Flawless skin can often feel like an unattainable feat. With stress, UV exposure and unhealthy life habits constantly chipping away at our youthful complexion, it’s important to tackle aging skin head on. But while most of us already have a go-to routine to combat fine lines and wrinkles, treatments for pore size and hyperpigmentation—another clear sign of aging—seem to evade us.
Luckily, there are solutions for diminishing dark spots. In particular, experts are loving the PicoSure treatment. The PicoSure treatment is an in-office laser treatment that’s best known for eliminating unwanted tattoos from the skin, but can also treat hyperpigmentation, wrinkles and acne scars, and even temporarily reduce pore size.
Here’s how it works: The laser pulses in short bursts to break down pigment upon contact so the body can reabsorb it. The quick pulses reduce the chance of burns when using this laser, which makes it a good option for those with darker skin tones, too.
“PicoSure is a laser that releases its energy in a picosecond, which is a trillionth of a second,” explains Philadelphia dermatologist Nazanin Saedi, MD. “It is able to target pigment in tattoos but also unwanted melanin in the skin.”
When it comes to skin revitalization outside of diminishing dark spots, the PicoSure Focus Lens Array handpiece uses a wavelength of 755 nm (nanometer) to safely smooth wrinkles and scars by boosting collagen production. In fact, a study from 2017 examined participants who were treated every month for four months with PicoSure and found that nearly 90 percent of physicians were extremely satisfied or satisfied with their patients’ results six months after treatment.
While treatment time varies, a session time typically takes about 20 minutes when targeting discoloration. As a bonus, the fast session leaves patients with minimal downtime or redness. After the quick treatment, the skin may feel like you’ve gotten a slight sunburn and discoloration may darken and flake off over the next few days to reveal smoother, brighter skin.
According to Dr. Saedi, patients generally see visible improvement in their skin after two sessions, with some noticing benefits after only one. “Many of my patients notice that their skin is smoother after the first treatment,” she says.
If discoloration, wrinkles and pore size are a concern for you, be sure to ask your provider about the PicoSure treatment —your skin will thank you.
Dr. Saedi is a paid consultant of Cynosure, LLC.
