A method, system and device for shortening hair with the method including generating a plurality of laser pulses overlapping in time focusing the laser pulses into spatially separated focal spots having a peak power density at least equal to a first threshold at which a laser induced optical breakdown phenomenon occurs in the hair and below a second threshold at which a laser induced optical breakdown phenomenon occurs in skin. Generating the plurality of laser pulses includes an act of generating the plurality of laser pulses to reach the first characteristic threshold value after a start of each corresponding laser pulse in a time span of less than half of the pulse duration and positioning the respective at least three focal spots into respective target positions within a single hair such that only one of the plurality of laser pulses occur in each of the at least three focal spats.
