Instruments and techniques for inducing neocollagenesis in skin treatments

Abstract

A system for atraumatic removal of skin surface layers in a treatment to induce neocollagenesis in the dermis to reduce wrinkles and alter the architecture of the dermal layers. A preferred embodiment of the inventive system comprises (i) a hand-held instrument with a resilient working skin interface that carries microscopic diamond fragments for abrading the skin surface in a controlled manner; (ii) a fluid source for supplying sterile fluids to the skin interface for cleaning skin debris from the skin interface; and (iii) a negative pressure source for pulling fluid to the skin interface and thereafter aspirating fluid and skin debris from a treatment site. The skin interface is formed of a resilient material such as silicone to allow the working end to flex and atraumatically engage the skin surface as it is translated across a treatment site. The system also carries a disposable cartridge filled with fluid in the hand-held instrument. The method of the invention includes: (i) actuating a negative pressurization source communicating with the skin interface via a plurality of apertures therein to draw the skin into the concave abrasive architecture of the working end; (ii) translating the abrasive architecture across the treatment site to cut or abrade a skin surface layer; and (iii) contemporaneous with the cutting step, flowing a fluid (e.g., sterile water) generally about and across the abrasive architecture between an arrangement of inflow and outflow apertures to remove skin debris and hydrate the skin.