The invention relates to a device (1) for hair-
growth control of hairs (3), in particular hairs growing from
human skin (5). The device (1) has a
laser source (7) for generating a
laser beam (9) during a
pulse time, an optical
system (15) for focusing the
laser beam into a focal spot (25), and a laser beam
manipulator (17) for positioning the focal spot in a target position. According to the invention, a dimension of the focal spot (25) and a power of the generated laser beam (9) are such that, in the focal spot (25), the laser beam has a
power density which is above a characteristic threshold value for hair-growth related
skin tissue above which, for the
pulse time, a laser induced
optical breakdown (LIOB) phenomenon occurs in the hair-growth related
skin tissue. The LIOB phenomenon results in a number of mechanical effects, such as
cavitation and the generation of shock
waves, which damage the hair-growth related
skin tissue in positions surrounding the LIOB phenomenon. An
advantage of the device (1) according to the invention is that the amount of
total energy which is necessary to cause trauma and induce (semi-)permanent cessation of hair-growth is at such a level that
irritation and damage of the surrounding
skin tissue is very limited or even completely prevented.