AI-translated archive post
Hongdae Dermatology Skin Clinic 弘大美丽石医院 · ✦뷰티스닥터 합정역✦ · July 29, 2026
Hello. I’m Ha-won Kim from Beauty’s Doctor. When looking into tattoo removal, you often come across the phrase “how PicoWay tattoo removal works.” Many people wonder how it differs...
AI translation notice
This page is an English translation of a Korean Naver Blog archive entry. For exact wording and source context, verify against the Korean archive original and the original Naver post.
Clinic: Hongdae Dermatology Skin Clinic 弘大美丽石医院
Original post date: July 29, 2026
Translated at: August 17, 2026 at 12:37 PM
Medical note: This translation does not guarantee medical accuracy or suitability for treatment decisions.
Hello.
I’m Ha-won Kim from Beauty’s Doctor.
When looking into tattoo removal,
you often come across the phrase “how PicoWay tattoo removal works.”
Many people wonder how it differs from conventional lasers,
how tattoo pigment reacts inside the skin,
and how it gradually fades.
In particular, tattoos with multiple colors or older tattoos
may show different responses from session to session because the pigment depth and density vary.
Understanding the principles in advance can make it easier to understand
the treatment plan and recovery process during your consultation.
The principle behind PicoWay tattoo removal is similar to delivering energy to pigment particles for an extremely short time and breaking them into smaller pieces.
The fragmented pigment is gradually cleared over time through the body’s immune response, so it does not all disappear at once.
The response rate and number of sessions required may vary depending on the color and depth, the amount of pigment, and the condition of the skin.
Tattoo removal lasers use the property of specific pigments absorbing light energy to break down pigment particles.
The principle behind PicoWay tattoo removal involves delivering high energy to the pigment over an extremely short picosecond interval.
Rather than delivering heat for a prolonged period,
it focuses on finely breaking apart pigment particles through a short, rapid photoacoustic effect.
However, this does not mean that there is no thermal effect at all.
The degree of irritation to the surrounding tissue may vary depending on the wavelength and intensity used,
the depth of the pigment, and the condition of the skin.
Finely divided pigment particles are gradually cleared over time as immune cells, including macrophages, process them.
Therefore, rather than disappearing immediately after treatment,
the color often gradually fades during the recovery period.
To understand how PicoWay tattoo removal works,
it is also important to consider that the type and depth of pigment vary from tattoo to tattoo.
Colors such as black or dark navy, which relatively readily absorb laser energy, are generally easier to observe a response from.
On the other hand,
green, yellow, and lighter pigments
may show a slower response depending on the wavelength used and the pigment composition.
Even with the same black tattoo,
the number of sessions required may vary if the pigment was placed deeply
or layered repeatedly.
An approach to avoid is assuming that every color will fade at the same rate
or attempting to remove everything at once with high energy.
Instead, the recommended approach is
to check the color, depth, and skin response during each session and adjust the intensity and timing of the next session.
Rather than determining the total number of sessions from the beginning,
it is better to observe how much the pigment fades after the initial treatment and how well the skin recovers.
Before treatment, please provide as much information as possible about when the tattoo was created,
the colors used,
and whether you have had previous removal treatments.
It is also important to check whether there are wounds, dermatitis, or inflammatory lesions in the tattooed area when determining the treatment plan.
During treatment, you may feel a prickling sensation like a rubber band snapping against the skin and brief warmth.
The intensity of the sensation may vary slightly depending on the tattooed area and pigment density,
the settings used, and your individual sensitivity to pain.
Immediately after treatment,
the tattooed area may appear white,
or redness and swelling, small blisters, or scabs may develop.
At this time, avoid removing scabs with your hands or rubbing the area with scrub products, and moisturize according to the instructions you received.
It is also better to limit prolonged washing with hot water, saunas, and strenuous exercise during the early stages of recovery.
Above all, repeated exposure to ultraviolet rays may increase the risk of hyperpigmentation,
so protect the area with clothing or sunscreen.
According to how PicoWay tattoo removal works, the body needs a certain amount of time to clear the fragmented pigment.
Therefore,
the tattoo will not fade more quickly simply because the next treatment is rushed before the skin has recovered sufficiently.
The interval between treatments should be adjusted by considering the tattoo’s location and pigment depth,
the response to the previous session, and the rate of recovery.
Even for the same person, swelling, pain, and the degree of fading may vary depending on the area and session.
If pain worsens over time, or if large blisters, oozing, spreading redness, or warmth appear,
do not wait—contact the medical institution where you received treatment.
The principle behind PicoWay tattoo removal is to deliver energy to the pigment over a short period and divide the particles into very small pieces.
Because the fragmented pigment is cleared through an immune response,
it is necessary to allow time for recovery and observe the progress rather than expecting the process to be completed in one session.
The perceived changes may differ depending on the tattoo’s color and depth, the number of times it was layered,
and the individual condition of the skin.
Rather than determining the total number of sessions from the beginning,
please observe the initial response and recovery progress before adjusting the next treatment plan.
Although it depends on the type and depth of the pigment and the size of the tattoo,
tattoos often gradually fade over multiple sessions.
It is better to determine the number and intervals of subsequent sessions after checking the response following the initial treatment.
The difference is that it uses a photoacoustic effect to deliver energy to the pigment over an extremely short picosecond interval and divide it into fine particles.
However, the appropriate approach may vary depending on the tattoo color and the condition of the skin.
Prickling, warmth, redness, and mild swelling may temporarily occur.
However, if the pain gradually worsens or large blisters and oozing develop, please contact a medical institution.
As time passes after treatment, remaining pigment may appear more distinct again than it did immediately after the procedure, or the color may become visible differently from one session to the next.
Because this varies depending on the depth and color of the pigment, it is better to check the recovery progress before making the next treatment plan.
Thank you for taking the time to read this long post today.
This has been Ha-won Kim from Beauty’s Doctor.
Continue browsing
Return to the source archive for more translated posts, or open the Korean clinic profile to compare other public channels.