Key Takeways:
- PicoSure is a picosecond aesthetic laser used to treat a range of skin concerns and remove tattoos, delivering energy through a pressure-based effect rather than heat.
- It was the first picosecond aesthetic laser cleared for cosmetic use, developed by Cynosure and FDA-cleared in December 2012.
- Whether PicoSure is appropriate for a given person and concern is determined through consultation with a qualified medical professional.
PicoSure is a picosecond laser used in cosmetic clinics to treat skin concerns and remove tattoos. This guide explains what it is, where it came from, how it works, what a treatment involves, and what recovery looks like.
What is PicoSure laser technology?
PicoSure is a picosecond aesthetic laser used to address a range of skin concerns, many of which are associated with the natural ageing process. It is a non-ablative laser platform, meaning it works without removing the surface of the treatment area, and it first became widely known for its role in tattoo removal before being applied to a broader set of aesthetic concerns.
Rather than relying primarily on heat, PicoSure delivers energy in extremely short pulses measured in picoseconds. This approach to energy delivery is one of the defining features that sets it apart from earlier laser systems, and as a platform rather than a single fixed treatment, it is applied across different concerns depending on what is being addressed.
The origins of PicoSure
PicoSure is a picosecond aesthetic laser developed by Cynosure, first introduced in 2012 as an early picosecond laser cleared for the removal of tattoos and benign pigmented lesions. It was the first picosecond aesthetic laser cleared for cosmetic use, the result of nearly a decade of research and development.
Its name comes from the picosecond: the unit of time at which it delivers energy. This pulse speed was what separated it from the nanosecond lasers that came before it, and it is why PicoSure is classed as a picosecond laser rather than a conventional one.
PicoSure launched at a 755nm wavelength, with a 532nm delivery system added in 2015 to widen the range of tattoo ink colours it could treat. Clearances expanded over time from tattoos and pigmented lesions to acne scars and wrinkles.
What is a Picosecond?
A picosecond is one trillionth of a second. To put that in perspective, a picosecond is to one second what one second is to approximately 31,700 years. It is not simply fast, it’s a unit of time so brief it sits outside anything the human brain can genuinely comprehend.
Traditional laser systems operate in nanoseconds, which are one billionth of a second. Sounds impressive right? Let’s use the same comparison, a nanosecond is to one second what one second is to approximately 31.7 years. Side by side, the difference becomes stark. PicoSure is operating in units of time that are one thousand times shorter than the nanosecond systems that preceded it.
That gap is not a marginal distinction. That speed is the line between picosecond lasers and the nanosecond systems that preceded them, and why the speed of energy delivery is far more than most people realise when comparing laser systems.
How PicoSure works
PicoSure delivers energy in pulses measured in picoseconds rather than relying on heat the way older laser systems do. Because the pulse is so short, it produces a pressure-based effect instead of a primarily thermal one, sometimes referred to as PressureWave technology.
This pressure-based action targets pigment and tattoo ink, breaking it into smaller particles that the body then processes over time. The same short-pulse delivery is also applied to concerns involving skin texture. How the pulse produces this effect, and what happens within the skin afterwards, is where the mechanism becomes more detailed.
The PicoSure procedure
A PicoSure session starts with an assessment of the treatment area, after which the device is passed over the skin delivering its pulses of energy. The sensation is commonly described as a series of quick snaps against the skin.
Session length depends on the size of the area and the concern being treated. A small area of pigmentation and a full tattoo removal session are not comparable in time or number of visits, and most concerns are treated over a course of sessions rather than one.
Recovering after PicoSure
Some redness and mild sensitivity in the treated area is common immediately after a PicoSure session and usually settles within a short period. Pigmented areas may look temporarily darker before they begin to fade.
Sun protection is a core part of recovery, and heat, active skincare and self-tanning products are generally avoided while the skin settles. Tattoo removal follows a different recovery pattern to skin treatments, including responses such as frosting and blistering.
Benefits of PicoSure
In addition to the numerous conditions PicoSure treats, there are some practical benefits such as:
- Minimal downtime. Because PicoSure works through a pressure-based effect rather than sustained heat, most skin treatments involve only short-lived redness and sensitivity. Many people return to normal activity the same day, though tattoo removal carries a longer recovery than skin treatments.
- Non-ablative. PicoSure does not remove the surface of the skin. It works without breaking the outer layer the way ablative resurfacing lasers do, which is the main reason recovery is shorter and the treated area is less exposed during healing.
- Gentle across skin tones. Reduced reliance on heat is one reason PicoSure is used across a broader range of skin tones than some older systems. Heat-based lasers carry more risk in melanin-rich skin, and a pressure-based method changes that profile, though suitability is always assessed individually.
- Precision. The extremely short pulse concentrates energy on the target in a controlled way, which is what allows PicoSure to work on pigment and ink while limiting the effect on surrounding skin.
Professional standards at Luxe Lips
At Luxe Lips, a cosmetic clinic in Melbourne, our care is grounded in medical ethics and quiet clinical responsibility. Every treatment pathway is approached as a medical process, with established health protocols and safety guiding each step.
Across our clinics in Moonee Ponds, Camberwell, and Brighton, our medical professionals carry out a thorough screening process for every person. For those considering PicoSure laser treatments, this includes reviewing medical history, assessing anatomical suitability, and considering psychological readiness. In line with local guidelines, this evaluation helps determine whether a proposed plan aligns with your health.
Medical professionals proceed only when a treatment is clinically appropriate. If your underlying concern, the condition of the surrounding skin, or your broader health profile means PicoSure isn’t the right fit, we will explain why and discuss what that means for you. The focus is always on clear information and maintaining a clinical environment where safety and ethical standards come first.
Because responses and circumstances vary, a consultation is required to determine suitability before PicoSure laser treatments are considered.
Questions we’re often Asked about PicoSure laser
No. PicoSure and PicoWay are both picosecond lasers but are separate devices made by different manufacturers. PicoSure is made by Cynosure and uses a 755nm wavelength as its primary output. PicoWay is made by Candela and is built around 1064nm and 532nm wavelengths.
The two deliver energy at picosecond speeds but differ in their wavelengths, pulse characteristics and the concerns each is configured to address. A clinic may hold one, the other, or both. Which device suits a given concern is assessed by the treating medical professional rather than assumed from the picosecond category alone.
PicoSure operates primarily at 755nm, the wavelength it launched with and the one most associated with the device. A 532nm delivery system extends its range to additional tattoo ink colours, and a 1064nm wavelength is available on the platform for a broader set of pigment and tattoo indications.
Each wavelength is absorbed differently by pigment and ink, which is why a multi-wavelength device can address a wider range of colours and depths. The wavelength used in a given session depends on the concern and is selected by the treating medical professional during clinical assessment.
PicoSure is a laser device used in cosmetic clinics under clinical supervision. Like any laser procedure it carries potential risks and side effects, which vary between individuals depending on skin type, medical history and the concern being treated.
In Australia, laser treatments of this kind are delivered by trained professionals, and a consultation is required before treatment to assess whether the procedure is appropriate. Safety depends on correct device selection, appropriate settings and proper screening rather than the device alone. Whether PicoSure is safe for a specific person is determined through consultation with a qualified medical professional.
PicoSure is a picosecond laser, but the two terms are not interchangeable. “Picosecond laser” describes a category of devices that deliver energy in trillionths of a second. PicoSure is one specific device within that category, made by Cynosure.
Other picosecond lasers exist, including PicoWay and Enlighten, each made by a different manufacturer with its own wavelengths and configuration. Referring to a treatment as a picosecond laser identifies the class of technology. Referring to it as PicoSure identifies the specific device. The distinction matters when comparing options, because performance varies between devices within the same picosecond category.
PicoSure carries potential side effects that vary between individuals. Commonly reported temporary responses include redness, mild swelling and short-term sensitivity in the treated area. Pigmented areas may appear darker before they begin to fade.
Tattoo removal can involve additional responses, including frosting immediately after treatment and blistering in the hours that follow. Less common responses are discussed as part of the consent process before treatment.
Individual risk is shaped by skin type, medical history and the concern being addressed. Side effects relevant to a specific person are reviewed during consultation with a qualified medical professional before any treatment proceeds.
PicoSure and IPL are different technologies. PicoSure is a picosecond laser delivering a single-wavelength beam of energy in trillionths of a second through a pressure-based effect. IPL, or intense pulsed light, delivers a broad spectrum of light across multiple wavelengths and works through heat.
Because IPL relies on light scattered across a range of wavelengths, it is used differently to a focused picosecond laser and carries a different response profile, particularly across skin tones. The two are not interchangeable. Which is appropriate for a given concern is determined by the treating medical professional during clinical assessment.
Yes. PicoSure is included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods as a Class IIb medical device. The register is maintained by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, which regulates medical devices in Australia according to their risk classification.
Inclusion in the register is what permits a device to be supplied and used by practitioners in Australia. The Class IIb classification places PicoSure within the framework the TGA applies to devices of this risk level.
Its inclusion covers the device itself. Whether it is appropriate for a specific person and concern is determined through consultation with a qualified medical professional.
PicoSure and CO2 laser serve different purposes through different mechanisms. CO2 is an ablative laser: it removes the outer layers of the skin to prompt a healing response, which involves a longer recovery period.
PicoSure is non-ablative. It works without removing the skin’s surface, delivering energy through a pressure-based effect rather than heat. Recovery is generally shorter as a result.
The two are not interchangeable and neither is universally preferable. Skin type, the concern being addressed and recovery tolerance all influence which is appropriate. That decision is made by the treating medical professional during consultation.
The difference is whether the laser removes the surface of the skin. Ablative lasers remove the outer layers, creating a controlled healing response associated with tissue regeneration. They are used for deeper concerns and involve a more significant recovery period.
Non-ablative lasers leave the surface intact and work beneath it, which generally means a shorter recovery. The two categories produce different responses and suit different concerns.
Neither approach is universally preferable. Selection depends on the individual’s skin type, the concern being treated and recovery tolerance, and is determined during consultation with a qualified medical professional.
“Pico” refers to the picosecond, the unit of time at which the device delivers energy. A picosecond is one trillionth of a second, and the pulse speed measured in picoseconds is what defines the device and separates it from the nanosecond lasers that preceded it.
The name signals the core feature of the technology: energy delivered in extremely short pulses. This pulse speed produces a pressure-based effect rather than relying on heat. The “Pico” in the name is a direct reference to that picosecond pulse duration, which is the basis for how the device is classed.
