Enlighten III vs PicoWay vs PicoSure
Three picosecond lasers, three different sets of wavelengths. Here is what actually separates them for tattoo removal — with the manufacturers’ own published numbers, not marketing claims.
Which pico laser removes tattoos best?
The best picosecond laser for a tattoo is the one whose wavelengths match your ink. The Cutera Enlighten III carries three wavelengths — 1064 nm, 670 nm and 532 nm — and two pulse durations, 750 picoseconds and 2 nanoseconds. The Candela PicoWay covers 1064 nm and 532 nm with an optional 730 or 785 nm handpiece, picosecond only. The Cynosure PicoSure Pro is built around 755 nm, with 532 nm and 1064 nm sold as add-ons. Original You runs the Enlighten III, the first in Nevada, because its 670 nm wavelength and nanosecond mode cover green, blue and dense black ink that single-wavelength devices leave behind.
- Address
- 7477 W Lake Mead Blvd, Suite 106, Las Vegas, NV 89128 (at Buffalo & Lake Mead, northwest Las Vegas)
- Phone / text
- 702-631-5009 · text 725-377-8633
- Hours
- Tue & Thu 10am–7pm · Wed & Fri 10am–5pm · Sat 9am–2pm. After-hours and weekend appointments by request.
- Consultation
- Free, obligation-free, about 30 minutes, with a written estimate before you commit.
- Who treats you
- Licensed healthcare professionals only — PA, NP or MD — under the on-site oversight of Dr. Brian Citro, MD, FACS.
- Tattoo removal tech
- Cutera Enlighten III dual-wavelength pico + nano laser with DeScribe PFD patch protocol.
Side by side
The specifications, compared
Every row below comes from the manufacturers’ own published literature. Where a number is not published, we say so rather than guessing.
| Cutera Enlighten III | Candela PicoWay | Cynosure PicoSure Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Cutera | Candela | Cynosure |
| Wavelengths | 1064 nm, 670 nm, 532 nm — three, all built in | 1064 nm, 532 nm; 730 nm or 785 nm optional | 755 nm; 532 nm and 1064 nm optional add-ons |
| Pulse durations | 750 ps and 2 ns — picosecond and nanosecond in one platform | 450 ps (1064), 375 ps (532), 300 ps (785) — picosecond only | Picosecond at 755 nm, plus a shortened “turbo” pulse |
| Max energy per pulse | 800 mJ at 1064 nm, 400 mJ at 532 nm, 125 mJ at 670 nm | 400 mJ at 1064 nm, 200 mJ at 532 nm, 100 mJ at 785 nm | Not published by the manufacturer |
| Spot sizes | Up to 10 mm at 1064 and 532 nm, up to 6 mm at 670 nm | 2–10 mm at 1064 nm; 2–4 mm at 532 and 785 nm | 2–6 mm zoom, plus fixed 5, 6, 8 and 10 mm |
| Green, teal & blue ink | Strongest of the three — 670 nm sits in the absorption window for green and blue | Good with the optional 730/785 nm handpiece; limited without it | Good — 755 nm is well matched to green and blue |
| Red, orange & yellow ink | 532 nm at up to 400 mJ | 532 nm at up to 200 mJ | 532 nm only if the add-on was purchased |
| Dense black ink | 1064 nm at up to 800 mJ, with a 2 ns option for resistant ink | 1064 nm at up to 450 ps | 1064 nm only if the add-on was purchased |
| Darker skin tones | 1064 nm primary, conservative fluence, test spotting | 1064 nm primary | 755 nm is cleared for skin types I–IV; 1064 nm add-on needed for darker tones |
| Also used for | PICO Genesis for melasma, sun damage, pores and tone | Resolve fractional handpiece for pigment and texture | Focus lens array for wrinkles and acne scars |
| Available at Original You | Yes — the first Enlighten III in Nevada | No | No |
Specifications are taken from each manufacturer’s published product literature (Cutera enlighten III brochure, Candela PicoWay product specifications, Cynosure PicoSure Pro product page) and reflect the fully configured systems. Optional handpieces are not present on every clinic’s device — ask any provider which wavelengths their specific unit actually has.
What the numbers mean
Three things actually decide how fast your tattoo fades
Wavelength coverage
Ink absorbs light at specific wavelengths. Black absorbs broadly and responds to 1064 nm. Red, orange and yellow need 532 nm. Green, teal and blue absorb in the 650–700 nm window — which is exactly where the Enlighten III’s 670 nm wavelength sits. A laser that cannot reach your ink’s absorption peak will not clear it, however many sessions you buy.
Pulse duration
A picosecond pulse is about a thousand times shorter than the nanosecond pulse of an older Q-switched laser, so more energy goes into shattering ink and less into heating skin. But shorter is not always better: dense, deeply packed black ink sometimes responds better to a longer 2 nanosecond pulse. The Enlighten III can do both in one session; picosecond-only platforms cannot.
Energy and spot size
Peak power has to reach the ink at depth. Up to 800 mJ at 1064 nm with spot sizes to 10 mm lets us treat a large piece at effective fluence without endless passes, and drop to a small spot for detail work near an eyebrow or a finger. Underpowered treatments are the most common reason a removal stalls at 60% cleared.
The honest part
The machine sets the ceiling. The clinician decides if you reach it.
Any clinic can buy a picosecond laser. Comparing brochures only tells you what a device is capable of, not what will happen to your skin. Two things matter at least as much as the platform:
- Who is holding the handpiece. At Original You every laser treatment is performed by a licensed healthcare professional — PA, NP or MD — under the on-site oversight of Dr. Brian Citro, MD, FACS. Never a technician.
- Whether the plan is written down. You leave your free consultation with the wavelengths we intend to use, an expected session count, the interval between visits and the cost, in writing, before you commit.
We also publish real before-and-after photos with the honest number of sessions each one took, because a comparison table means nothing without results attached to it.
Already started somewhere else?
Stalled removals are a large part of what we do. If a tattoo stopped fading after four or five sessions on a single-wavelength device, the usual causes are the wrong wavelength for the ink, fluence that is too low, or sessions spaced too closely together.
Bring your treatment history to a free consultation. We will tell you honestly whether a different wavelength is likely to move it — and if we do not think we can help, we will say that too.
Results on our Enlighten III
What the wavelengths look like in practice
Actual Original You patients in Las Vegas, with the real number of sessions each took. Tap to enlarge.
Questions we get asked
Pico laser comparison FAQ
Which picosecond laser is best for tattoo removal?
What is the difference between the Enlighten III, PicoWay and PicoSure?
Does a picosecond laser remove tattoos in fewer sessions than a Q-switched laser?
Which laser works on green and blue ink?
Does the laser matter more than the person using it?
Is the Enlighten III safe for darker skin tones?
Free consultation
Ask which laser is right for your tattoo
Specs matter less than the plan built around them. Send your tattoo details and we will tell you which wavelength and protocol we would use, and why.
- First enlighten III in Nevada
- DeScribe PFD patch passes for faster clearance
- Honest session estimate, in writing
Tue & Thu 10am–7pm · Wed & Fri 10am–5pm · Sat 9am–2pm. Most requests get an answer the same day.
Free consultation. Written plan. No pressure.
Bring a photo of your tattoo or tell us about your skin goal. In about 30 minutes you will leave with a written estimate covering sessions, spacing and cost — reviewed on-site by a physician.