Tissue treatment apparatus with functional mechanical stimulation and methods for reducing pain during tissue treatments

A method of operating a tissue treatment apparatus to treat a region of tissue located beneath a skin surface with electromagnetic energy, the tissue treatment apparatus including a handpiece that is handheld, a treatment tip from which the electromagnetic energy is delivered, and a carriage inside the handpiece and coupled with the treatment tip, the method comprising:

• delivering the electromagnetic energy from the treatment tip through the skin surface to the region of tissue;
• contacting a cam surface on the carriage with a profiled surface on a rotating cam element;
• and
• permitting the carriage to bidirectionally pivot in opposite rotational senses about a pivot axis as the profiled surface on the cam element rides in contact with the cam surface on the carriage to oscillate the carriage and the treatment tip in a direction primarily transverse to the skin surface so that mechanical vibrations are transferred through the skin surface and into the region of tissue by contact between a portion of the treatment tip and the skin surface.

A method of operating a tissue treatment apparatus to treat a region of tissue located beneath a skin surface with electromagnetic energy, the tissue treatment apparatus including a handpiece with a housing that is handheld, a treatment tip from which the electromagnetic energy is delivered, and a carriage inside the housing of the handpiece and coupled with the treatment tip, the method comprising:

• delivering the electromagnetic energy from the treatment tip through the skin surface to the region of tissue;
• rotating an eccentric mass about an axis of rotation as a counterweight effective to vibrate the carriage and the treatment tip in a direction transverse to a surface normal of the skin surface so that mechanical vibrations are transferred through the skin surface and into the region of tissue by contact between a portion of the treatment tip and the skin surface;
• and
• dampening transfer of the mechanical vibrations with vibration dampers suspending the carriage from the housing while transferring the mechanical vibrations to the region of tissue.