Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CORRECTING OR REDUCING
THE FORMATION OF FACIAL LINES
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems for
improving facial aesthetics and, more particularly, for
at least partly removing or reducing the formation of
ageing lines on the face.
2. Descr~tion of the Prior Art
With the ageing process, the skin loses its
elasticity and cannot keep its original connection with
the facial muscles. Therefore, when muscles repetitively
contract to define different facial expressions, the
associated skin contracts as well, but does not exactly
return to its original position and shape thereby
gradually creating :Fine lines and wrinkles.
Furthermore, during sleep, the muscles relax,
skin sags down due to the forces of gravity and due to
pressure exerted on the face by the bed and pillow.
Consequently, continual use of the same sleeping position
creates fine lines and wrinkles as a result of the fact
that, with age, the skin loses its ability to bounce back
after the sleep.
To try tc maintain a youthful looking skin,
various products, such as creams, have been developed
which allegedly remove facial lines and/or prevent, or at
least delay, the formation thereof. Any results obtained
via such products are believed temporary.
United States Patent No. 4,694,823 issued on
September 22, 1987 to Young discloses an apparatus for
supporting chin, neck and facial tissue during sleep and
including a neck-embracing lower attachment portion and
an over--the-head c:riss-cross attachment portion for
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securely anchoring tissue engaging support portions to
the lower chin and posterior jaw portions such as to
provide uniform li:Eting on all of the engaged skin and
neck areas to prevent and remove neck and facial sagging
and wrinkling of the skin.
United States Patent No. 4,934,357 issued on
June 19, 1990 to Frantzich et al. discloses a jaw support
bandage for providing support to the jaw of a patient,
for instance following oral surgery, or the like
United Stsates Patent No. 4,190,054 issued on
February 26, 1980 to Brennan discloses an elastic
therapeutic bandage which is attachable to a body part
for holding the flesh of the body part firmly in place
and which comprise: a flexible fluid retaining envelope
that acts as a hot «r cold pack.
United States Patent No. 5,782,790 issued on
July 21, 1998 to Allen discloses a flexible compression
and stabilising ort=hotic made of a stretchable material
and which is app_L.ied to a person afflicted with a
neurological disorder, autism, proprioceptive and sensory
deficits, or hypersE=_nsitivity.
United States Patent No. 5,031,609 issued on
July 16, 1991 to Fye discloses a postoperative
compression bandagE=_ for the head.
SUMMARY OF THE INVEI~TTION
It is therefore an aim of the present invention
to provide a new system for at least partly removing or
reducing the visible ageing lines on the face, as well as
partly or wholly reducing or preventing their formation.
It is al~:o an aim of the present invention to
provide a device as well as a method for at least partly
removing or reducing the formation of ageing lines, as
well as partly or wholly reducing and preventing the
slackening of the skin by supporting and shaping the
contours of the face.
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Therefore, in accordance with the present
invention, there ins provided a method for reducing the
formation of lines on the face of a person, comprising
applying pressure on the skin at locations where a
reduction in said formation of lines is desired, said
pressure being sufficient for at least partly impeding
the development of aaid lines.
Also in accordance with the present invention,
there is provided a device for reducing the formation of
lines on the face of a person, comprising mask means
adapted to be positioned on the skin at locations where a
reduction in the formation of lines is desired, and an
attachment mechanism to secure said mask means to the
head and/or neck of the person and being adapted to apply
sufficient pressure at said locations for at least partly
impeding the development of lines thereat.
Further in accordance with the present
invention, there i:~ provided a use of the above device
for reducing the formation of lines on the face of a
person and/or for air least partly removing lines on the
face thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OI~ THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the nature of
the invention, reference will now be made to the
accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a
preferred embodiment. thereof, and in which:
Fig. 1 i.s a front elevational view of a device
for at least partly removing or reducing the formation of
lines, e.g. expression and/or sleep related lines, on the
face in accordance with the present invention and shown
in position on a user's face;
Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device
and user of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the device
and user of Fig. l;
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Fig. 4 ins a front elevational view of a device
for at least partly removing or reducing the formation of
lines, e.g. expression and/or sleep related lines, on the
face in accordance with a second embodiment of the
present invention and shown in position on a user's face;
Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the device
and user of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of the device
and user of Fig. 4;
Fig. 7 i~~ a front elevational view of a device
for at least partly removing or reducing the formation of
lines, e.g. expression and/or sleep related lines, on the
face in accordance with a third embodiment of the present
invention and shown in position on a user's face;
Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the device
and user of Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 is a rear elevational view of the device
and user of Fig. 7; and
Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of a
human's face showing ageing lines on the prone areas
thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE :PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In accordance with the present invention, there
is provided a method and a device for at least partly
removing or reducing the formation of facial expression
lines, sleep related lines, sagging skin, etc., and which
may be used by men and women alike. Moreover, the present
system reduces the appearance of sagging or slackened
skin by supporting t:he facial contours and resisting the
negative effects of gravity. Using the principles of
biofeedback, the device is designed to counteract the
negative or damaging gravity forces, to create face shape
awareness to a user of the device and keep the shape of
the face substantially in its original form, i.e. similar
to the shape of the face at one's youth. The device
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prevents the skin from sagging during sleep and prevents
sleep creases to form thereon, whereby no fine lines or
wrinkles can appear. The device prevents the formation of
lines as it goes to the source of wrinkle formation, i.e.
expression lines and sleep creases. No one in the
cosmetics industry has ever attempted to address the
presence and the formation of lines, wrinkles and sagging
skin in the present manner.
The system does not prevent or reverse the
biological ageing process, but rather targets the
presence and formation of premature ageing lines that
appear as a result. of negative facial expressions and
poor sleeping positions as well as the damaging forces of
gravity. The present system works to reduce the visible
lines by smoothinct the skin by discouraging unwanted
negative facial expression habits, such as furrowing of
the brow, using biofeedback principles, and support the
skin from sleep creases at night while encouraging proper
sleeping positions.
In a first embodiment of the present invention,
Figs. 1 to 3 illustrate a device D, shown positioned on a
face of a user U, for at least partly removing or
reducing the formation of facial expression lines, sleep
related lines, sagc~i.ng skin, etc, and which may be used
by men and women alike.
The device D comprises a mask 10 adapted to
cover the lower portion of the face, i.e. generally from
below a nose N of the user U, and a neck N' of the user
U, and also compri~;es adjustable first, second and third
straps 12, 14 and 16, respectively, to comfortably hold
the mask 10 against the lower face and neck N' of the
user U. The first strap 12 surrounds the neck N' (i.e. at
the nape), with th~~ second strap 14 extending around a
lower portion of the user's head and slightly above the
first strap 12, whereas the third strap 16 extends just
in front of ears E of the user U and atop an upper rear
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portion of the user's head. Each of the first, second and
third straps 12, 14 and 16 includes a pair of strap
sections 18 and 20 extending from opposed sides of the
mask 10, generally symmetrically about a vertical plane
P, and joining together behind the user's head and neck,
for instance with VelcroTM strips 22. The mask 10 defines
an opening 24 for t:he user's mouth M.
The device D may be made of a light,
multidirectional stretchable, hygienic and comfortable
material which doer not alter or impede facial and neck
blood circulation and allows the skin to breathe. The
device D may also be made of a material having similar
characteristics as above but which is not stretchable.
The device D may o:r may not be made with stitching. The
device D may or may not be used with the application of
conventional beauty preparations, e.g. cosmetics and
facial creams. The device D may enhance the benefits of
such beauty preparations.
The device D operates to prevent or reduce the
formation of lines on the face with dual action, that is
as a result of the pressure exerted to support the skin
via the actual physeiological wearing of the device D and
also the device D subconsciously stops the user U from
frowning or making other facial expressions that would
otherwise create lines and wrinkles. Indeed, during the
active day or when the user U is sleeping, and without
actual knowledge and special effort on the part of the
user U, the device D, by way of biofeedback principles,
trains the user U away from the "unwanted" habits of
making certain facial expressions which, when repeated
sufficiently, ultimately create wrinkles.
The device D, using biofeedback principles,
subconsciously controls the formation of human behaviours
and thereby assist in eliminating or reducing the
formation of facial lines or wrinkles such as to impede
early ageing of the user's U face.
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Therefore, a method in accordance with the
present invention uses biofeedback principles to provide
sensory input and face shape awareness to the user U to
prevent and correct. facial fine lines and wrinkles. This
is essentially achieved, for instance, by applying the
present flexible pressure and face stabilising device D
to the face of the user U so as not to produce lines or
pull on the face but rather allow for complete freedom of
neck and head movements and provide sensory input through
pressure exerted to portions) of the face of the user U
covered by parts of the device D, such as the mask 10
thereof.
The press=_nt device D and method associated
therewith thus prevent or reduce the formation of sleep
lines, fine lines and wrinkles on the face and neck of
the user U, or reduce the depth thereof or eliminate
previously formed ;such lines and wrinkles, by providing
pressure and a stabilising effect on the face and neck.
The areas of the face which are to be "treated"
dictate the shape of the device. Indeed, the device D of
Figs. 1 to 3 constitutes a partial face-neck mask for
lower face and neck area applications. Other devices may
have masks for different applications, such as partial
face, full face and full neck-face applications.
The device=_ can thus be designed to cover one or
more of the chin, neck, eye area, lips, forehead, cheeks,
etc.
Figs. 4 to 6 illustrate a variant device D'
intended for the forehead F of the user U and comprising
a mask in the form of a band 30 extending along the
forehead F and held in place by adjustable upper and
lower straps 32 and 34, respectively, each having, for
instance, a pair of strap sections attachable together
with VelcroT"'' strip: 36 (i.e. with a construction similar
to that of the straps 12 to 16 of the device D of Figs. 1
to 3) to ensure a comfortable fit on the user U.
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Figs. 7 to 9 illustrate a further variant
device D" which attaches the forehead device D' to the
device D for the lower half of the face and which is thus
intended to genera:Lly cover the areas of the face that
are covered by both the devices D and D' in Figs. 1 to 6.
The device D" comprises a mask 40 that includes a
forehead portion 42 adapted to extend along the forehead
F of the user U anti a lower portion 44 adapted to extend
on the lower half c>f the face of the user U. The mask 40
defines a mouth opening 46, a nose opening 48 and an eye
opening 50 such that the mouth, the lower part of the
nose and the eye area are not covered by the mask 40. The
device D" also comprises adjustable bottom, middle and
top straps 52, 54 and 56, respectively, for holding the
mask 40 against the forehead, the lower face and the neck
N' of the user U. The bottom strap 52 surrounds the neck
N' (i.e. at the nape), with the middle strap 54 extending
around the back of the user's head and with the top strap
56 extending around the top of the user's head. Each
strap 52, 54 and 56 can include a pair of strap sections
attachable together with VelcroT"' strips (as in the
devices D and D' o.f Figs. 1 to 6).
Therefore,. the forehead attachment or device D'
may be worn separately as in Figs. 4 to 6, or with the
device D for the lower half of the face as in Figs. 7 to
9.
The device may be worn separately or together
during sleep and throughout the day to create awareness
of facial expressions and reinforce positive habits that
resist the formation of lines.
It is readily understood that other variants or
constructions of the device can be made to cover various
areas of the face and/or neck of the user U.
Also, the strap sections of the straps 12, 14,
16, 32 and 34 could be connectable together with
attachment systems other than the VelcroT"'' strips 22 and
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36. The straps 12, 14, 16, 32 and 34 could each be made
in a unitary construction (as opposed to having two strap
sections) ; in such a case, the straps 12, 14, 16, 32 and
34 could be made of an elastic material.
Fig. 10 shows the user U without any device
thereon for illustrating typical areas of the face and
neck where the device and method of the present invention
may be applied as being prone to lines and wrinkles, e.g.
the forehead F, the=_ neck N, areas surrounding the mouth
M, and areas around the eyes E'.
The present invention, in addition to doing
what "passive" cosmetics do, i.e. smooth the skin, etc.,
also plays an "active" role to actually reverse, through
biofeedback, the behavior that leads to the formation of
premature lines anct unwanted facial expression wrinkles.
It also contours the face to prevent the premature
slackening of the ;skin by resisting the damaging forces
of gravity. As the present invention targets habit-
forming lines as well as the cumulative negative effects
of the forces of gravity, it is designed for men and
women of all ages and teens.
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