What is Pico Laser ? How much does it cost ? What does it help ?

Select to read:

1. What is Pico Laser or Picosecond Laser ?
2. What does Pico Laser Help ?
3. Pico Laser is a new technology is it really effective ?
4. What are the disadvantages of Q-switched laser that one should be aware of?
5. What are the cause of dark spots (Hyperpigmentation) after doing laser?
6. How is Pico Laser better than Q switch laser or other hyperpigmentation laser ?
7. Difference between Q switch และ Pico Laser
8. Which machine is better: PicoWay, PicoSure, Pico Discovery or PicoPlus  ?
9. How many Pico lasers do you need to see results? 
10. How many session of Pico Laser for melasma to disappear ?
11. Why is melasma hard to treat ?
12. How frequently should I do Pico laser ?
13. Can I go in the sun after Pico laser ?
14. 5 Steps to take care of yourself before and after doing Pico Laser
15. How to check the authenticity of the machine?
16. PicoSure Review

What is Pico Laser or Picosecond Laser ?

Picosecond laser is the most modern and effective pigment-destroying technology available today. The term Picosecond laser, or Pico laser for short, is not a brand name of the laser device but refers to the technology of the laser. The Picosecond laser was further developed from the Nanosecond laser, such as the Q-switched laser, to address issues where patients experienced worsening dark spots and freckles after undergoing laser treatments.

What does Pico Laser Help ?

• Brightens and clarifies facial skin
• Treats acne scars
• Freckles and dark spots
• Tightens pores
• Smoothens acne pits
• Removes tattoos in various areas of the body, including facial tattoos such as eyebrow tattoos
• Lightens or pinks up dull skin tones, such as pink nipples, dark lip borders, dark underarms, dark inner thighs, and dark knees
• Treats stretch marks, for example, on hips, buttocks, breasts, and stomachs of postpartum mothers
• Evens out the color of scars to match the normal skin tone
• Treats raised scars or keloids, in conjunction with keloid injections
• Reduces the appearance of wrinkles

Pico Laser is a new technology is it really effective ?

Some people believe that the Pico laser has only recently been developed, but in fact, this technology has been around for many years. Initially, it was only available at medical schools and leading private hospitals, making it difficult to access and very expensive per session, which is why it wasn’t very popular. Nowadays, Pico laser treatments are more widely available in clinics, and the cost of treatments has become more affordable. Patients can afford it, and with good results being observed, it has started to regain popularity.

What are the disadvantages of Q-switched laser that one should be aware of?

After the Q-switched (Nanosecond laser) became popular and was used as a tool for treating dark spots, freckles, and brightening skin for many decades, a number of patients were satisfied with the results. However, there was also a significant number of patients who found that after undergoing Q-switched laser treatment, their dark spots and freckles worsened than before. Dark spots post-laser can occur in everyone, especially Thais living in hot climates and exposed to the sun almost every day. This issue has caused considerable distress and impacted the patients’ mental well-being significantly. Besides the financial cost of purchasing laser treatment packages and the time spent undergoing several sessions, the disappointment with the outcomes, resulting in darker skin than before, was substantial. This downside of the Q-switch has led to the development of the Pico laser.

What are the cause of dark spots (Hyperpigmentation) after doing laser ?

When the skin is injured, regardless of the cause, various cells in the skin work together to repair and heal the damaged area, such as:

• Collagen cells also increase the production of collagen to heal the injured tissue in order to make injured tissue become normal again. Therefore, the skin in areas that are inflamed or wounded feels firmer than the surrounding normal skin.
• Pigment cells, too, play a role in the skin’s healing process. One of the steps in skin repair is that pigment cells produce melanin to absorb and contain waste products from the injury, acting like a trash bag to prevent these wastes from spreading and damaging surrounding skin areas. Later, these pigment deposits are gradually cleared away by white blood cells. It’s observable that skin which is inflamed or wounded and initially appears red will start turning dark after about 2-3 days, and these dark spots gradually fade on their own within 1-2 months.

• Laser treatment with Nanosecond laser technology

Because Nanosecond laser technology, such as the Q-switched laser, often results in a significant accumulation of heat in the skin, this leads to considerable skin injury.

• Using excessively high laser energy settings

If the person performing the laser treatment is not skilled or is not a doctor, they may incorrectly assess the appropriate level of energy to use. This can result in excessive skin injury, overwhelming the skin’s ability to repair itself.

• Exposure to sunlight after laser treatment
• Forgetting to apply sunscreen after laser treatment
• Using skincare products that contain ingredients or properties that exfoliate the skin
• Rubbing, picking, scratching, or continuously stimulating the skin
• Having genetics or a family history of freckles
• Having dry skin 

How is Pico Laser better than Q switch laser or other hyperpigmentation laser ?

Since Nanosecond laser technology, such as the Q-switched laser, operates on the principle of ‘Photothermal,’ which uses heat energy to burst pigment particles into smaller fragments, it often results in a significant accumulation of heat in the skin, leading to considerable skin injury. Poor post-laser skin care can result in dark spots.

Laser companies have therefore developed technologies that minimize or eliminate heat accumulation in the skin, leading to the Picosecond laser technology, which uses the ‘Photoacoustic’ principle. This involves using vibrations to shatter the pigment particles into powder, which has several advantages over the Photothermal principle:

1. The pigment particles are broken down more finely, making it easier for white blood cells to sweep away and destroy the pigment more thoroughly. As a result, Pico laser treatments show faster fading of dark spots compared to Q-switched laser treatments, up to twice as fast.
2. There is less heat accumulation in the skin, which results in less skin injury and a lower chance of post-laser hyperpigmentation. Patients do not have to worry about their skin becoming darker than before after undergoing Pico laser treatment.

Difference between Q switch และ Pico Laser

Which machine is better: PicoWay, PicoSure, Pico Discovery or PicoPlus ?

All machines utilize Picosecond laser technology, but they differ in name because they are from different brands and companies. Each machine has its own principles, details, and varying results. Peace Clinic has compiled a rough overview of this information for your consideration.

How many Pico lasers do you need to see results ?

It takes 3-4 sessions to start seeing results for laser treatments aimed at brightening the skin and addressing dark spots. For treating freckles and acne scars, it typically requires 6-8 sessions to begin seeing results.

How many session of Pico Laser for melasma to disappear ?

The effectiveness and duration required to completely clear melasma depend on the depth and distribution of the melasma, which varies from person to person. It also depends on how well the individual avoids sun exposure and applies sunscreen after undergoing laser treatment. Therefore, it’s difficult to specify the exact time it will take for melasma to completely disappear. Generally, if the melasma is not too deep and the patient takes good care of their skin post-treatment, about 8-10 sessions may result in satisfactory fading of the melasma. It’s important to note that even if the melasma is fully treated in this round, it can still reappear in the future.

Why is melasma hard to treat ?

Since melasma cells are living cells, they will produce new pigment whenever stimulated. Asian skin, in particular, is more prone to developing melasma, and for those living in sunny areas like Pattaya, where sun exposure is almost daily, sunlight is a significant factor in stimulating new melasma formation. It’s not that the treated melasma doesn’t fade away but rather, new melasma continues to form, making it seem like the original melasma isn’t diminishing. Therefore, taking care of the skin to prevent new melasma from developing is crucial.

How frequently should I do Pico laser

The frequency of laser treatments depends on the skin issue. It is recommended to undergo laser treatments every 3-4 weeks for facial skin problems and every 4-6 weeks for tattoo removal. The doctor will assess the skin beforehand to ensure the precision of the treatment.