Abstract: Wrinkles are cosmetically removed from a superficial area of mammalian skin tissue having an epidermal layer, a basal layer, and a dermal layer, by irradiating the dermal layer through the basal layer, the irradiation being selected to be absorbed by a chromphore in the dermal layer such that collagen present in the dermal layer is heated, while the basal layer remains intact so as to substantially inhibit contact of the dermal layer with ambient air.

Abstract: Wrinkles are cosmetically removed from a superficial area of mammalian skin tissue having an epidermal layer, a basal layer, and a dermal layer, by irradiating the dermal layer through the basal layer, the irradiation being selected to be absorbed by a chromophore in the dermal layer such that collagen present in the dermal layer is heated, while the basal layer remains intact so as to substantially inhibit contact of the dermal layer with ambient air.

Abstract: A method of providing a body of material (14), having a thermal conductivity approximately equal to that of glass, with a sub-surface mark. A beam of laser radiation (12) to which the material (14) is substantially opaque is directed to surface of the body, so as to cause beam energy to be aborbed at the surface of the material in an amount sufficient to produce localised stresses within the body (14) at a location spaced from the surface without any detectable change at the surface, the localised stresses thus produced being normally invisible to the naked eye but capable of being rendered visible under polarised light.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for making a moving body of material (26). The method includes the steps of directing at the moving body a high energy density beam (46,58), concentrating the beam so as to produce an illuminated spot at a location on or within the moving body, and moving the spot in accordance with the resultant of two components of movement, the first component being equal to the velocity of the moving body and the second component being relative to the moving body, so as to create a mark of a predetermined shape. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes at least one movable galvanometer mirror (68,70) capable of moving the spot in accordance with the resultant of the two components.