You may have seen PicoWay at a clinic in Montreal or Laval: a picosecond laser, newer than the classic tattoo-removal laser. It is a serious device, licensed in Canada for tattoos.
At Clinique DC, we remove tattoos with PicoSure, another picosecond laser. Both belong to the same generation. Here is what really sets them apart, prices included, and what each one does better.
PicoSure: a picosecond laser that breaks up ink.
PicoSure is made by Cynosure Lutronic. It breaks the ink into particles fine enough for your body to clear, session after session. Here is what tattoo removal looks like at Clinique DC.
| What is treated | Black, grey and colours, from red to blue |
|---|---|
| The session | 15 to 30 min, by a medical aesthetician |
| How often | 8 to 10 sessions, sometimes more, every 6 to 8 weeks |
| Afterwards | Redness and blistering possible |
| The price | By size: $150 per session for a small tattoo, taxes extra |
Two lasers of the same generation, one goal: clear the ink without cutting the skin.
PicoWay and PicoSure both fire pulses in the picosecond range, a thousand times shorter than those of the Q-switched, or nanosecond, laser. According to their manufacturers, that brevity breaks the ink with a shock wave rather than heat, which spares the surrounding skin. Neither cuts the skin.
- They don’t go faster than your body: it is your body that clears the fragmented ink, hence the weeks between sessions.
- They don’t guarantee complete removal: very dense, white or pastel ink can leave a shadow.
What sets them apart, point by point.
What comes from a manufacturer is labelled as such. The rest comes from the studies cited at the end. We bring in the Q-switched laser in the text, where it sheds light on the comparison.
| Criterion | PicoSure | PicoWay |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Cynosure Lutronic | Candela |
| Pulse | Picosecond | Picosecond |
| Colours | Black and colours, with a dedicated colour handpiece, from red to blue | Four wavelengths according to the manufacturer, for black and colours |
| The session | 15 to 30 min at Clinique DC | By size, at each clinic |
| Sessions | 8 to 10, sometimes more (at Clinique DC) | Several, depending on the ink and the skin |
| In Canada | Licensed by Health Canada | Licensed by Health Canada (licence 94931) |
| At Clinique DC | $150 per session, small tattoo | Not offered |
What one session for a small tattoo costs, on each side.
We gathered the prices Laval and Montreal clinics post for PicoWay. We compare at equal size: the small tattoo, about the size of a credit card, the smallest size these clinics price. Both lasers need several sessions, so we compare one session against one session.
| Where | What is treated | Posted price |
|---|---|---|
| PicoWay, Laval and Montreal | One session, the smallest size | from $180 |
| PicoWay, one Montreal clinic’s range | One session, small tattoo | from $100 |
| PicoWay, one Montreal clinic’s range | One session, small tattoo | up to $300 |
| Median, PicoWay | Small tattoo, one session | $180 |
| Clinique DC, Laval | Small tattoo (about a credit card), one PicoSure session | $150 |
Few PicoWay clinics post their prices: several work on quote or with a global package. “From” prices are entry prices; yours depends on the size and colours.
Over a course of 8 to 10 sessions, the per-session gap multiplies. At Clinique DC, the price of each size is posted on the tattoo-removal page, with four-session packages.
Prices posted online, gathered October 12, 2026, before taxes. Clinic names are in the sources. À la carte price, by size; four-session packages are offered on the tattoo-removal page. Taxes extra.
A known price for each size, before you start.
Four points where the difference is clear for you, each with where the fact comes from.
A posted price for each size
From mini to extra large, each size has its per-session price on our page. A small tattoo: $150 per session, taxes extra.
Colours too, not just black
Red, orange, yellow, green and blue go through the colour handpiece, which we have. Yellow, green and blue still take longer than black.
A frank assessment before the first session
We look at the size, the inks and the depth, then tell you how many sessions to plan for. If your skin is too dark to treat safely, we tell you.
A short session, medically supervised
A session takes 15 to 30 min, done by a medical aesthetician, under medical supervision.
PicoWay has its wavelengths and its studies, and it should be said.
An article that only praises one device doesn’t help you choose. What PicoWay has going for it:
- Four wavelengths on one platform, according to the manufacturer, to target several ink colours.
- A US clearance for tattoos obtained in 2014.
- A published study on multicolour tattoos, Bernstein et al. in 2015.
- It is offered at several clinics in Montreal and Laval, which leaves a choice of address.
We found no study comparing PicoWay and PicoSure.
Studies mostly compare picosecond lasers with the older Q-switched laser. Here is what actually exists.
| Study | Device | What it shows, and its limit |
|---|---|---|
| Brauer et al., 2012 | PicoSure | Blue and green tattoos treated with a picosecond laser |
| Bernstein et al., 2015 | PicoWay | Multicolour tattoos treated with two wavelengths |
| Reiter et al., 2016 | Picosecond | Review of studies on picosecond laser tattoo removal |
| Kassirer et al., 2025 | All methods | Review of tattoo-removal methods and their complications |
What it means: both lasers are documented, and neither has been shown superior to the other. A well-tuned Q-switched laser still clears black ink. The choice comes down to your inks, your skin and the price.
The right choice depends on what you are looking for.
| If… | Rather |
|---|---|
| You want to know the price for your size before booking | PicoSure at Clinique DC |
| Your tattoo has colours, from red to blue | Either: both treat colours |
| You already started with PicoWay and it is working | PicoWay: stay where you are |
| You want a clinic close to home in Montreal | PicoWay, offered at several addresses |
| Your tattoo is black and you want the lowest price | A Q-switched laser may be enough |
| You want it gone in one go | No laser: excision, for a small tattoo |
Why we chose PicoSure.
We wanted a picosecond laser, one that heats the skin around the ink less than the older laser, and that treats colours with a dedicated handpiece. PicoSure does both.
We also wanted to know it inside out: the clinic’s owner has trained clinicians for Cynosure, the PicoSure manufacturer. And we wanted to post a price for each size, rather than answer “on quote”.
You know what a session costs before you sit in the chair.
Questions we get asked
PicoWay or PicoSure, which is newer?
Both are picosecond lasers, the same generation. The older laser is the Q-switched, or nanosecond, laser. Our article on picosecond versus traditional lasers explains the difference.
Do you offer PicoWay at Clinique DC?
No. Tattoo removal is done with PicoSure. The prices other clinics post for PicoWay are in the “The price” section, with their source.
Which one needs fewer sessions?
We found no study comparing them. At the clinic, the course is 8 to 10 sessions, sometimes more, every 6 to 8 weeks: your body clears the ink, and no laser goes faster than it does.
I started with PicoWay elsewhere. Can I continue with you?
We can look at where your tattoo stands at the assessment and tell you what we can do. If it is going well where you are, nothing requires you to switch.
Is the Q-switched laser obsolete?
No. Well tuned, it still clears black ink. The picosecond laser shortens the pulse, which heats the neighbouring skin less, according to the manufacturers.
How much does tattoo removal cost in Laval?
At Clinique DC, the price follows the size: $150 per session for a small tattoo, about a credit card, taxes extra. The other sizes and the four-session packages are on the tattoo-removal page.
Sources
- Brauer JA, Reddy KK, Anolik R, et coll. Successful and rapid treatment of blue and green tattoo pigment with a novel picosecond laser. Arch Dermatol. 2012;148(7):820-823.
- Bernstein EF, Schomacker KT, Basilavecchio LD, Plugis JM, Bhawalkar JD. A novel dual-wavelength, Nd:YAG, picosecond-domain laser safely and effectively removes multicolor tattoos. Lasers Surg Med. 2015;47(7):542-548.
- Reiter O, Atzmony L, Akerman L, et coll. Picosecond lasers for tattoo removal: a systematic review. Lasers Med Sci. 2016;31(7):1397-1405.
- Kassirer S, Zachary CB, Marini L, Adatto M, Landau M. Laser tattoo removal strategies: Part II. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2025;93(1):19-32.
- Ho SGY, Goh CL. Laser Tattoo Removal: A Clinical Update. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2015;8(1):9-15.
- Candela. PicoWay, fiche produit (longueurs d’onde, homologations).
- Candela. Communiqué de 2023 sur les nouvelles indications du PicoWay (licence Santé Canada 94931).
- Cynosure Lutronic. PicoSure, fiche produit.
- Prix : Victoria Park Médispa (Laval, Montréal), page du détatouage PicoWay, et Clinique Face MD (Montréal), page sur le coût du détatouage, consultées le 12 octobre 2026.
Facts attributed to a manufacturer come from its documents. Other clinics’ prices are those they post online, as of the date gathered; Clinique DC’s are before taxes. Results vary from person to person.