Believe it or not, this actually isn't the first FDA approved personal hair remover we've come across, but for those looking for something capable of handling some seriously hairy ordeals, look no further than Silk'n. Created by Home Skinovations (har har), this unit relies on proprietary Home Pulsed Light technology to zap unwanted hair and bring back the smooth. Of course, this thing still has to be used "under the direction of a physician," but after waltzing into his / her office with three inches of sprawling chest hair blossoming from under that halfway buttoned shirt, we'd wager you'll have the requisite signature in no time.

[Via medGadget]

Hello Kitty meets hair.

Though some companies are more focused on getting hair off of your person, the California-based Restoration Robotics is hoping to help doctors do quite the opposite. Reportedly, the company has just garnered some $25 million in funding, and is hoping to release its robotic hair transplanter to aid docs in the actual planting process. Moving forward, the firm purportedly hopes to use its newfound wealth to "conduct clinical trials and move to market," but it's still staying relatively mum on the details for the time being. Of course, we all know real men prefer their strands over gizmos (right?), so we'll be on the lookout for any guinea pigs who (eventually) give this a go. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]

[Via CNET]

Brace yourself Jack... remember the HairMax LaserComb? Yeah, well it's now FDA approved. Seriously, in the FDA trial some 93% of the participants saw an increase in hair density with an average increase of 19 hairs/cm. Of course, that stamp of approval doesn't necessarily mean those lasers will restore your hair, but at least it's not likely to singe the tuft you've got left. Just remember, the FDA also approved Olestra which can cause orificial leakage. Now go ahead, pony-up the $545 required to try 'er out. We sure as hell won't be going hands-on with this one.

[Via Physorg.com]

While most folks aren't exactly fond of going bald on their noggin, eliminating the pesky hair on faces and legs doesn't sound half bad. Aside from the gazillion topical treatments scams available at your local Wally World, there's always the uber-expensive "laser hair removal" option, but Philips seems to think it has a less costly, less intrusive solution. The firm has recently patented razor light technology, which utilizes "low doses of electromagnetic radiation" to kick active follicles into the dormant catagen phase. By sending pulses "between 1 and 100 milliseconds" apart just above the skin, it offers up a relatively safe, easy, and (hopefully) pain free experience to putting a halt to shaving every other day (or more). Obviously, the method isn't aimed at immediate hair removal, as plans are to implement numerous treatments over "two week intervals," but it could slowly eliminate the regrowth of hair once treated. So while we're not exactly sure when you'll be replacing that bag of disposables with a newfangled light gun, a little help in the hygiene department is never a bad thing.

[Via NewScientistTech]

We're sure Dan Aykroyd and the gang never envisioned their symbolic ghost-busting machine being converted into a lice-evicting device, but researchers at the University of Utah are doing just that. The "chemical-free, hairdryer-like device" -- dubbed the LouseBuster -- eradicates head lice infestations on children by exterminating the eggs (or "nits"), and killing enough lice to prevent them from reproducing. While the description may make some folks queasy, Dale Clayton not only supports the head vacuum, but claims that it cured his teenagers from their own battle with lice. The rake-like comb channels air from the machine into the hair, which after several half-hour treatments makes the environment too arid for lice to survive; however, the team was quick to warn parents that hairdryers weren't an acceptable substitute for the miracle-working powers put forth by the LouseBuster. Nevertheless, Clayton hopes his spinoff company, Larada Sciences, will have the presumably Bill Murray-approved apparatus on shelves soon.

[Via MedGadget]

A British firm has just secured government funding from the "Technology Programme" to build a robotic system aiming to speed up the process of multiplying hair cells to help treat baldness in males and alopecia for both genders. The firm, Intercytex, extracts hair follicles from the neck, multiplies the cells, and then reimplants them in bald spots three weeks later. The £1.85 million grant ($3.48 million) will be used to process various cell samples using robots in a "reliable, effcient" way.

Read - Intercytex press release
Read - BBC
Read - Reuters