An apparatus for generating a plurality of micro-lines of damaged tissue in a region of skin, comprising: at least one source or electromagnetic radiation; an optical delivery system configured to direct said electromagnetic radiation onto the region of skin to be treated to create the plurality of micro-lines of damaged tissue; and a control module configured to control characteristics of said electromagnetic radiation generated by said source of electromagnetic radiation; wherein said at least one source of electromagnetic radiation, said optical delivery system, and said control module are configured to direct a plurality of discrete beams of said electromagnetic radiation onto the region of skin to be treated to create the plurality of micro-lines of damaged tissue; wherein the average energy of each of the plurality of discrete beams of said electromagnetic radiation is at a level of between 0.1W and 10W; the apparatus further comprising: a scanning means configured to scan said plurality of discrete beams of said electromagnetic radiation over the region of skin to be treated to create said plurality of micro-lines of damaged tissue; wherein said control module is configured to control said at least one source of electromagnetic radiation, said optical delivery system and the scanning means to scan said plurality or discrete beams of said electromagnetic radiation across the surface of the region of skin to be treated to create the micro-lines such that adjacent ones of the micro-lines are substantially parallel to one another and are separated from one another by an undamaged tissue region, and such that the micro-lines extend from a surface of the region of the skin to a particular depth within the dermal layer of the skin and wherein the micro-lines further extend laterally as lines along at least a portion of the surface of the region of skin, and wherein the micro-lines have a width of less than 1 mm along the surface of the region and a length of at least four to five times the width of the micro-lines. at least one source or electromagnetic radiation; an optical delivery system configured to direct said electromagnetic radiation onto the region of skin to be treated to create the plurality of micro-lines of damaged tissue; and a control module configured to control characteristics of said electromagnetic radiation generated by said source of electromagnetic radiation; wherein said at least one source of electromagnetic radiation, said optical delivery system, and said control module are configured to direct a plurality of discrete beams of said electromagnetic radiation onto the region of skin to be treated to create the plurality of micro-lines of damaged tissue; wherein the average energy of each of the plurality of discrete beams of said electromagnetic radiation is at a level of between 0.1W and 10W; a scanning means configured to scan said plurality of discrete beams of said electromagnetic radiation over the region of skin to be treated to create said plurality of micro-lines of damaged tissue; wherein said control module is configured to control said at least one source of electromagnetic radiation, said optical delivery system and the scanning means to scan said plurality or discrete beams of said electromagnetic radiation across the surface of the region of skin to be treated to create the micro-lines such that adjacent ones of the micro-lines are substantially parallel to one another and are separated from one another by an undamaged tissue region, and such that the micro-lines extend from a surface of the region of the skin to a particular depth within the dermal layer of the skin and wherein the micro-lines further extend laterally as lines along at least a portion of the surface of the region of skin, and wherein the micro-lines have a width of less than 1 mm along the surface of the region and a length of at least four to five times the width of the micro-lines.