Picosecond Laser
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Pico Laser vs Nanosecond Laser
A pico laser is the better choice for blue, green and yellow tattoo ink, and for acne scars. Its pulses are far shorter, so they shatter pigment instead of only heating it. A Q-switched laser matches it on black ink and usually costs less. The gap between the two is much smaller than the marketing suggests.
At a glance
| The difference | Picosecond Laser | Q-switched |
|---|---|---|
| Downtime | Depends on the setting used | Redness, darkening, pinpoint bruising |
| Cost | Priced at a premium | Usually cheaper |
Q-switched
Mainly heat Pigment soaks up the energy, heats fast and cracks apart.
Side by side
The differences that matter
How it breaks the target
Picosecond Laser
Heat plus mechanical shock
The pulse is short enough to shatter pigment, not just heat it.
Q-switched
Mainly heat
Pigment soaks up the energy, heats fast and cracks apart.
How it works, illustrated
Picosecond Laser
Tattoo removal
Picosecond Laser
Better for blue, green and yellow ink
In a randomised trial, about 33% of pico-treated tattoos reached 75% clearance. About 14% did with the older laser.
Q-switched
Equal to pico for black ink
The two performed about the same on plain black.
Acne scars
Picosecond Laser
The stronger option
A head-to-head trial against a common fractional laser favoured pico.
Q-switched
Not what it is built for
It is not aimed at scar texture.
Brown pigment and sun spots
Picosecond Laser
No proven advantage
For everyday brown pigment, no clear edge has been shown.
Q-switched
Long track record
This is routine work for the older machine.
Melasma
Picosecond Laser
Not shown to help
A review that pooled several studies found no real benefit.
Q-switched
Also not a first-line answer
Melasma is not what it is best at either.
Downtime
Picosecond Laser
Depends on the setting used
One setting usually settles within a day. Others often leave pinpoint bruising you can still see at 24 hours.
Q-switched
Redness, darkening, pinpoint bruising
Much the same as pico.
Sessions for a tattoo
Picosecond Laser
Often fewer, for the right colours
The gain is in coloured ink, not black.
Q-switched
More, especially for coloured ink
Cost
Picosecond Laser
Priced at a premium
There is evidence behind the premium for coloured ink and for acne scars. There is not for black ink or sun spots.
Q-switched
Usually cheaper
Proven, and the routine choice for black ink and everyday pigment work.
The at-home version
Picosecond Laser
There is no home pico laser
A home wand puts a fraction of the power into the surface of the skin. It cannot fire a pulse anywhere near that short.
Q-switched
There is no home tattoo laser either
Wands sold for fading marks act on the surface. Tattoo ink sits below it, out of reach.
Who tends to be happy with it
Picosecond Laser
- Best for — Coloured tattoo ink, or acne scarring.
- The mindset — The specific advantage applies to you.
Q-switched
- Best for — Black ink, and routine pigment work.
- The mindset — Proven, and usually cheaper.
One naming trap
Picosecond Laser
Some machines have both a picosecond and a nanosecond mode. The operator picks which one to use. So "I had a pico laser" does not always mean every pulse was a pico pulse. Ask which mode was used, and at what setting.
The fine print
Picosecond Laser
No picosecond device is cleared to treat melasma. Clearance is the FDA paperwork that lets a device be sold for a named use. It is a separate question from what the trials found, and on melasma the trials found no significant benefit.
Related
Q-switched
- BBL vs pico laser
- Picosecond Laser
- Q-Switched Laser Tattoo Removal
More photographs
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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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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Common questions
Questions Patients Ask
Is a pico laser better than a Q-switched laser?
For blue, green and yellow tattoo ink, and for acne scarring, yes — that is supported by trials. For black ink they are about equal, and for everyday brown pigment no advantage has been shown.
How much shorter is a picosecond pulse?
In practice about ten to forty times shorter. A picosecond is a thousandth of a nanosecond, but no cleared device fires a one-picosecond pulse — real machines run roughly 240 to 900 picoseconds, against about 5 to 20 nanoseconds for a Q-switched laser.
Will I need fewer sessions with pico?
Possibly, for coloured ink. For black ink, do not count on it. Either way a full tattoo removal usually takes ten to twelve sessions and can take twenty.
Is pico worth the extra cost?
It depends entirely on what you are treating. For coloured ink or acne scars there is evidence behind the premium. For plain black ink or general sun spots, there is not.
Which hurts more?
Both are described as a sharp snapping sensation. There is no consistent evidence that one is markedly worse.
Is pico safe for darker skin?
It is used across skin tones, but any laser that targets pigment can also provoke pigment. Go to someone who treats your skin tone regularly and ask what settings they use.
What is Pico Genesis?
A treatment protocol run on the enlighten laser, not a separate device. Worth knowing so you can compare like with like.