PICO is an advanced laser technology used to treat tattoos and stubborn pigment. Unlike traditional Q-switched lasers, which use nanosecond pulses and rely more on heat, PICO uses faster picosecond pulses to mechanically break pigment into tiny particles. These smaller particles can then be naturally cleared by the body, allowing for more efficient tattoo removal.
PICO lasers may offer several advantages over traditional laser treatments, especially for concerns like tattoo removal and stubborn pigmentation. Instead of relying on longer bursts of heat, PICO technology uses ultra-fast pulses of energy to break pigment into smaller particles, allowing the body to clear them more efficiently.
Some potential benefits of PICO laser treatment include:
While many medspas offer laser treatments, Dr. Sameea Chughtai brings a more advanced and personalized approach to aesthetic care. As a board-certified physician with extensive experience in skin rejuvenation, injectables, and laser-based treatments, Dr. Chughtai understands how to tailor each treatment to the patient’s skin type, concerns, and goals.
With years of experience using a variety of advanced laser technologies, Dr. Chughtai combines medical expertise, aesthetic precision, and a patient-focused approach to help achieve safe, natural-looking, and effective results. Her team is dedicated to creating customized treatment plans designed to improve skin tone, texture, pigmentation, and overall skin quality.
Tattoo removal lasers work by delivering targeted energy into the skin to break tattoo pigment into smaller particles. Once the ink is shattered, the body’s natural immune system gradually clears the pigment over time. Advanced technologies like PiQo4 use extremely fast pulses of energy to target unwanted ink more efficiently while minimizing damage to the surrounding skin.
Several factors can affect how difficult a tattoo is to remove, including the ink color, type of ink, depth of pigment, age of the tattoo, skin type, and whether the tattoo has been treated before. Certain colors, darker skin types, and tattoos previously treated with older laser technologies may be more resistant. A patient’s immune system can also play a role in how quickly the body clears the pigment.
The number of sessions needed varies from patient to patient. Tattoo size, color, ink density, location, skin type, and previous treatments can all affect the treatment plan. Because tattoo removal usually requires multiple sessions, a package may be a better pricing option for many patients.
Ghosting refers to a lighter area of skin that can remain where the tattoo used to be. This may happen when laser energy affects the skin’s natural pigment cells. Picosecond technology, such as PiQo4, may help reduce the risk of ghosting compared to older laser technologies.
Early tattoo removal methods included surgical excision, dermabrasion, and chemical peels, but these techniques carried a higher risk of scarring and are rarely used today for cosmetic tattoo removal. CO2 lasers were later used, but they were not ideal as a standalone tattoo removal treatment. Q-switched nanosecond lasers became popular in the 1990s and were the standard for many years. Today, picosecond lasers like PiQo4 represent a more advanced option, using shorter pulses to break pigment more efficiently.
If you live near Chicago, IL, Aesthetic Skin Chicago offers PiQo4 laser treatments at 200 West Superior St., Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60654.
PiQo4 is the primary tattoo removal technology used in our office. It can treat a wide range of tattoo colors and pigment types. For tattoos that have already faded but remain difficult to fully clear, treatments such as fractional CO2 laser or silicone-coated Fractora may be used to further improve the appearance of the skin.
A nanosecond is one billionth of a second, while a picosecond is one trillionth of a second. Because picosecond pulses are much faster, they can break tattoo pigment into smaller particles more efficiently.
Tattoo removal can feel uncomfortable, but at Aesthetic Skin, topical numbing and cool air may be used to make the treatment more tolerable.
Immediately after treatment, the tattoo may appear frosted or whitened. This effect usually fades, and the treated area may develop mild crusting as it heals. Most patients can expect the area to recover over about one week.
Yes, in many cases. Tattoos previously treated with older nanosecond laser technology may still respond well to picosecond technology like PiQo4, especially if there is remaining pigment that has been difficult to clear.
Patients should generally wait about 3 months after laser tattoo removal before placing a new tattoo over the treated area. This allows the skin time to heal properly before new pigment is added.
