PicoSure Pro Tattoo Removal

PicoSure Pro picosecond laser tattoo removal targeting multiple ink colours at 532 nm, 755 nm, and 1064 nm wavelengths. Ultra-short picosecond pulses generate photoacoustic pressure waves that shatter ink particles more effectively than nanosecond Q-switch lasers, with fewer sessions and less thermal collateral damage. Three to six sessions are typically required, spaced six to eight weeks apart. Available at Dr. Michele Green's Manhattan cosmetic dermatology clinic.

Dr. Michele Green's PicoSure Pro tattoo removal programme uses the Cynosure PicoSure Pro — a multi-wavelength picosecond laser platform — to fragment tattoo ink pigments via photoacoustic rather than primarily photothermal energy, the mechanism that distinguishes modern picosecond devices from older nanosecond Q-switched systems. Conventional Q-switch lasers deliver energy in nanosecond pulses (billionths of a second), generating thermal energy that heats ink particles until they fracture. PicoSure Pro delivers pulses in picoseconds (trillionths of a second) — approximately one hundred times shorter — creating an intense pressure wave within the ink particle that causes it to shatter photoacoustically into vastly smaller fragments without the same degree of thermal heat generation in the surrounding tissue. The smaller residual ink particles are more easily cleared by the lymphatic macrophages responsible for post-treatment ink removal, which is associated with faster clearance, fewer total sessions needed, and lower risk of thermal scarring or pigmentary side effects compared to nanosecond methods. PicoSure Pro's three available wavelengths allow targeting across the full tattoo colour spectrum: the 755 nm wavelength targets dark blues, greens, and black inks most effectively; the 532 nm wavelength targets reds, oranges, and yellows; and the 1064 nm wavelength targets dark and resistant pigments as well as providing a suitable modality for darker skin tones where the 755 nm wavelength's melanin interaction at the surface carries a higher PIH risk. Tattoo removal requires multiple sessions regardless of technology, as each treatment can only clear the ink that the immune system is able to phagocytose and transport between sessions. Three to six sessions spaced six to eight weeks apart are the standard starting recommendation for most professional tattoos; amateur tattoos with shallower ink deposits may clear in fewer sessions. Larger, multi-colour professional tattoos from experienced artists with deeply saturated ink may require more sessions.