A light depilating apparatus comprising a light depilating probe, an electric controller, and a connection cable for connecting the light depilating probe to the electric controller whereby the light depilating probe is brought into contact with a portion of skin to be depilated; wherein the light depilating probe includes: a hollow body; a head cap having opened and closed ends and being attached at its opened end to one end portion of the body so as to form an inner space in the head cap; a transparent contacting cylinder provided on a head of the head cap at its closed end so that the cylinder is brought into contact with skin; a holding block provided in the inner space of the head cap; a connection cap provided at the other end portion of the body to hold a terminal of the cable connected to the electric controller; a plurality of light-emitting sources constituted by semiconductor laser elements mounted in holes formed in the holding bock so as to be excited by the electric controller through electric conductors; holes provided in the closed end of the head cap so that light paths are formed though the holes of the holding block and the holes in the head cap respectively so as to make all the light beams emitted from the light-emitting sources are focused to one focal point within an outside end surface of the contacting cylinder which is brought into contact with skin.

Thermal modification of dermatological tissue using non-laser infrared light energy. A high energy incandescent-type lamp, such as a quartz tungsten halogen lamp, operated in a pulsed mode with a high voltage input, creates a particular energy output. Applications of such apparatus and methods include treatment of the dermis and/or sub-epidermal tissues for the purpose of skin recontouring, thermal destruction of hair follicles for the purpose of hair removal, and others.

Apparatus and methods for electromagnetic skin treatment, including the removal of hair. Devices include pulsed light sources such as flashlamps for providing electromagnetic treatment of the skin, including hair removal. The devices and methods provide for the removal of large numbers of hairs at the same time, rather than on a hair by hair basis.

An apparatus for photodynamic therapy (PDT) includes a cover (22) shaped to engage skin tissue (12) and a fiber optic panel (31) housed within the cover (22). Hydrogel (26) is located within the cover (22) and is in intimate physical and optical contact with the fiber optic panel (31) for optically coupling light from the fiber optic panel (31) to the skin tissue (12). The hydrogel (26) engages the stratum corneum (14) and hydrates and softens the stratum corneum (14) to enhance its optical transmissiveness to facilitate the transmission of light therethrough and to enhance its chemical transmissiveness to facilitate the transmission therethrough of photopharmaceuticals (28, 54) for treatment of a dermal lesion 10.

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.