A depilation apparatus having a number of disc-shaped pinching plates (19) provided on a drive shaft (7) and a number of thrust cogs (41) provided on an auxiliary shaft (21), by means of which cogs the pinching plates are each tiltable about a first and a second tilting axis (81, 91) from a catching position into a pinching position in which the relevant pinching plate (19) exerts a pinching force on an adjacent pinching plate (19) tilted into the pinching position. Each pair of pinching plates positioned next to one another (19a, 19b), (19b, 19c), (19c, 19a) has a unique thrust cog (41a, 41b, 41c), so that each pinching plate (19) is in cooperation with each of its two adjacent pinching plates (19) and the hair catching range of the pinching plates (19) extends over the entire depilation opening (3). The thrust cogs (41a, 41b, 41c) are provided on the auxiliary shaft (21) at mutual angles of 120°, so that an even operation of the depilation apparatus in time is achieved and an undesirable contact between the pinching plates (19) at a side of the drive shaft (7) remote from the depilation opening (3) is prevented. The pinching plates (19) each have a central, star- shaped opening (65, 67, 69, 71) by means of which the relevant pinching plate (19) is mounted in recesses (59, 61, 63) of three comb-shaped support ridges (51, 53, 55) of the drive shaft (7), which ridges extend parallel to a central portion (57) of the drive shaft (7) at mutual angles of 120°. A favourable moment arm ratio for the pinching force and a stable support of the pinching plates (19) in the pinching position are achieved by this.