Patent ID: 8282630

Claim:
A device for treating a region of intact living skin having a surface and an epidermal/dermal junction, comprising: an energy source; a treatment head comprising an electrical resistance heater, a treatment tip having an area of between 0.2 cm2 and 9 cm2 configured to be placed against a skin surface, and a layer of electrically insulating but thermally conducting material in thermal contact with the treatment head, wherein the treatment head is configured to provide a thermal energy pulse at the treatment tip responsive to energy provided by the energy source; and a controller that cooperates with the energy source to provide sufficient energy to the electrical resistance heater to heat the treatment tip and thereby create the energy pulse with the treatment head, wherein the controller controls and limits the energy provided to the electrical resistance heater such that the energy is provided to the electrical resistance heater to create an energy pulse having a duration of no more than 100 sec, and the energy pulse delivers an average energy density of 5 J/cm 2 or less from the treatment tip, and heats the treatment tip to a temperature of at least 50 degrees Celsius.