JP2008183059A - Optical body hair growth regulating device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a light quantity required for light for body hair growth regulation. <P>SOLUTION: The optical body hair growth regulating device comprises a light irradiating unit 2 for irradiating the light irradiation object part of a human body with the light for regulating body hair growth, and a follicle pull-up means for pulling up the follicle of body hair at the light irradiation object part to a skin surface side when irradiating the light irradiation object part with the light from the light irradiating unit. Since the follicle to be irradiated with the light is pulled up to the skin surface side, light irradiating efficiency for the follicle is increased. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical hair growth control device that suppresses growth of hair (including hair) or promotes growth of hair by irradiating light.

  As a hair growth regulator using light, hair removal using laser light is known, but in recent years, it has a light quantity and light energy that do not cause changes in cell morphology as seen with existing medical lasers and the like. It is attracting attention that the growth of hair can be regulated by light.

  That is, body hair has a hair cycle that changes in a cycle from the growth phase to the regression phase and the resting phase, but changes in cell morphology as seen with existing medical lasers occur in the resting phase. It has been confirmed that irradiation with light having no light amount or light energy causes hair to grow faster in the growth period of the hair cycle, does not cause cell destruction, and causes no side effects such as burns. It has also been confirmed that hair growth is effectively suppressed by irradiating light of the light amount or light energy during the growth period of the hair cycle.

  It is not clear why the growth of hair is promoted or suppressed by light irradiation at a level that does not cause changes in cell morphology during the resting or growing phase. Since the activation of inflammatory cytokines is caused by light irradiation, it is considered that this is due to the activation of inflammatory cytokines.

By the way, in order to promote or suppress hair growth by irradiating the human skin with light for controlling hair growth as described above, even if it does not have energy like a laser, it emits light of a suitable amount of light. Irradiation is necessary for controlling hair growth, and for this purpose, a xenon flash lamp is used as a light source. However, if the required amount of light can be further reduced, other light sources that are inexpensive and convenient to use can be used, which is more convenient.
JP 2001-292825 A

  The present invention has been invented in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide an optical hair growth regulator that can reduce the amount of light required for light for regulating hair growth. Is.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the light body hair growth regulating apparatus according to the present invention includes 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 part to the light irradiation target part. And a hair follicle pulling means for pulling up the hair follicle of the body hair in the light irradiation target portion to the skin surface side.

  Since the hair follicle to be irradiated with light is pulled up to the skin surface side, the light irradiation efficiency for the hair follicle can be increased.

  As the hair follicle lifting means, mechanical shaving means for shaving body hair, mechanical hair removal means for removing body hair, and suction means for sucking the skin surface can be suitably used.

  The present invention is capable of reducing the amount of light required for the light irradiation unit in order to increase the amount of light reaching the hair follicle by raising the hair follicle to be irradiated with light to the skin surface side. In addition, a light source having a low irradiation light amount can be used as the light irradiation unit.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 uses a mechanical shaving means for shaving body hair, that is, an electric shaver 1, as a lifting means for pulling up hair follicles in body hair to the skin surface side. The electric razor 1 is in contact with the main body housing 11, the outer blade frame 12 connected to the upper end of the main body housing 11, the outer blade 13 attached to the outer blade frame 12, and the inner surface of the outer blade 13. When the inner cutter 14 is reciprocated by a motor (not shown) disposed in the main body housing 1 with the outer cutter 13 pressed against the skin, the outer cutter 13 The hair entering the outer blade frame 1 from the blade hole is cut between the inner blade 14 and the outer blade 13 (hole edge of the blade hole). In addition, what kind of drive form of the inner blade 14 may be sufficient, for example, a rotary type and a rotary type may be sufficient.

  Here, light irradiation parts 2 and 2 are arranged on the upper end surface of the main body housing 11 of the electric razor 1. The two light irradiating units 2 using a xenon flash lamp that emits continuous pulsed light as a light source are both positioned beside the inner blade 14 and focused toward the contact portion between the inner blade 14 and the outer blade 13. Lens (not shown). Here, since the light irradiators 2 and 2 are arranged at the positions covered by the outer cutter frame 11, the light output from the light irradiators 2 and 2 passes through the blade holes of the outer cutter 13 and the outer cutter 13. I go outside.

  In the figure, reference numeral 15 denotes a cap for protecting the outer cutter 13. The cap 15, which is detachable from the outer cutter frame 12, is adapted to allow the light from the light irradiation unit 2 to be exposed to the outside when attached to the outer cutter frame 12. It is formed as a light-shielding property that prevents it from coming out.

  Now, when the switch 16 disposed on the main body housing 11 is operated to energize the motor for driving the inner blade 14, and when power is supplied to the light irradiation unit 2, the light output from the light irradiation unit 2 is It strikes the skin through the edge of the outer blade 13 pressed against the skin to shave the body.

  Further, when cutting the body hair between the outer blade 13 and the inner blade 14 driven to reciprocate, the skin enters the blade hole of the outer blade 13 and is cut while being pulled in the moving direction of the inner blade 14. For this reason, the hair follicle of the hair is pulled up to the surface side of the skin, and the light is irradiated to the hair follicle pulled up to the surface side of the skin.

  At this time, even if the amount of light output from the light irradiation unit 2 is the same, if the position of the hair follicle to which this light is applied is closer to the skin surface, the amount of light received by the hair follicle increases. Therefore, in order to keep the amount of light to be applied to the hair follicle to a certain amount necessary for the growth adjustment of body hair, the light irradiation unit 2 has a smaller output than the case where there is no shaving means composed of the outer blade 13 and the inner blade 14. Will be enough.

  FIG. 2 shows another example. Here, the hair follicle pulling means is the electric razor 1 that performs mechanical shaving, but the light irradiation unit 2 is disposed in the outer blade frame 12 to which the outer blade 13 is attached, and the light source 20 and the light collecting unit. The light irradiation unit 2 including the lens 21 irradiates light toward the top of the outer surface (surface in contact with the skin) of the outer blade 13. In this case, the light from the light irradiation unit 2 is applied to the skin against which the outer blade 13 is pressed without being blocked by the outer blade 13. Further, in the illustrated example in which the outer wall of the outer blade frame 12 is provided with the peripheral wall 18 surrounding the outer blade 13 and the light irradiation unit 2, light leakage to the outside can be reduced during light irradiation.

  FIG. 3 shows a case where the hair follicle pulling means is a hair removal device 3 that performs mechanical hair removal. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 30 denotes a rotating cylinder in which an opening / closing claw 31 for hair removal is arranged on the outer periphery. When the rotating cylinder 30 rotates in the direction of the arrow in the figure, the opening / closing claw 31 closes in the vicinity of the position in the figure to pinch the body hair, and with the rotation of the rotating cylinder 30 in the direction of the arrow in the figure, the pinched hair Pull out.

  The light irradiation unit 2 is located on the side of the rotating cylinder 30 and on the side in which the open / close claw 31 pulls out the body hair, and irradiates the hair follicle pulled up to the surface side of the skin by being pulled.

  FIG. 4 shows still another example. This uses a suction device for sucking the skin as a hair follicle pulling means, and the surface of the head 5 that is brought into contact with the skin 9 is provided with a recess 50, and the light irradiation unit 2 is disposed in the back of the recess 50. It is. The recess 50 is connected to the suction air pump 6 through a suction passage 60. When the air pump 6 is operated, the portion of the skin surface against which the head 5 is pressed facing the recess 50 is pulled up toward the recess 50, and accordingly, the body hair and the hair follicle are moved toward the skin surface. Be raised. For this reason, the light from the light irradiation part 2 is efficiently irradiated with respect to the said hair follicle. In this case, it can be applied to the case of promoting the growth of body hair.

  In each of the above examples, the light irradiation unit 2 uses a xenon flash lamp as a light source. However, the light irradiation unit 2 may output a laser beam, and conversely more than the xenon flash lamp. A low-power lamp may be used.

It is an exploded front view of an example of an embodiment of the invention. (a) is a perspective view of another example, and (b) is a partial side view. Furthermore, it is sectional drawing of another example. It is sectional drawing of another example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body housing 2 Light irradiation part 13 Outer blade 14 Inner blade

Claims (4)

  The light irradiation part that irradiates the light irradiation target part of the human body with light that regulates the growth of body hair, and the hair follicle of the hair in the light irradiation target part at the time of light irradiation from the light irradiation part to the light irradiation target part And a hair follicle pulling means for pulling up the hair.   2. The optical hair growth control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hair follicle pulling means is mechanical shaving means for shaving body hair.   2. The optical hair growth control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hair follicle lifting means is a mechanical hair removal means for removing body hair.   2. The light hair growth control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hair follicle pulling means is a suction means for sucking the skin surface.

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