Choosing between picosecond laser platforms gets harder once you move beyond the headline numbers.
PicoStar®, PicoSure Pro® and PicoWay® all cover overlapping areas of tattoo removal, pigmentation and skin treatments, but their designs are quite different. PicoStar centres on 532 nm and 1064 nm with high published pulse energy and large treatment spots. PicoSure Pro starts with a 755 nm alexandrite wavelength. PicoWay offers four picosecond wavelengths and the broadest delivery range of the three.
Cynosure’s current platform is PicoSure Pro rather than the original PicoSure, while Candela has continued to develop PicoWay’s delivery options and now supplies new systems with an enhanced articulated arm.
We supply the PicoStar, so this comparison is written from an informed but clearly disclosed position, with competitor specifications taken from materials published by Cynosure Lutronic and Candela.
The Platforms in Brief
PicoStar
PicoStar is our Nd:YAG picosecond platform, operating at 1064 nm and 532 nm (frequency-doubled).
The current UK specification lists a 300 ps pulse duration, maximum pulse energy of 800 mJ, peak power of 2.7 GW and a repetition rate up to 10 Hz. Its handpiece range includes Zoom ST, Flat-Top 532, Flat-Top 1064 and MicroSpot PICO. The 1064 nm Flat-Top option reaches 16 mm, while MicroSpot PICO divides the beam into 64 micro-spots across a 7 × 7 mm treatment area for fractional work.
PicoStar can be used across tattoo removal, pigmentation, melasma, skin rejuvenation and scar treatments.
PicoSure Pro
PicoSure Pro is Cynosure Lutronic’s current platform and is built around a 755 nm wavelength, with optional 532 nm and 1064 nm delivery for tattoo work.
Its published 755 nm specification lists pulse widths of 500 to 900 ps and pulse energy of 300 mJ ± 20%. Treatment delivery includes a 2 to 6 mm Zoom handpiece, fixed 5, 6, 8 and 10 mm handpieces, the Flat Lens for pigment and the Platinum Focus Lens for skin revitalisation.
Its 755 nm wavelength remains the platform’s defining feature, especially for pigmentation and black, blue and green tattoo inks.
PicoWay
Candela’s PicoWay offers four picosecond wavelengths: 532 nm, 730 nm, 785 nm and 1064 nm.
The standard Zoom applicator combines 532 nm and 1064 nm with spot sizes from 2 to 10 mm. Separate 730 nm and 785 nm applicators add further colour options, while Resolve and Resolve Fusion provide fractional delivery. Candela publishes pulse widths of 250 to 450 ps across the platform.
PicoStar vs PicoSure Pro vs PicoWay Specifications
| Specification | PicoStar | PicoSure Pro | PicoWay |
| Core wavelengths | 532 nm, 1064 nm | 755 nm | 532 nm, 730 nm, 785 nm, 1064 nm |
| Additional wavelengths | Both standard | 532 nm and 1064 nm optional | Four-wavelength platform |
| Published pulse duration | 300 ps | 500 to 900 ps at 755 nm | 250 to 450 ps, depending on wavelength |
| Published maximum pulse energy | Up to 800 mJ | 300 mJ ± 20% at 755 nm | Up to 400 mJ at 1064 nm; 200 mJ at 532 nm; 100 mJ at 730/785 nm |
| Largest conventional spot | 16 mm at 1064 nm | 10 mm | 10 mm |
| Fractional delivery | MicroSpot PICO, 7 × 7 mm² | Platinum Focus Lens | Resolve and Resolve Fusion |
| Notable wavelength strength | High-energy 532/1064 nm pairing | 755 nm pigment and tattoo applications | 730/785 nm options for blue and green tattoo inks |
How They Compare
Wavelengths and What They Enable
Wavelength is one of the biggest differences between these systems because it affects which chromophores and tattoo colours can be targeted.
PicoWay offers the broadest wavelength choice, which matters most to clinics expecting a high volume of multicoloured tattoo work. PicoSure Pro’s 755 nm wavelength gives it a different strength in pigment and selected tattoo applications, while PicoStar focuses on the established 532/1064 nm pairing used across tattoo removal and pigmentation.
If colour coverage matters but picosecond delivery itself is not essential, a Q-switched platform such as NanoStar may also make commercial sense. Our guide to Q-switched vs picosecond tattoo removal looks at that decision in more detail.
Pulse Duration and Peak Power
The shortest pulse does not automatically make the better system. What matters is how pulse duration combines with energy, spot size and beam profile in the treatment mode you actually use. PicoStar’s strength is the combination of 300 ps delivery, high published maximum pulse energy and large full-beam spots, while PicoWay reaches shorter published pulse durations in some configurations.
Handpieces and Fractional Options
PicoWay gives clinics the widest choice of fractional delivery formats, while PicoSure Pro uses its Platinum Focus Lens for skin revitalisation. PicoStar takes a simpler approach, pairing dedicated fractional MicroSpot delivery with a 16 mm 1064 nm Flat-Top option for larger treatment areas.
Treatment Range
PicoStar covers tattoo, pigmentation, melasma, rejuvenation and scar work, with MicroSpot PICO providing fractional delivery. Pigmentation and skin revitalisation are prominent parts of the PicoSure Pro offering. PicoWay covers tattoo and benign pigmentation, with Resolve technologies extending the system into acne scars and wrinkles.
For acne-focused clinics, the device should still come after the diagnosis. Ice pick, boxcar and rolling scars are different problems, and pigment left after acne is not necessarily a scar. Our guide to laser treatment for acne scarring goes into that distinction.
Tattoo removal is similarly difficult to reduce to a machine specification. Ink density, colour, depth, layering, location and immune clearance all influence the treatment course. Our tattoo removal sessions framework explains why fixed session promises are rarely sensible.
Skin Type Range
A claim that a platform “treats all skin types” needs context.
We position PicoStar across Fitzpatrick I to VI. Cynosure states that PicoSure Pro’s 755 nm Flat Lens can treat pigmented lesions across I to VI, while Platinum Focus Lens acne-scar and wrinkle applications are cleared for I to IV. Candela publishes PicoWay ranges by wavelength and indication, with its 1064 nm tattoo application extending to I to VI and some shorter-wavelength or fractional applications covering narrower ranges.
Ask suppliers to show the supported phototype range for the specific treatment and handpiece you plan to use, not just for the platform as a whole.
Evidence Base
Cynosure states that the PicoSure programme has more than 83 peer-reviewed clinical publications. Candela has also published a substantial body of evidence on PicoWay across tattoo removal, pigmentation, acne scars, wrinkles and fractional applications.
PicoStar’s published evidence base is newer and smaller. A 2025 paper investigated fractional 1064 nm picosecond treatment in a melanocyte-containing 3D human skin model and reported microscopic and molecular changes associated with controlled tissue response. It was an in vitro study, not a clinical outcome trial, which matters when weighing the evidence.
We cover that study separately in The Science Behind Pico Rejuvenation.
Service, Training and UK Support
Support tends to matter most after the machine is installed.
PicoStar is supplied with Asclepion Academy training and ongoing UK clinical and technical support. The current A-List package includes a two-year warranty, specified as one year parts and labour followed by one year parts only, plus a one-year handpiece warranty.
Cynosure Lutronic currently directs UK clinical and service requests through Seriderm UK. Candela provides UK service support alongside clinical training and workshops.
The practical questions are the same regardless of the system you purchase: who reponds to a fault, how quickly they tend to respond, where parts are held, whether refresher training is available and what happens when trained staff leave.
Cost of Ownership
None of these machines should be compared on purchase price alone.
Pricing depends on configuration, so a fair comparison should include the wavelengths and handpieces you expect to need over several years, plus service, warranty, finance, replacement components, staff training and likely downtime.
PicoSure Pro’s 532 nm and 1064 nm tattoo capabilities are optional. PicoWay is designed to add applicators as the practice grows, while PicoStar also has optional handpieces beyond its standard configuration.
Ask for like-for-like written quotations rather than comparing headline figures.
A Short Buyer’s Framework for a Pico Laser Machine
Before comparing brands, ask:
- Which three treatments are most likely to earn revenue from the machine?
- Which wavelength and handpiece combination is used for each one?
- Is that application appropriate for the Fitzpatrick types your clinic regularly treats?
- What is included in the quoted configuration?
- What will it cost to add anything you are likely to need later?
- Who services the system in the UK and what happens during downtime?
- Is training included for your original team and future staff?
- Can the provider show evidence for the indication you plan to market?
- Have you used the system yourself before signing?
That last point is easy to overlook. A brochure cannot tell you whether a handpiece becomes tiring, whether changing settings is awkward or whether a larger spot makes a meaningful difference in your own clinic.
Where the PicoStar Wins
PicoStar does not have the most wavelengths. PicoWay does.
It does not have PicoSure Pro’s 755 nm architecture or the same length of published clinical history either.
Where PicoStar makes a strong case is in the combination of published output, large-area delivery, a focused handpiece range and the UK support package around the device.
Its current UK specification gives 300 ps pulses, up to 800 mJ maximum pulse energy and 2.7 GW peak power. Its 16 mm Flat-Top 1064 spot is larger than the maximum conventional treatment spots currently published for PicoSure Pro and PicoWay, while MicroSpot PICO adds a dedicated fractional option.
For a clinic looking for one picosecond platform across tattoo removal, pigmentation and fractional skin work, that is a persuasive balance.
A different clinic profile could reasonably choose otherwise. If 755 nm pigment work is central to the business, PicoSure Pro deserves serious consideration. If complex multicoloured tattoo removal dominates and dedicated 730 nm and 785 nm wavelengths are valuable, PicoWay has the broader wavelength set.
FAQs
What is the difference between PicoStar and PicoSure?
PicoStar is a 1064/532 nm Nd:YAG picosecond system with a current UK specification of 300 ps, maximum 800 mJ pulse energy and 2.7 GW peak power. PicoSure Pro is based primarily around 755 nm alexandrite, with optional 532 nm and 1064 nm tattoo capabilities. It also uses the Platinum Focus Lens for skin revitalisation rather than a separate fractional handpiece.
What is the difference between PicoStar and PicoWay?
PicoWay provides four wavelengths, including 730 nm and 785 nm for additional tattoo colour coverage, while PicoStar focuses on 532 and 1064 nm. PicoStar counters with high published maximum pulse energy, a 16 mm 1064 nm Flat-Top spot and MicroSpot PICO for fractional delivery.
What is the difference between PicoSure and PicoWay?
The current PicoSure platform, PicoSure Pro, is centred on a 755 nm wavelength, with optional 532 nm and 1064 nm capability for tattoo removal. PicoWay offers four picosecond wavelengths as part of its platform: 532 nm, 730 nm, 785 nm and 1064 nm.
That gives PicoWay broader wavelength choice, particularly for clinics regularly treating blue and green tattoo inks. PicoSure Pro’s main point of difference is its 755 nm wavelength, which Cynosure uses across pigment, skin revitalisation and tattoo applications. The two systems also approach fractional skin treatments differently, with PicoSure Pro using the Platinum Focus Lens and PicoWay offering Resolve and Resolve Fusion delivery.
Which pico laser is best for tattoo removal?
There is no single best system for every tattoo. PicoWay offers the broadest wavelength set, PicoSure Pro has a 755 nm route for black, blue and green inks, and PicoStar combines 1064/532 nm delivery with a high maximum pulse energy in the published specification.
The right choice depends on tattoo colour mix, skin types, treatment volume, training and ownership costs.
Are picosecond lasers worth it for a clinic?
They can be if the demand justifies the capital and running costs. A clinic using the platform across tattoos, pigmentation and skin treatments has more ways to keep it productive than one buying an expensive pico system for occasional tattoo work.
How much does a pico laser machine cost?
Pricing varies by device, handpieces, wavelength options, service package and finance arrangement. Compare written, like-for-like quotations rather than unsourced figures online.
See It in Person
Specifications can narrow a shortlist, but they should not make the final decision.
Book a demonstration, use the handpieces and work through the treatments you expect to sell. Ask what is included in the quote, how training works after installation and who you call if the device develops a fault.
You can explore the PicoStar system, learn more through the Asclepion Academy or contact us to arrange a demonstration.
PicoSure, PicoSure Pro and Platinum Focus are trademarks of Cynosure, LLC. PicoWay, Resolve and Resolve Fusion are trademarks of Candela Corporation and its affiliates. Comparative information in this article is based on manufacturer-published materials reviewed in August 2026.
