PicoWay® For Brown Spots & Excess Pigmentation
What is PicoWay®?
At Dermatology Consulting, we are proud to have invested in PicoWay® by Candela, one of the most powerful, fastest, and versatile lasers available. It can be used as small beams targeted to treat individual areas of unwanted pigmentation including brown spots, some forms of birthmarks, and melasma, as well as tattoos. It is also used globally to paint over wide areas to treat scars, wrinkles, and enlarged pores.
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How Does PicoWay® Work?
Picolasers are superfast and use pulses of one trillionth of a second (a picosecond is to one second what one second is to approximately 31,689 years). This means that picolasers can break up very tiny fragments of pigment into particles that are so small that the body’s own clearance cells can then easily clear away the pigment. Therefore, pigment can be removed in fewer sessions with picolasers than earlier devices which used slower pulses. Also, as the picolasers are so superfast, they need to use very little heat to break up the pigment, shrink pores and stimulate collagen and therefore there is a very low risk of scarring.
What Problems Can Be Treated With PicoWay®?
PicoWay® effectively treats excessively pigmented lesions when it is used targeted on individual sunspots, freckles or brown birthmarks as well as tattoos. When used globally it can improve acne scars, fine lines, skin irregularity, poor skin texture, enlarged pores and diffuse excess pigmentation including melasma.
What Sites Can Be Treated With PicoWay®?
Almost any site on the body can be treated. It can be used in almost all skin colours from very pale to very dark skin.
How are PicoWay® Targeted Treatments Performed?
First, your skin will be cleansed. If the skin on the face is being treated ‘blackout’ eye shields will be used to protect the eyes. If on the body ‘sunglasses’ type goggles must be worn. The PicoWay® laser is rapidly pulsed on the skin as small beams, 2-4mm in diameter, multiple times to cover each brown spot.
Does PicoWay® Treatment Hurt?
Most patients describe very little sensation during the treatment, (rather like warm sparks on the skin). Numbing cream is not usually needed. After the treatment, patients may feel a slight sensation of warmth, slight itching, or dryness but generally this is extremely mild and usually diminishes in 1 to 3 hours.
How Many Treatments of PicoWay® Targeted Laser for Brown Spots Will I Need and How Will They Be Spaced?
For brown sunspots usually 2-3 sessions are needed spaced around 5-6 weeks apart. For darker, longstanding birthmarks more treatments may be needed. It takes 4-6 weeks for the body to clear away the tiny fragments of pigment broken up by the PicoWay® laser which is why treatments are best spaced 5-6 weeks apart.
What Should I Expect After PicoWay® Targeted Laser for Brown Spots Treatment?
During the first 24 hours after treatment, your skin may feel a little warm, dry or slightly itchy. The pigmented lesions treated may scab over and darken. You can wear make-up to disguise any aftereffects. Any darkening or scabbing may take a week or so to settle and the full effect of the treatment fading the pigment will be seen after 4-6 weeks.
What Side Effects Can I Expect After Treatment With PicoWay® Targeted Laser for Brown Spots and How Long Will They Last?
Transient redness and darkening of pigment are the most common side effects from PicoWay®. These side effects are usually mild and subside within 1-7 days. Other temporary side effects may include itching, dry skin, peeling or flaking, and a bronzed skin appearance. There may be small red dots on the skin temporarily. There is a very small risk of infection or scarring. The intensity and duration of side effects depend on the aggressiveness of treatment and on the patient’s healing characteristics. When treating pigmented lesions with the PicoWay® Targeted method they will darken and this darkening may persist for around a week.
Are There Patients Where PicoWay® Treatments Should be Avoided?
Picolasers are superfast and use pulses of one trillionth of a second (a picosecond is to one second what one second is to approximately 31,689 years). This means that picolasers can break up very tiny fragments of pigment into particles that are so small that the body’s own clearance cells can then easily clear away the pigment. Therefore, pigment can be removed in fewer sessions with picolasers than earlier devices which used slower pulses. Also, as the picolasers are so superfast, they need to use very little heat to break up the pigment, shrink pores and stimulate collagen and therefore there is a very low risk of scarring.
What Precautions Should I Take After Treatment?
You will need to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen (at least factor 30, with both UVA and UVB protection and visible light protection) every day, even in the winter and applied several times during summer days for at least three months after the completion of the course of PicoWay® treatment to reduce the sunlight darkening skin pigmentation in the treated areas. Your clinician can advise on the right products for your skin type and the treatment given. If you have dark skin it is particularly important that your sunscreen should be tinted or have visible light protection filters as this also protects against visible light which we now know darkens the skin.
Can it Be Done if I Am Prone to Cold Sores?
PicoWay® laser can be safely done in patients prone to cold sores, but as it may cause a flare of the cold sore, we recommend taking an antiviral tablet (Valtrex or Aciclovir) started two nights before the treatment and continued for at least five days after the treatment. It is best to take this even if there is only a small chance of cold sores occurring as the laser light can trigger a flare in the cold sore virus which can be more severe in the healing skin. If there is an active cold sore outbreak in the area where treatment is planned, then the treatment should be postponed until the cold sore has cleared.
What are the Possible Complications of PicoWay®?
Due to the unique, super-fast delivery and the extensive research that has gone into the PicoWay® laser system, there are usually very few risks associated with the treatment and minimal downtime. However, the skin of some individuals can be highly sensitive, and care will be taken to minimize any adverse reactions. Very rare complications include: hyper or hypo-pigmentation changes, bruising and scarring. Most of these effects will normally disappear within a few days or weeks, but can be treated on the rare occasion that they occur.
Additional PicoWay® For Brown Spots FAQs
How Long Do the Positive Effects of PicoWay® Targeted Laser for Brown Spots Last?
This depends on your particular condition and how you care for your skin. For brown spots and birthmarks, once they are faded they tend to stay away, but if you subsequently have excess sun, they may recur or new ones may develop. Once your skin or pigmentation is treated, continue to protect it as described above with good sun protection. For melasma it is particularly important to avoid direct sun exposure as melasma comes back very quickly with sun and visible light exposure.