Laser Treatment for Hyperpigmentation, Melasma & More

At our practice, we strive to achieve a balance between targeted, patient-specific solutions that cause minimal discomfort, recovery time, and side effects. The PICOCARE 450 device is a laser that generates short picosecond pulses to maximize efficiency without compromising on effectiveness. In short, hyperpigmentation treatments with this laser involves high energy but fewer shots, speedier treatment times, and greater precision.

In the dermatology world, Q-switched or nanosecond pulse lasers were once considered standard of care when treating various forms of hyperpigmentation, with the prefix “nano” referring to a small fraction of a second. But staying true to the fast-paced evolution nature of technology, hyperpigmentation-fighting nanosecond pulse lasers have now given way to picosecond pulse lasers.

As the term suggests, a picosecond pulse laser emits each light pulse to a target area at a much faster rate than a nanosecond one, making an entire treatment session go by more quickly without sacrificing any of the effectiveness — if anything, each session is made more effective with the faster pulse rate.

While picosecond lasers themselves are relatively new, the PICOCARE 450 is a second-generation Nd:YAG picosecond laser, and the first — and currently only — FDA-cleared laser system that can emit pulses of four different wavelengths (most other picosecond devices can only emit up to two).

In simple terms, more options for wavelengths equates to an ability to target a broader spectrum of colors. Yellow, for example, has long been considered a difficult color to clear away, but the wavelengths covered by PICOCARE 450 are effective in breaking up yellow pigment in the skin.

PICOCARE 450’s high energy and fast pulse rate also make the laser more efficient, with fewer shots required. Thus, fewer treatment sessions are required to see clearing up of hyperpigmentation, and each treatment session goes by more quickly — which means there is less residual heat generated for reduced pain and discomfort, fewer side effects, and minimal skin irritation.

Each “pulse” of the PICOCARE 450 laser provides the photomechanical (i.e. light-based) effect that breaks up pigment in the skin into tiny particles that can be processed out of the body naturally. The laser can target hyperpigmentation throughout the body in both the epidermis and dermis layers, including