Pico laser vs IPL for pigmentation

TCMA · Surry Hills, Sydney · About Dr Amy Chahal

IPL uses filtered broadband light and can treat selected superficial brown marks and small blood vessels. Pico lasers use very short pulses to target pigment at specific wavelengths. Neither is automatically better: the diagnosis, skin tone, wavelength and treatment settings determine suitability. Melasma and post-inflammatory pigmentation need particular care.

First, pigment is not one thing

People arrive asking for a laser. What they usually need first is a diagnosis, because several quite different conditions look similar in a bathroom mirror and respond very differently to light.

Sun damage. Flat brown marks from years of accumulated exposure, sitting mostly in the upper layers of the skin.
Freckling. Genetic, darkens with sun, generally superficial.
Melasma. Larger, softer-edged patches, often symmetrical, strongly influenced by hormones and heat. It behaves differently from everything else on this list.
Post-inflammatory pigmentation. Marks left behind after acne, injury or an over-aggressive treatment.
Redness and vessels. Not pigment at all, though it often sits alongside it and needs treating too.

Sun spots and melasma may look similar but need different plans. A device suitable for an isolated sun spot may aggravate melasma.

What each device actually does

IPL

Intense pulsed light is a filtered broadband light source. Its energy is absorbed by targets called chromophores, including melanin in brown marks and haemoglobin in blood vessels, and converted to heat. Filters and settings are selected for the concern being treated. Pigmentation and redness may both be addressed within a treatment plan; they do not necessarily require the same settings or session.

IPL may suit selected superficial sun spots and freckles, particularly in fairer, untanned skin. Its suitability depends on the diagnosis and the contrast between the mark and surrounding skin.

Pico

A picosecond laser delivers energy in pulses so short that the effect is closer to a shockwave than to heating. Pigment is broken apart mechanically, with comparatively little heat spreading into the surrounding skin.

“Picosecond” describes pulse duration, not penetration depth. Available wavelengths differ between devices; examples include 532, 755 and 1064 nanometres. Wavelength, spot size and other settings influence how light interacts with pigment. A shorter pulse alone does not mean a treatment reaches deeper or is safer for every skin tone.

Side by side

Comparison	IPL	Pico
Type	Broadband light, not a laser	Picosecond laser
How it works	Heat, absorbed by pigment and blood vessels	Very short pulses that fragment pigment mechanically
Potential uses after diagnosis	Selected superficial sun spots, freckles and vascular concerns	Selected benign pigmented lesions and tattoo pigment; uses depend on wavelength and device
Treats redness	Can target selected small vessels with appropriate filters	No
Skin tone suitability	Best in fairer, untanned skin	Some wavelengths and protocols may suit darker skin; pigment changes remain a risk
Typical recovery	Redness, then marks darken and flake over roughly one to two weeks	Variable: redness, swelling, darkening or crusting can occur; recovery depends on the treatment

Melasma deserves its own paragraph

Melasma is a chronic, relapsing condition associated with hormonal influences and light exposure. Both ultraviolet and visible light can contribute. Laser or IPL treatment can aggravate pigmentation, so melasma should not be treated as a collection of ordinary sun spots.

Sun protection and clinician-directed skin treatment form the foundation of care. A device may be considered for selected patients, with a discussion of relapse and worsening pigmentation. Tinted sunscreen containing iron oxides can help protect against visible light, alongside broad-spectrum UV protection, shade and hats. A randomised trial supports the value of visible-light protection in melasma management.

When neither is the right next step

Any pigmented spot that is changing. New, growing, altering in colour or shape, or simply different from the others. That needs looking at properly before any device goes near it, and that is not a cosmetic question.
Before sun protection is sorted. Treating pigment without daily protection is refilling a bath with the plug out.
Recently tanned skin. Timing matters, and waiting is usually the better clinical decision.
Active inflammation. Settle the acne or the dermatitis first, or you are treating a moving target.
When the real concern is texture or laxity. Pigment is often what people notice, but not always what is actually bothering them.

The part that decides your result

Neither machine chooses its own settings. Wavelength, energy, pulse duration, how many passes, what season it is, what your skin has been exposed to recently, and above all what the pigment actually is, are all judgements made by the person treating you.

This is a field where the same device produces genuinely different outcomes in different hands, and where the most costly mistake is not choosing the wrong machine but treating the wrong diagnosis confidently. Good pigment work tends to look unremarkable and gradual, and that is the point.

What the research does and does not show

Studies test particular devices and protocols. A result for one wavelength or diagnosis cannot establish that every Pico treatment is better than IPL.

A small split-face trial in solar lentigines found better clearance with a 532 nm picosecond laser than a 532 nm nanosecond Q-switched laser. Post-inflammatory pigmentation still occurred, and the difference in that complication was not statistically significant. The comparator was another laser, not IPL. Read the trial.

Melasma findings vary. One randomised study reported improvement with selected picosecond protocols, while another small split-face trial found no significant added improvement from a 755 nm picosecond laser over topical treatment alone. These results support individual assessment, rather than a promise of clearance. 2023 trial · Split-face trial

Risks and recovery: ask about your actual treatment

Both IPL and pigment lasers can cause pain, redness, swelling, burns, blistering and changes in skin colour; scarring is also possible. Appropriate eye protection is essential. A test spot may help inform treatment planning but does not eliminate risk.

Short-lived redness is different from complete recovery. Treated marks may darken or crust, and pigment changes can appear later. Ask what is expected for your specific protocol, how to care for the skin and when to contact the clinic. Do not pick at crusts. Seek prompt advice about blistering, increasing pain, spreading redness or unexpected pigment changes. ARPANSA guidance on laser and IPL safety.

A pigmentation plan that holds up over time

At TCMA, the starting point is understanding the cause of the pigmentation and how it fits with your wider skin concerns. A useful plan sets out what to address first, how progress will be reviewed and when to reconsider the approach.

Ask what improvement is realistic, how many sessions might be considered, the likely total cost and what would make the practitioner stop or change course. Maintenance should respond to your skin rather than follow an automatic treatment calendar. If pigmentation returns, revisit the diagnosis and triggers before repeating a device treatment.

The aim is to support your skin over time, with decisions that fit your priorities and tolerance for downtime. Sometimes the next step is skincare, protection or a medical review.

Common questions

Which is better for sun damage?

IPL may suit superficial sun spots on fairer, untanned skin, especially when redness is also a concern. A pigment laser may be considered for selected lesions. Persistent pigmentation needs reassessment; persistence alone does not establish its depth or make Pico the better choice.

Will either of these fix my melasma?

Neither clears melasma permanently, and aggressive light-based treatment can make it worse. It is managed rather than cured, usually with topical treatment and careful photoprotection doing most of the work.

Is Pico safer for darker skin?

Not automatically. Some picosecond wavelengths and protocols may be suitable, but darker skin remains at risk of post-inflammatory darkening or loss of pigment. The specific device, wavelength, diagnosis and settings matter more than the label “Pico”.

How many sessions will I need?

It depends on the type and depth of pigment. Superficial sun damage often responds in a small number of sessions. Deeper or mixed pigmentation takes longer, and melasma is ongoing management rather than a course.

Can I have treatment in summer?

It is usually better to treat outside peak sun months, and essential that skin is not recently tanned. Timing is part of the plan rather than an inconvenience.

Will the pigment come back?

Pigmentation can recur, and new marks may develop with ongoing exposure. Melasma commonly relapses. Sun protection and a review plan remain important after treatment.

Does it hurt?

Both can be uncomfortable. Sensation and pain relief vary with the area, device and settings. Your practitioner should explain cooling, any appropriate anaesthesia and what to expect before treatment.

I have a spot I am worried about, can you just remove it?

Not before it is assessed. Any pigmented lesion that is new or changing needs a proper look first, because treating it with light could remove the evidence rather than the problem.