention described in claim 2 is the light hair growth control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the weak stimulation is caused by gas injection.

  The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that in the light hair growth control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, the weak stimulation is caused by light irradiation.

  The invention according to claim 4 includes a light irradiation unit that irradiates the light irradiation target portion of the human body with light that regulates the growth of body hair and light that is weaker than the light, and the light irradiation unit gives weak light to the eyes. Then, the eyes are closed, and light that regulates the growth of body hair is irradiated while the eyes are closed by the weak light.

  According to the present invention, the weak stimulation unit applies a weak stimulus to the eye, closes the eye, and the light irradiation unit emits light that regulates the growth of body hair while the eye is closed by the weak stimulation. So you can protect your eyes from the light that regulates hair growth.

  Further, according to the present invention, the light irradiation unit applies weak light to the eyes, closes the eyes, and irradiates light that regulates the growth of hair while the eyes are closed by the weak light. Protect your eyes from light, regulating body hair growth. In addition, the photohair growth control device can be easily configured.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same members may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions may be omitted. In the following description, the present invention may be described with specific examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following specific examples.
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows an optical hair growth control apparatus according to the first embodiment.

  The optical hair growth control device 10A has a basic configuration of a light irradiation unit 1A that irradiates light for adjusting hair growth and a weak stimulation unit 2 that applies a weak stimulus to the light irradiation target unit 3.

  The light irradiation unit 1A uses a xenon flash lamp as a light source and irradiates the light irradiation target unit 3 including the human skin and the like with light for adjusting the growth of body hair. The wavelength of light that regulates the growth of body hair can be set by measuring the spectral reflectance of the skin. Therefore, using three Japanese as samples, the spectral reflectance of the skin at each wavelength of light was measured. FIG. 2 shows the measurement results. From FIG. 2, it can be seen that in any sample, the reflectance is reduced in the vicinity of 400 to 600 nm, and it has a characteristic of easily absorbing light in this wavelength region. This is due to the great influence of melanin present in the skin. FIG. 3 shows the spectral characteristics of the absorbance of melanin alone. From FIG. 3, the melanin simple substance absorbs 39% of the irradiation light when the wavelength of the irradiation light is 567 nm, for example.

  For this reason, at the time of the light irradiation, it is possible to stimulate the hair with low-power light by using light having a wavelength band of 400 to 600 nm that is easily absorbed by the skin. Note that ultraviolet rays of 400 nm or less harmful to the skin may be cut by providing a UV cut filter or the like in front of the light irradiation unit 1A.

  The light source, which is a xenon flash lamp, irradiates light having an illuminance of 1.5 to 7 million lux with a flash time (half value of peak power) of 100 to 700 μs. Since the irradiation light quantity can be obtained by the product of the illuminance and the flash time, it is 150 lux · s to 4900 lux · s.

  Further, the irradiation energy (J / cm 2) is a product of the irradiation power (W) and the irradiation time (second), and the irradiation power (W) and the irradiation so that the irradiation energy K becomes, for example, 0.1 J / cm 2. By controlling the time (seconds), it is possible to reliably suppress the occurrence of side effects due to light irradiation. Accordingly, the latter is lower when the irradiation is performed once / day at intervals of several days and when the irradiation is repeated continuously for about 5 to 10 days. A power light source can be used.

  Here, it is known that hair (body hair) has a hair cycle that changes in a cycle from a growth phase to a regression phase and a resting phase. If the skin is irradiated with light under the above irradiation conditions, there is no change in cell morphology as seen with existing medical lasers, cell destruction does not occur, and in the hair cycle The present inventors have confirmed by mouse experiments that hair growth is effectively suppressed if light irradiation is performed during the growth period. It has also been confirmed that if light is irradiated during the rest period of the hair cycle, the hair growth proceeds rapidly in the growth phase of the hair cycle. It has also been confirmed that there are no side effects such as burns.

  The reason why hair growth is suppressed when light irradiation at a level that does not cause changes in cell morphology during growth is not clear, but in the analysis results at the RNA level, inflammatory cytokines are activated by light irradiation. It is considered that this inflammatory cytokine activation leads to hair growth suppression.

Note that the irradiation power is changed according to the change rate of the spectral reflectance of the skin to be irradiated with light, with reference to the spectral reflectance at 500 to 600 nm that is effective in changing the hair cycle. Assuming that the reflectance of the reference specific wavelength is R0, the reflectance of the skin to be irradiated is R1, and the power of the light source that has achieved the activity of inflammatory cytokines on the skin of R0 is P0, the irradiation power P is
P = Rl / R0 × P0
Can be obtained. Since the energy affecting the hair cycle is a constant value, when the spectral reflectance of the skin is high, the irradiation time may be shortened by increasing the irradiation power.

  In addition, since each period of the growth period, regression period, and rest period in the hair cycle differs depending on the place such as the arm, hair, etc., it was determined whether or not it is in the growth period depending on the place where hair growth suppression is desired. Above, light irradiation is performed.

  The weak stimulation unit 2 gives weak stimulation to the light irradiation target unit 3 before the light irradiation unit 1A irradiates the light irradiation target unit 3 with light for adjusting the growth of body hair. If the light hair growth control device 10A is mistakenly directed to the eye, the light irradiation target part 3 becomes the eye (see FIG. 4). Due to this weak stimulus, the eyes are closed, and while the eyes are closed, that is, during blinking, the light irradiation unit 1A irradiates the eyes with light that regulates the growth of body hair. The weak stimulation unit 2 may continue to provide a weak stimulus for closing the eyes, but it is possible to save extra energy if the weak stimulation unit 2 is applied for a sufficient time to close the eyes. In addition, the time from when the weak stimulation unit 2 gives a weak stimulus to the light irradiation target unit 3 until the light irradiation unit 1A irradiates the light irradiation target unit 3 with light that regulates the growth of body hairs is It is set in consideration of the time from when a weak stimulus is applied until the eye is closed and the time when the eye is closed by this weak stimulus.

  As the weak stimulus, gas injection having a cooling effect is preferable, but it is not limited to gas injection, and may be light or current.

  The gas injection can be generated, for example, by providing a known injection mechanism in the weak stimulation unit 2. Moreover, a wind pressure can be generated by providing a fan in the weak stimulation part 2, for example. The jet of gas closes the eyes but needs to be safe for the eyes. It should be noted that if the skin receives too much light from the light irradiating unit 1A, there is a risk of burning, but this risk can be reduced if a gas having a cooling effect is used.

  In the case of light, it can be generated by providing a light irradiation part in the weak stimulation part 2. Light irradiation closes the eyes, but it must be safe for the eyes. Since humans are more responsive to changing light than to constant light, the light that closes the eyes is preferably, for example, pulsed or flashing light. In addition, the wavelength of light that has high visibility and can cause blinking due to a physiological response to human eyes with the lowest power (for example, LED level) is 555 nm.

  In the case of a current, it can be generated by providing a current generator in the weak stimulator 2. The current is weak and flows around the eye. This current closes the eye but must be safe for the eye.

  The optical hair growth control device 10A is preferably used in a non-contact manner so as to enhance convenience and prevent the user from feeling uncomfortable, but it can also be used in contact with the user.

  In addition, although the three functions of the weak stimulation part 2 were mentioned above, these may be combined arbitrarily and a several function may coexist.

Therefore, the weak stimulating unit 2 gives a weak stimulus to the eyes, closes the eyes, and the light irradiating unit 1A emits light that regulates the growth of the hair while the eyes are closed by the weak stimuli. Protect your eyes from light, regulating body hair growth.
(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 5 shows an optical hair growth control apparatus according to the second embodiment.

  The first embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the light irradiating unit 1B applies weak light to the eyes, closes the eyes, and irradiates light that regulates the growth of body hair while the eyes are closed by the weak light. . That is, in the light irradiation unit 1B, the light irradiation unit 1A in the first embodiment also has the function of the weak stimulation unit 2 (see FIGS. 1 and 4) in the first embodiment.

  In the second embodiment, the weak stimulation unit 2 described in the first embodiment is not required, but may be provided to securely close the eyes.

  Therefore, the light irradiation unit 1B gives weak light to the eyes, closes the eyes, and irradiates light that regulates the growth of body hair while the eyes are closed by the weak light. Protect your eyes from the light you adjust. Moreover, since the weak stimulation part 2 is not required, the optical hair growth control apparatus 10B can be comprised easily.

1 is a conceptual diagram of a hair growth control apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows the result of having measured the spectral reflectance of the skin in each wavelength of light, using three Japanese as a sample. It is a figure which shows the relationship between each wavelength of light, and the light absorbency of a melanin single-piece | unit. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a hair growth control apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a conceptual diagram of the body hair growth control apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1A, 1B Light irradiation part 2 Weak stimulation part 3 Light irradiation object part 10A, 10B Hair growth control apparatus

Claims (4)

A light irradiation unit that irradiates the light irradiation target part of the human body with light that regulates the growth of body hair;
A weak stimulation unit that applies a weak stimulation to the light irradiation target unit;
With
The weak stimulation unit applies a weak stimulus to the eyes to close the eyes, and the light irradiation unit irradiates the light for adjusting the growth of body hair while the eyes are closed by the weak stimulation. Light body hair growth regulator.   The light hair growth control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the weak stimulation is caused by gas injection.   The light body hair growth regulating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the weak stimulation is caused by light irradiation. A light irradiation unit that irradiates the light irradiation target portion of the human body with light that regulates the growth of body hair and light that is weaker than the light,
The light irradiation unit applies light weak to the eye, closes the eye, and emits light that regulates hair growth while the eye is closed by the weak light. Adjusting device.

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