PicoSure

How it works

PicoSure, from Cynosure, is a picosecond laser operating at 755 nm. Its pulses last trillionths of a second, so the energy acts largely by a photoacoustic effect that shatters pigment into small particles instead of heating tissue for long. It is used for brown pigment lesions and for some tattoo inks, and a lens array can be fitted for a fractional mode aimed at skin texture. Several sessions are commonly needed, and results vary by person.

Good to know

• The 755 nm wavelength responds to some ink colors better than others, which affects how many sessions a tattoo plan may need.
• A fractional lens array is an optional mode, so a texture plan may be listed apart from a pigment plan.
• Pigment work is often priced per session and area, while tattoos are commonly priced by size.
• Cynosure also makes other lasers, so confirm PicoSure by name.

How PicoSure affects a treatment quote

Cost depends on what is being treated. For a pigment concern, the unit is a session over an area. For a tattoo, it is the size, the colors and how dense the ink is, and clinics usually want to see it in person. A picture sent in advance gives only a rough estimate.

Ask how many sessions the doctor expects and how far apart they are, and whether the figure is per session or covers the course. Ask if the fractional lens is part of the plan and whether it is billed on top. Numbing cream and aftercare products are common add-ons. Tax is its own line. A laser that clears one spot may not clear another, so treat the first estimate as provisional.