PicoWay® Laser Tattoo Removal Technology in Somerville MA
At A-One Laser & Aesthetic Clinic in Somerville, MA, we use the Candela PicoWay® picosecond laser for professional tattoo removal.
PicoWay delivers ultra-short pulses of laser energy measured in trillionths of a second. These rapid pulses create a photoacoustic effect that breaks tattoo pigment into smaller particles, allowing your body to gradually clear them over time.
Whether you want to remove a tattoo completely, lighten it for a cover-up, or address unwanted cosmetic pigment, treatment starts with an individual assessment.
Picosecond Technology • Various Ink Colors • Customized Treatment
Picosecond Technology — Energy Delivered in Trillionths of a Second
✦ FDA-Cleared, 5 Indications
✦ Low to No Downtime
✦ 4 Picosecond Wavelengths
CANDELA PICOWAY
How Does the PicoWay® Laser Works?
At A-One Laser & Aesthetic Clinic, we use the Candela PicoWay® laser, an advanced picosecond platform that delivers ultra-short pulses of energy measured in trillionths of a second.
Designed to work with precision while minimizing unnecessary thermal damage to surrounding tissue, PicoWay gives us an exceptionally versatile technology for both pigment removal and skin rejuvenation.
Powerful Technology. Surprisingly Simple Concept.
01 — TARGET
The Correct Wavelength Focuses on the Ink.
We select the appropriate PicoWay® wavelength and treatment settings based on your tattoo colors, ink density, skin type, and treatment goals.
02 — PULSE
Pigment Absorbs Picosecond Energy
PicoWay utilizes ultra-short laser pulses, measured in trillionths of a second to target tattoo pigment effectively while minimizing heat exposure to the surrounding tissue.
03 — RESPONSE
Tattoo ink is broken down into smaller particles.
The quick energy generates a powerful photoacoustic effect that breaks down the targeted tattoo ink into significantly smaller particles.
04 — CLEAR
Your Body Continues the Process
In the coming weeks, your body will naturally eliminate broken-down pigment, allowing the tattoo to gradually fade with ongoing treatments and healing.
Laser starts the process. Your body continues it.
What Makes PicoWay the Most Effective Choice for Tattoo Removal?
Because Tattoo Ink Is More Complicated Than It Looks
Tattoo ink can vary in color, depth, density, composition and layering. Your skin matters too.
That's why tattoo removal isn't simply about using a powerful laser. It requires choosing an appropriate wavelength and treatment approach for the pigment and the person being treated.
PicoWay gives us multiple wavelength options and extremely short picosecond pulses, allowing treatment to be customized for different tattoos.
Ultra-short pulses are absorbed by pigment particles — tattoo ink — and shatter them into fragments small enough for the body to clear naturally over the following weeks.
PicoWay is a picosecond laser platform developed by Candela, the same company that created our Nordlys™ and Matrix Pro® systems. Unlike most lasers that use heat to affect tissue through a photothermal process, PicoWay's ultra-short pulses—measured inoseconds and approximately 100 times faster than traditional Q-switched lasers—produce a photoacoustic effect. This generates a mechanical shockwave that disrupts the target without relying on heat. This unique characteristic allows PicoWay to address a wide array of concerns while minimizing downtime and reducing the risk to surrounding skin.
PicoWay's four wavelengths.
Different targets absorb different wavelengths of light best — which is why a single-wavelength laser can't do what PicoWay does. Your provider selects the wavelength and handpiece based on what's actually being treated and your skin type.
532 nm
Targets red, yellow, and orange tattoo ink, plus superficial pigmented lesions and melasma on lighter skin types.
730 nm & 785 nm
Reach blue and green tattoo ink — traditionally the hardest colors to remove — and pigmented lesions across a broader skin type range.
1064 nm
Penetrates deepest with the least melanin interaction, treating black, brown, and dark tattoo ink, melasma, and Nevus of Ota across nearly all skin types.
Resolve Handpieces
Targets red, yellow, and orange tattoo ink, plus superficial pigmented lesions and melasma on lighter skin types.
Is PicoWay the choice for you?
The technology may be advanced, but the right treatment still starts with you, not the machine. Before recommending PicoWay, we evaluate:
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Your skin type and tone
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The specific concern — tattoo, pigmentation, melasma, scarring, or fine lines
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Tattoo ink colors and characteristics, when applicable
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Your medical and treatment history
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Any previous laser treatments
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Your goals and expectations for the outcome
From there, we tell you whether PicoWay — or another technology we offer — is genuinely the better fit. Not every concern needs the same laser, wavelength, or plan.
Beyond Tattoo Removal PicoWay® offers more than just tattoo removal laser services.
Tattoo, dark spot, melasma, scar, or fine line — bring it in and we'll tell you honestly whether PicoWay is the right tool, and what your specific treatment plan would look like.
Five FDA-cleared uses, all from one platform
One Advanced Laser. Multiple Possibilities.
Melasma & Pigment Conditions
FDA-cleared for melasma, lentigines, café-au-lait macules, and Nevus of Ota. Melasma specifically shouldn't be treated as just another brown spot — it can be influenced by sun exposure, heat, and hormones, so it needs a more individualized approach than a single laser pass.
Acne Scars
Collagen-stimulating treatment for textural scarring left behind by past breakouts.
Benign Pigmented Lesions
Sun spots, age spots, freckles, and lentigines — concentrated melanin close to the skin's surface.
Wrinkles & Skin Rejuvenation
The same collagen-remodeling mechanism used for acne scars, applied to fine lines and early textural aging.
Not every brown spot should be treated with a laser — anything that has changed in appearance or hasn't been medically evaluated needs that evaluation first, not a cosmetic treatment.
PicoWay Laser Near Greater Boston
If you're looking for professional laser treatment for tattoo removal, dark spot, melasma, scar, or fine line near Boston, Somerville, Cambridge, Medford, Arlington, Everett, or Malden, A-One Laser & Aesthetic Clinic offers a personalized approach for all skin tones (Fitzpatrick I–VI). Using the Candela PicoWay laser, our experienced team evaluates your black and multicolor tattoo and other skin concerns and plans a treatment designed around your individual needs — whether your goal is complete tattoo removal, tattoo fading, tattoo correction, or cover-up preparation or improve your skin.
Removing a tattoo as part of your transition? We also offer dedicated gender-affirming Laser hair removal and electrolysis — built around your goals, private and judgment-free.