A method and apparatus for removing hair is disclosed. The method includes the step of producing a plurality of pulses of incoherent electromagnetic energy. The delay between pulses is in the range of 0.1 msec to 100 msec. The incoherent electromagnetic energy is then coupled to an area of surface of the tissue that includes more than one hair follicle. One or more filters are used to provide energy having a wavelength selected in accordance with the color of the hair. The method may alternatively include the step of applying a gel on a surface of the tissue to cool the tissue. The energy heats the hairs and hair follicles, without heating the tissue. The apparatus includes a source of pulsed incoherent electromagnetic energy. The source is located within a housing, and a coupler directs the incoherent electromagnetic energy to the surface of the tissue. In an alternative arrangement a gel disposed on the surface of the tissue such that the gel cools the tissue but is not adjacent, and does not cool, the hair follicle.

A method of hair removal, used primarily for cosmetic purposes, comprising the transcutaneous use of laser light having a wavelength which targets the sebum found in the follicle and coating the hair, heating the sebum which transfer heat first to the hair and hair root and then to the papilla and papillary blood vessels via conduction, thus destroying the hair by photothermolysis while avoiding significant damage to surrounding skin or tissue.

A hair removal device (22) includes a cooling surface (34) which is used to contact the skin (6) prior to exposure to hair tissue-damaging laser light (74) passing from a radiation source (36) through a recessed window (46). The window is laterally offset from the cooling surface and is spaced apart from the cooling surface in a direction away from the patient's skin to create a gap between the window and the skin. The window preferably includes both an inner window (46) and an outer, user-replaceable window (48). The laser-pulse duration is preferably selected according to the general diameter of the hair.

An apparatus and method for removing hairs from a region of skin, the apparatus including: a housing having an opening therein, the housing forming a cavity enclosing a volume of air when the opening is placed in contact with the region of skin; a switchable heat source disposed within the housing that rapidly heats the volume of air to a temperature sufficient to destroy the hair by conduction of heat along the length of the hair to a follicle thereof; and a power source that controllably energizes the heat source.

A photo-thermal epilation apparatus enables the efficient delivery of a high energy light pulse of a sufficiently short duration to a selected follicle to effect permanent hair removal. The apparatus includes a flash lamp powered by a power supply module having an energy storage module interposed between the power supply module and the flash lamp. The energy storage. module, which has an output or network impedance matched to the flash lamp, produces a flattened and extended current pulse that is coupled from the energy storage module to the flash lamp in order to the energize the flash lamp to produce the desired high energy light pulse. An optical system, which includes a tapered needle-less probe, is included to receive the light pulse produced by the flash lamp and efficiently deliver the light pulse to a selected hair follicle to effect the photo-thermal epilation of the associated growth support tissue.