Apparatus and method for removing hair

Apparatus for removing hairs from a region of skin, the apparatus comprising:

• 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 energy source disposed within the housing which provides energy in an amount sufficient to destroy at least some of the hairs;
• a power source that controllably energizes the heat source;
• a pump having a port communicating with the cavity;
• and
• a controller that energizes the pump to reducing the air pressure within the air cavity to lift at least some of the hairs from the skin and that causes energizing of the energy source after lifting at least some of the hair.

A method for removing a plurality of hairs from a region of skin, each of the hairs having a first part disposed in a hair follicle within the skin and a second part distal of the skin, the method comprising:

• irradiating the region of skin with a pulse of light to elevate the temperature of the first part of at least some of the hairs and of hair follicles of the at least some of the hairs to a first temperature, the first temperature being lower than the coagulation temperature of blood;
• then, selectively heating a portion of the second part of at least one of the plurality of hairs;
• and
• conducting heat from the second part to the hair follicle of the at least one of the plurality of hairs to thereby heat the hair follicle to a temperature high enough to cause the coagulation of the blood vessels supplying blood to the hair follicle.

A method for removing hairs from a region of skin, the region of skin having a plurality of hairs, each of the plurality of hairs includes a first part disposed in a hair follicle within the region of skin and a second part distal of the region of skin, the method comprising:

• providing a cavity overlying the region of skin, the cavity comprising a volume of air having a first end proximal to the region of skin and a second end distal to the region of skin;
• heating the air in the cavity to create a temperature gradient in the volume of air, the temperature gradient having a first temperature at the first end and a second temperature at the second end, the first temperature being lower than the second temperature;
• and
• maintaining the temperature gradient for a predetermined time interval sufficient for heating at least some of the plurality of hairs extending within the volume of air to a temperature sufficient to remove at least part of at least some of the plurality of hairs, while keeping the first temperature below the coagulation temperature of the region of skin.

Apparatus for removing hairs from a region of skin, the apparatus comprising:

• 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 energy source disposed within the housing which provides energy in an amount sufficient to destroy at least some of the hairs;
• a power source that controllably energizes the heat source;
• a pump having a port communicating with the cavity;
• and
• a controller that energizes the pump to exchange air within the cavity at a predetermined time after the energy source is energized.