PicoWay® Laser Richmond, BC

Melasma is a chronic condition, so we take a 'low and slow' approach to reduce the risk of rebound pigmentation. A course is commonly several sessions spaced about 4–6 weeks apart, adjusted to how your skin responds. Melasma can return, so sun protection and maintenance sessions matter. Results vary.

Side effects are usually short-lived: redness, swelling and light crusting for hours to a few days, and less often temporary darkening or lightening of the skin, blistering or, rarely, scarring. PicoWay® works mainly through pressure rather than heat, which is designed to limit heat in the skin; this matters on deeper and Asian skin tones, but it does not remove the risk. A physician assesses your skin before treatment.

The cost depends on what is being treated (pigment, melasma, acne scars or a tattoo), the size of the area and how many sessions your plan needs; melasma and tattoos usually need more sessions than a few sun spots. We do not list prices online. After an in-person assessment we give you a quote for the full plan rather than a single per-session figure. Contact us or book online to arrange it.

PicoWay's 532nm and 1064nm wavelengths can target many tattoo inks, including cosmetic brow ink. Tattoos usually need multiple sessions about 6–8 weeks apart, and results depend on ink colour, depth and your skin. Complete removal cannot be promised, and some colours fade more slowly. We assess the tattoo before recommending a plan.

Most people resume normal activities the same day. Mild redness or swelling can last from hours to a few days, and pigment treatments may form light crusts that fall off in several days. Makeup can usually be worn the next day on skin rejuvenation treatments; avoid sun exposure and follow the aftercare instructions.

Most people describe a rubber-band snap on the skin; topical numbing is available for tattoo removal. Avoid sun exposure and tanning for about 4 weeks beforehand, because tanned skin has more active pigment and a higher chance of uneven darkening or lightening. Come with clean, makeup-free skin, tell us about medications that make skin light-sensitive, and use daily sunscreen afterwards, since UV can bring pigment back, especially melasma.

Yes. RAAC offers PicoWay® at Unit 110, 5580 No. 3 Rd, Richmond, BC, about a 3-minute walk from Lansdowne Station on the Canada Line, so patients from Vancouver, Burnaby and across Greater Vancouver can come by SkyTrain. Treatment is by appointment, and consultations are available in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. PicoWay can also be planned alongside DPL or microneedling when clinically appropriate.

PicoWay® delivers energy in picosecond pulses, so it acts mainly through a pressure effect that breaks pigment into fine particles, with little heat in the skin. Q-switched (nanosecond) lasers use longer pulses, and IPL uses broad-spectrum light rather than a single laser wavelength. Which device suits you depends on your concern, and your physician assesses this at your consultation.

For pigment, spots often darken and then flake over about 1–2 weeks, with lightening building over the following weeks. Texture and tone change gradually over weeks to months, and tattoos fade across a series of sessions. A course is commonly 2–6 sessions about 4–6 weeks apart. Melasma and rejuvenation may need maintenance. Results vary.

Treatment time depends on the area and the concern. Many facial sessions take about 30 minutes or less of treatment time, and tattoos vary with their size. Allow extra time for the assessment, cleansing, any numbing cream (for tattoo removal it is applied about 30–45 minutes beforehand) and aftercare instructions.

It can be, when your concern is one picosecond lasers treat: sun spots, freckles, some pigment after acne, tattoos and mild texture. Most concerns need a series, melasma tends to come back and needs maintenance, and tattoos fade gradually rather than disappearing on a set date. Value depends on matching the device to the concern; a physician assessment, a clear session plan and strict sun protection give the most realistic picture before you commit.

PicoWay® is not suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, over active infection or open wounds, or on a recent tan or sunburn. Photosensitizing medicines such as isotretinoin, a history of keloid scarring and very dark skin tones need individual assessment and may mean waiting or choosing another option. A physician reviews your history first.