Fractional laser
Makes tiny columns of injury It treats a fraction of the surface and leaves the skin in between untouched. That untouched skin is what heals the rest. New collagen fills in over weeks.
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Fractional Laser vs Pico
A fractional laser is the stronger choice for texture, acne scars and wrinkles. It makes thousands of microscopic columns of controlled injury, and the skin rebuilds itself over the following weeks. A pico laser is the better choice for tattoos and pigment. It fires pulses so short that they shatter ink and pigment without heating much around them, so most people look normal again within a day. When the two have been compared for acne scars, the fractional laser did more, and it also asked more of the person having it.
At a glance
| The difference | Fractional laser | Picosecond Laser |
|---|---|---|
| What it does to the skin | Makes tiny columns of injury | Shatters pigment |
| What it is best for | Scars, texture, lines | Tattoos and brown spots |
| What it feels like | Hot, with numbing cream first | Quick snaps |
| Downtime | Days, not hours | About a day |
| Cost | Priced per session, higher per visit | Priced per session, more sessions |
Picosecond Laser
Side by side
The differences that matter
What it does to the skin
Fractional laser
Makes tiny columns of injury
It treats a fraction of the surface and leaves the skin in between untouched. That untouched skin is what heals the rest. New collagen fills in over weeks.
Picosecond Laser
Shatters pigment
The pulse is measured in trillionths of a second. It breaks pigment into dust more by shock than by heat. Your body then clears the pieces away.
What it is best for
Fractional laser
Scars, texture, lines
Acne scars, rough or crepey texture, fine lines, sun damage and surgical scars.
Picosecond Laser
Tattoos and brown spots
Tattoo removal, sun spots, freckles, and some cases of melasma. Also used for mild texture.
How it works, illustrated
Picosecond Laser
Conditions treated
Picosecond Laser
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Breaks pigment into fragments small enough for the body to carry away, using very short pulses that put less heat into the skin than older lasers. It is one of the safer device options for stubborn deep marks, but the evidence in dark marks after inflammation is still thin. Test patch first, and expect a course rather than one session.
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Melasma
A newer laser that delivers very short pulses at low energy, aimed at the deeper pigment creams struggle with. The melasma studies so far are small and cautiously encouraging. Like every device used here it is an addition to creams and sun protection rather than a shortcut past them, and results still fade without them.
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Sun Spots (Solar Lentigines)
Delivers its energy in much shorter pulses, which breaks up pigment with less heat spilling into the skin around it. That lower heat is the reason it is often chosen for medium and deeper skin tones, where a darker mark afterwards is the main worry. It costs more than the older lasers and the results in sun spots are broadly similar.
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Dark Circles Under the Eyes
A pigment-targeted laser used for stubborn brown circles that have not moved with creams or peels. Results vary a good deal, several sessions are needed, and eye shields are essential. The same caution applies as with peels: aggressive settings on eyelid skin can leave darker marks than the ones being treated, and that risk is higher on deeper skin tones.
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What it will not do
Fractional laser
It will not erase a tattoo
It also does not lift loose skin.
Picosecond Laser
It will not rebuild deep scars
A pico laser can soften a shallow scar. It does not do much for a deep, boxcar acne scar on its own.
Related topic illustrations
Picosecond Laser
Surgical excision
Strong evidence, and the only method that removes ink completely and predictably. Limited to small tattoos, and it trades the tattoo for a surgical scar. Sometimes used for a small stubborn remnant at the end of a laser course.
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Microneedling
Moderate evidence for acne scars and texture, with or without radiofrequency. Cheaper per session, no wavelength to match, and does nothing at all for tattoo ink. Often chosen over fractional laser modes on deeper skin tones.
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What it feels like
Fractional laser
Hot, with numbing cream first
Like a hot rubber band snapped over and over. Numbing cream is standard, and stronger settings may need more than that. Afterwards it feels sunburnt.
Picosecond Laser
Quick snaps
Sharper but much faster, and over in minutes for a small area. Numbing cream is often enough.
Downtime
Fractional laser
Days, not hours
A gentler non-ablative treatment means a few days of pink, swelling and flaking. A stronger ablative one means about a week of raw, oozing, peeling skin, then weeks of redness fading.
Picosecond Laser
About a day
Redness and swelling for a few hours to a day. Treated spots may darken and flake off over the next week.
How many sessions
Fractional laser
One strong, or three to five gentle
A single strong ablative treatment can do the job. Gentler devices are a course, spaced four to six weeks apart.
Picosecond Laser
Several, and more for a tattoo
Pigment often takes three to six visits. A tattoo can take far more, spaced six to eight weeks apart.
How long it lasts
Fractional laser
Years, for scars and texture
New collagen is real change. Ageing carries on around it.
Picosecond Laser
Permanent for the ink
Removed tattoo ink does not come back. Sun spots and melasma can return with sun exposure.
Main risk to know
Fractional laser
Dark marks and, rarely, scarring
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is the common problem, and it is more likely on deeper skin tones. Infection and scarring are uncommon but real, and more likely with the ablative settings.
Picosecond Laser
Dark or pale patches
Blistering, temporary dark marks, and loss of colour in the treated spot. Tattoo ink can also turn a different colour instead of fading.
Cost
Fractional laser
Priced per session, higher per visit
An ablative course may be one expensive appointment. Ask what a full plan costs, not one visit.
Picosecond Laser
Priced per session, more sessions
Each visit costs less than strong resurfacing, but you will need several. The total is what matters.
The at-home or drugstore version
Fractional laser
A slower version of the same idea
At-home fractional devices exist and use the same principle at a fraction of the power. They reach the very top of the skin only. A retinoid cream is the honest at-home comparison for texture and fine lines, and it is slower but works.
Picosecond Laser
There is no home version
Home tattoo removal creams and wands do not shatter pigment. Nothing sold for home use puts out a picosecond pulse.
Who each suits
Fractional laser
- Best for — Acne scars, rough texture, sun damage and lines.
- The trade — You accept real downtime to get real change.
Picosecond Laser
- Best for — Tattoos, brown spots and pigment problems.
- The trade — You want to be back at work tomorrow, across more visits.
Why these two get mixed up
Fractional laser
Many pico devices can also be run in a fractional mode. A lens splits the beam into a grid of high-energy points, which lets a pigment laser do a little resurfacing too.
Which one for acne scars
Fractional laser
A fractional resurfacing laser has the better record for atrophic acne scars. Those are the sunken, pitted ones, and they need the skin rebuilt from below.
Before you book
More photographs
Picosecond Laser
Common questions
Questions Patients Ask
Is pico laser better than fractional laser?
Neither is better overall. A pico laser is better for tattoos and pigment. A fractional laser is better for acne scars, texture and lines.
Can pico laser remove acne scars?
It can soften mild texture and clear the brown marks scars leave behind. Deep, pitted scars respond better to a fractional resurfacing laser.
Which one has less downtime?
Pico, by a lot. Expect a day of redness with pico, a few days with a gentle fractional laser, and about a week with a strong ablative one.
Can I have both?
Yes, and many people do. Pigment is often treated first with pico, then texture with a fractional laser, spaced out over months.
Does pico laser hurt more than fractional laser?
Pico feels sharper but is over faster. Fractional resurfacing feels hot and lasts longer, so it usually needs stronger numbing.
How many sessions will I need?
Pigment usually takes three to six pico sessions and a tattoo can take many more. Fractional resurfacing is either one strong session or three to five gentler ones.