Tattoo Removal Lasers Compared

Pro 1 Pico by Pro 1 Pico

A picosecond platform built around colour coverage. The headline act is the dye handpiece pair — 585 nm for sky-blue ink and 650 nm for green ink — which targets exactly the pigments that standard two-wavelength machines leave behind.

Type: Picosecond (500 ps)
Wavelengths: 1064 / 532 nm, plus optional 585 nm and 650 nm dye handpieces
Best for: Black and dark ink, red/orange, and — with the dye handpieces — green and light-blue ink, the colours most lasers cannot reach
Skin tones: 1064 nm is the safest wavelength for darker skin tones; full four-wavelength setups cover all ink colours
Known for: One of the few platforms with dedicated 585 nm (light blue) and 650 nm (green) handpieces; PicoMatrix fractional mode for skin texture and carbon laser peels

PicoWay by Candela

Candela's picosecond flagship and probably the most common pico laser in Canadian clinics. Short pulses, a strong 1064 nm for dark ink and darker skin, and an optional 785 nm handpiece for stubborn blues and greens.

Type: Picosecond (~300–450 ps (varies by wavelength))
Wavelengths: 1064 / 532 nm, plus an optional 785 nm handpiece
Best for: Black and dark ink (1064), red/orange/yellow (532), and blue/green with the 785 nm handpiece
Skin tones: A go-to for darker skin tones thanks to its strong 1064 nm performance; used by Canada's largest removal chain
Known for: The workhorse of high-volume removal clinics — it is the platform used across Removery's Canadian studios — and its Resolve fractional handpieces for skin rejuvenation

PicoSure / PicoSure Pro by Cynosure

The original pico laser. Its 755 nm alexandrite wavelength is naturally drawn to blue and green inks, and the Focus lens gives it a second career in skin revitalization that most removal-only platforms do not offer.

Type: Picosecond (~550–750 ps)
Wavelengths: 755 nm alexandrite (core), with optional 532 nm and 1064 nm add-ons
Best for: Black, blue and green ink at 755 nm; red, orange and yellow ("sunset colours") with the 532 nm add-on
Skin tones: Excellent on lighter and medium skin; the 755 nm wavelength is absorbed by melanin, so clinics use more care on darker skin tones
Known for: The world's first picosecond laser (PressureWave technology) and its Focus lens array for skin revitalization — pores, texture and acne scars alongside removal

Hollywood Spectra by Lutronic (Cynosure Lutronic)

The premium Q-switched platform. It trades pico speed for versatility: tattoo removal, carbon laser peels, laser toning and melasma work from one machine — with optional dye handpieces that extend it to green and sky-blue ink.

Type: Q-switched (nanosecond) (5–10 ns)
Wavelengths: 1064 / 532 nm, plus optional 585 nm (sky blue) and 650 nm (green) dye handpieces
Best for: Black, blue and brown ink (1064); red, tan, purple and orange (532); green and sky blue with the dye handpieces
Skin tones: Health Canada-cleared indications span skin types I–IV; the 1064 nm wavelength is the safer route for darker skin
Known for: The famous "Hollywood Peel" carbon facial, and being the only laser of its kind FDA-cleared for melasma — a pigment clinic staple that also removes tattoos

Discovery Pico by Quanta System

Quanta's picosecond platform pairs high peak power with an optional true ruby 694 nm wavelength — one of the classic answers to green ink — and big spot sizes for large tattoos.

Type: Picosecond (~450 ps)
Wavelengths: 1064 / 532 nm, plus an optional 694 nm ruby wavelength
Best for: Black and dark ink, red/orange at 532, and green/blue with the 694 nm ruby option
Skin tones: Strong 1064 nm performance for darker skin; ruby wavelength is used with caution on darker tones
Known for: Very high peak power and large spot sizes, which let clinics treat bigger pieces efficiently and reach deeper ink

enlighten by Cutera

Cutera's hybrid: picosecond and traditional nanosecond pulses in a single platform, so an operator can change approach on stubborn tattoos without changing machines.

Type: Picosecond + nanosecond (dual pulse) (750 ps and 2 ns modes)
Wavelengths: 1064 / 532 nm, plus an optional 670 nm handpiece
Best for: Full colour range: black and dark ink, red/orange, and blue/green with the 670 nm option
Skin tones: 1064 nm route suits darker skin tones; dual pulse durations let clinics switch strategy on resistant ink
Known for: Two lasers in one — the clinic can switch between picosecond and nanosecond pulses mid-treatment-plan when ink stops responding to one mode

Black and dark blue ink: every platform here handles it — 1064 nm is universal, and it is also the safest wavelength for darker skin.

Red, orange, yellow: look for 532 nm — all six platforms offer it.

Green ink: the hardest common colour. You want 650 nm (Pro 1 Pico or Hollywood Spectra dye handpieces), 694 nm ruby (Discovery Pico), 755 nm (PicoSure), or PicoWay's 785 nm handpiece.

Light blue / sky blue: 585 nm dye handpieces (Pro 1 Pico, Hollywood Spectra) exist specifically for this colour.

Permanent makeup: pico platforms are the usual choice, with careful settings — cosmetic ink can darken paradoxically, so test spots matter. Ask the clinic about their PMU experience specifically.

Which laser is best for tattoo removal?

There is no single best laser. Black ink on any skin tone is handled well by 1064 nm platforms (PicoWay, Pro 1 Pico, Hollywood Spectra and others). Green and light-blue inks need specific wavelengths — 585/650 nm dye handpieces, 755 nm alexandrite, 694 nm ruby or 785 nm. The best laser is the one whose wavelengths match your ink colours, run by an experienced operator.

Is pico always better than Q-switched?

No. Picosecond lasers shatter ink into finer particles and often help on stubborn colours, but a premium Q-switched platform like the Hollywood Spectra, in experienced hands, removes straightforward black tattoos very effectively — often at a lower per-session price.

Which lasers remove green and light-blue tattoo ink?

Green ink responds to 650 nm (Pro 1 Pico and Hollywood Spectra dye handpieces), 694 nm ruby (Discovery Pico) and 755 nm (PicoSure). Light blue responds to 585 nm dye handpieces (Pro 1 Pico, Hollywood Spectra). PicoWay's 785 nm handpiece also targets blue and green.

Does the laser brand matter more than the clinic?

Both matter. Wavelength coverage decides whether your colours can be treated at all; the operator's settings, spacing advice and experience decide how well it goes. Ask any clinic which wavelengths they would use on your specific colours.