Laser tattoo removal: picosecond laser and Q-switched laser compared
In laser tattoo removal, ultrashort light pulses break the ink pigments down into tiny particles, which the body carries away via the lymphatic system. Here you will find out how picosecond lasers and Q-switched lasers differ, which wavelength removes which tattoo colour, how many sessions are needed and how healing and aftercare proceed.
SIACSKIN offers three devices for this: the PICOLO XL picosecond laser and the Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers PICOLO L and PICOLO S, plus the KYROMASTER for skin cooling. The answers also help you choose the right laser for your studio, your practice or your clinic, from entry level to a specialism in tattoo removal.
How does laser tattoo removal work?
The laser shatters the ink pigments in the skin with extremely short, high-energy light pulses, and the body does the rest itself. Tattoo ink lies in the dermis in particles that are too large for the phagocytes of the immune system. The pigment absorbs the laser pulse, creating a pressure wave, the photoacoustic effect. The particles shatter, while the surrounding tissue warms up only slightly. In the following weeks the lymphatic system carries the fragments away, and the tattoo fades from session to session.
The shorter the pulse, the more finely the pigment breaks down. The PICOLO XL from SIACSKIN works with 280 picoseconds, while the PICOLO L and PICOLO S are Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers with pulses in the nanosecond range.
What is the difference between a picosecond laser and a Q-switched laser for tattoo removal?
The difference lies in the pulse duration: a Q-switched laser delivers its energy in nanoseconds, a picosecond laser in picoseconds, in other words in trillionths rather than billionths of a second. With such short pulses, the mechanical pressure wave predominates over heat. The pigment breaks down into finer particles that the body carries away more easily, and the surrounding tissue is subjected to less thermal stress. In practice this often means fewer sessions, above all with stubborn colours and previously treated tattoos. Q-switched lasers have been proven for decades and deliver good results with black and dark tattoos.
At SIACSKIN, the PICOLO XL is the picosecond laser with a pulse duration of 280 ps. The PICOLO L and PICOLO S are Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers in the nanosecond range.
Every colour needs the wavelength it absorbs most strongly: 1064 nm for black and dark shades, 532 nm for red and orange, 755 nm for green and blue. A laser with only one wavelength therefore leaves ink residue behind in colourful tattoos. The 1064 nm wavelength also penetrates deepest and spares the epidermis, which is why it is the basis of every tattoo removal.
The PICOLO XL offers 532, 755, 1064 and 1320 nm, and an optional Dye-Head with 585 and 650 nm extends the spectrum. The PICOLO L works with 1064 and 532 nm and thus covers black, dark shades as well as red and orange. For the PICOLO S, 532, 755, 1064 and 1320 nm are stated.
Which tattoo colours are the hardest to remove with a laser?
Green, turquoise, light blue, yellow and white are the hardest to remove, black the easiest. Black absorbs practically every wavelength, whereas coloured pigments absorb only a narrow range. If the laser does not hit this range, little happens. Yellow and white absorb hardly any laser light, and inks with titanium dioxide or iron oxide, such as skin tones, can even darken during lasering. On top of this, modern tattoo inks are often mixtures of several pigments.
For multicoloured tattoos, what counts is therefore a device with several wavelengths. The PICOLO XL combines 532, 755 and 1064 nm with picosecond pulses and is explicitly designed for multicoloured tattoos. Optionally, a Dye-Head with 585 and 650 nm is added.
Usually 4 to 8 sessions are needed, and with dense, multicoloured professional tattoos it can be 10 or more. Amateur tattoos with little ink often fade after just 3 to 5 sessions. In each session only part of the pigment is fragmented, and the body needs time to carry the fragments away. The number can only be estimated in advance because the amount of ink, the ink depth and the composition of the ink cannot be seen from outside.
With 280 ps, the picosecond laser PICOLO XL breaks pigments down particularly finely, which frequently lowers the number of sessions compared with nanosecond lasers. With the Q-switched laser PICOLO L, according to SIACSKIN you should expect slightly more sessions.
How long should you wait between two laser tattoo removal sessions?
There should be at least 6 to 8 weeks between two sessions, and longer breaks do no harm. During this time the skin heals and the lymphatic system carries the shattered pigments away. This breakdown continues for weeks, so the tattoo keeps lightening even without a new session. Anyone who re-treats too early puts unnecessary strain on the skin and gains nothing, because the body does not work any faster. On the lower legs and feet and with darker skin types, 8 to 12 weeks are more advisable.
The PICOLO XL, PICOLO L and PICOLO S come with a client management system that records the treated areas and shot counts of every session. This lets you plan the course properly and see what was done last time.
What determines how well a tattoo can be removed with a laser?
The decisive factors are colour, amount of ink, ink depth, age of the tattoo, skin type and body site. Black, older and thinly inked tattoos are the easiest to remove because the body has already broken down pigment over the years. Dense, layered or colourful designs need more sessions. Sites close to the trunk, such as the nape of the neck or the upper arm, have a good blood supply and respond faster than hands, ankles and feet. With darker skin, treatment is more cautious and at longer intervals. Smoking and scars in the tattoo also slow progress.
The PICOLO XL is designed for deep-seated and multicoloured tattoos: 280 ps pulse duration, up to 3600 mJ of energy and spot sizes of 2 to 10 mm.
Yes, for a cover-up it is usually enough to lighten the old tattoo in 2 to 4 sessions to the point where the new design can be created freely. The tattoo artist then no longer has to cover it with large dark areas and can also use light colours and fine lines. Often only the darkest sections are lasered. Before the new tattoo is done, the skin must be completely healed, and at least 6 to 8 weeks after the last session are usual.
Since this is mostly about black and dark ink, a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with 1064 nm such as the PICOLO L or the PICOLO S is sufficient. For businesses that work together with tattoo artists, lightening is a sought-after service.
Yes, permanent make-up on the eyebrows and lips can be lasered, but it calls for more caution than a body tattoo. The pigments sit more superficially and are often considerably lighter after just 2 to 4 sessions. However, many PMU pigments contain iron oxide or titanium dioxide and can turn grey or dark at the first laser pulse, above all skin, red and brown shades. For this reason a small test patch is always treated first. Fine hairs in the brow may temporarily become lighter. Because of the proximity to the eye, eyeliner belongs in medical hands.
For such delicate areas you need small spots and finely adjustable energy. The PICOLO XL offers spot sizes from 2 mm and energies from 100 mJ, and the PICOLO L also works with spots of 2 to 10 mm.
Does laser tattoo removal hurt and how is the skin cooled?
Yes, lasering is clearly noticeable, and most people compare it to a rubber band snapping against the skin. On the other hand, treatment of small designs takes only a few minutes. Areas over bone such as the ankles, ribs and wrist are sensitive. Cooling helps most: cold air before, during and after the pulses dampens the sensation of pain and takes heat out of the skin. If required, a numbing cream is applied beforehand.
The KYROMASTER from SIACSKIN works with cold air down to minus 50 °C, for pre-cooling, parallel cooling and post-treatment cooling, and requires no consumables. It is suitable for picosecond and Nd:YAG lasers, in other words for the PICOLO XL, PICOLO L and PICOLO S.
How does healing progress after tattoo removal and what does aftercare involve?
After each session the skin needs about 1 to 2 weeks until it has healed superficially. Directly after lasering the area briefly turns whitish, followed by redness and swelling, sometimes small blisters and later crusts. In the first few days the area is cooled, kept clean and protected with a wound-care product and a loose dressing. Do not prick blisters and do not scratch off crusts, otherwise there is a risk of scars and pigment changes. Sauna, swimming pool, friction and sun are off limits until healing is complete, and afterwards high sun protection belongs on the area.
Post-treatment cooling with the KYROMASTER relieves burning and swelling directly after the session. You will find the individual steps and suitable skincare in the SIACSKIN aftercare guide.
Redness, swelling, pinpoint bleeding, small blisters and crusts that heal within 1 to 2 weeks are usual. Less commonly, light or dark pigment changes remain, which mostly resolve over months but can persist longer in darker skin types. Scars arise above all from excessive energy, intervals that are too short or scratching at the crusts. Allergic reactions to released ink components, particularly with red, and the darkening of individual colours are also possible.
The risk falls with suitable parameters. On the PICOLO XL and the PICOLO L, the SIA AI sets the parameters automatically. In addition, the picosecond pulses of the PICOLO XL place less thermal stress on the surrounding tissue than nanosecond pulses.
What should you look for when buying a laser for tattoo removal?
Look at four values: pulse duration, pulse energy, spot sizes and wavelengths. The pulse duration determines how finely the pigment breaks down. You need high energy so that even a large spot delivers sufficient fluence, because large spots penetrate deeper and reach deep-seated ink. Small spots are necessary for fine lines. The wavelengths decide which colours you can treat at all: 1064 nm is a must, 532 nm for red, 755 nm for green and blue. Added to these are repetition rate and cooling for working swiftly.
The PICOLO XL comes with 280 ps, 100 to 3600 mJ, spots of 2 to 10 mm, 1 to 10 Hz and four wavelengths. The PICOLO L delivers up to 1800 mJ at 1064 nm and up to 500 mJ at 532 nm.
Which PICOLO laser suits which business: PICOLO XL, PICOLO L or PICOLO S?
The PICOLO XL suits practices and clinics with a focus on tattoo removal, the PICOLO L businesses with regular tattoo and pigment treatments, and the PICOLO S those getting started. The PICOLO XL is the picosecond laser: 280 ps, up to 3600 mJ, four wavelengths, intended for multicoloured and deep-seated tattoos. The PICOLO L is a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with 1064 and 532 nm and up to 1800 mJ, according to SIACSKIN more economical than the PICOLO XL with slightly more sessions.
The PICOLO S is the entry-level device with Q-switched technology, 10 to 2000 mJ and five probes. It is worthwhile for smaller tattoos, lightening before a cover-up and carbon peels with a manageable treatment volume. Who is permitted to carry out which treatment is regulated differently from country to country.
Can tattoos also be removed from dark skin with a laser?
Yes, tattoos can also be removed from dark skin, most safely with 1064 nm, lower energy and longer intervals. Dark skin contains a lot of melanin, which also absorbs laser light. Shorter wavelengths such as 532 and 755 nm are strongly absorbed by melanin and can leave light or dark spots. The 1064 nm wavelength is absorbed considerably less by skin pigment and reaches the tattoo ink at depth. Black tattoos are therefore readily treatable, while coloured inks in skin types V to VI are treatable only to a limited extent. A test patch beforehand is advisable.
All three models, the PICOLO XL, PICOLO L and PICOLO S, work with 1064 nm. The picosecond pulses of the PICOLO XL generate less heat in the surrounding tissue in the process.
