Is Pico Genesis safe for black skin?

Question

Does anyone have experience or pictures of PICO GENESIS ON BLACK SKIN. Specifically for PIH (acne). I have keep reading how it is the best thing for Dark Skin; but I have yet to see any before and after on dark skin patients. I am really interested, therefore any feedback on this matter would be greatly appreciated. THANK YOU.

Jerry W. Lewis, MD · Answer

PICO Genesis is a laser treatment that is very effective at treating pigmentation concerns and safe to use on all skin types. The reason you might be having trouble finding before and after pictures is because this technology is so new. My advice would be to find a provider in your area and set up a consultation to further discuss what might be the most effective treatment plan for you individually. Hope this helps!

Phuong Q. Tien, MD · Answer

Hello! Thank you for your question. Part of your difficulty in finding examples of PICO Genesis on many different skin tones may be due to the fact that it is still a relatively new treatment -- the PICO Genesis laser was only introduced in 2016, so it is still an up-and-coming technology. That being said, it is absolutely effective on dark skin and indeed safe for skin of all different colors and sensitivities. One of the reasons it is safe for dark skin is that it is a more specific and targeted laser treatment than many of the older laser technologies. With older lasers, longer pulses and fewer wavelength settings may have caused you to run the risk of damaging your skin’s natural melanin, resulting in further hyperpigmentation. PICO Genesis can be customized to a gentler setting to avoid causing this problem. You should schedule an in-person consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist in your area -- feel free to schedule more than one consultation to find a laser provider who has a history of working with darker-skinned clients. After your initial meeting, your doctor will be able to give you a better idea of what PICO Genesis treatment can accomplish given your concerns and your skin type. Best of luck!

Davin Lim, MBBS, FACD - Account Suspended · Answer

The laser itself is safe but the rate limiting factor is the person behind it. This laser can be used to improve PIH in darker skin types safely, however the parameters need to be exact. I use pre treatment and post treatment HQ in this context, as I push the parameters a little over the recommended conservative power and passes. 
Acne scar revision comprises of specialised procedures. For the best results, one should target the acne scar type with ideal treatments METHODS. Using one device is not optimal. As everyone has a unique pattern of acne scarring, the best solution is a tailored one.  The web reference below will take you to a resource to help you understand acne scar revision at a specialist level. I embedded all the videos in one page to help.

As an example deep ice pick scars, and narrow box car scars are best treated with TCA CROSS. Deep narrow scars respond better to this treatment than even the most expensive lasers. On the flip side, rolling, and atrophic acne scars can improve with fractional devices such as Fraxel, fractional lasers, ProFractional erbium lasers, Infiini –Intensif –Intracel radiofrequency microneedling. Atrophic scars (depressions) can be treated with either fat grafts, PRP or dermal fillers. Tethered and anchored scars are best treated with surgical techniques such as subcision. Other surgical techniques that I use include punch elevation, surgical elevation, punch excision and traditional excision for focal scars. Early and very mild acne scars respond well to eMatrix and non-energy microneedling, as well as vascular lasers. Skin colour changes such as PIH or dark marks respond best to sun protection, creams, and Q switch lasers in the nano and pico pulse durations.

The majority of patients will have a collection of different scar types, and hence a tailored treatment METHOD will be best. Careful examination, especially under angled lighting with scar mapping will give you an understanding of what are the best options for your scars. Additionally tactile examination namely touch will give me an understanding of the amount of subdermal fibrosis, as special equipment is needed for this sub-set of acne scars.  In the majority of patients its finding the correct combination that give you best results, and everyone is unique! It is never about the device, its about the specialist behind the equipment that will deliver the best outcomes. All the best, Dr Davin Lim. Acne scar dermatologist specialist. Brisbane, Australia.

Is Pico Genesis safe for black skin?

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Everything you need to know about Pico Genesis

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Is Pico Genesis safe for black skin?

Answers (3)

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Pico Genesis

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.