Apparatus for the simultaneous removal of a plurality of hairs from a skin region containing said plurality of hairs, each hair being in a follicle extending into the skin from a skin surface, the apparatus comprising: an applicator which is adapted to be in pressure contact with a portion of the skin surface containing a plurality of hairs in said skin region; a source of optical radiation of a wavelength between 680 and 1,200 nm, a fluence between 10 and 200 J/cm.sup.2 and a pulse duration between 50.mu.s and 200 ms; and means for applying the optical radiation from said source to said applicator, the optical radiation being passed through the applicator to said skin region. view more