Skip to content
Medi-Invest

Technology · Target: a chromophore

How does the Nd:YAG laser work in the skin?

The Nd:YAG laser has a wavelength of 1064 nm, in the near-infrared spectrum. What it does in the skin depends on the pulse duration: with millisecond pulses it heats hair follicles and blood vessels, with nanosecond or picosecond pulses it breaks up pigment and tattoo ink. Our devices include Clarity II and Elite iQ with millisecond pulses, Hollywood Spectra with nanosecond pulses and PicoPlus with picosecond pulses. Alongside these Nd:YAG systems, we also offer a picosecond alexandrite device that works at 1064 nm with an optional handpiece: the PicoSure Pro.

Clinically reviewed by Marit van Boldrik, Business & Clinicallast checked 19 October 2026

Translated from Dutch with the help of AI tools; the clinical review was carried out on the Dutch text.

What Nd:YAG means

Nd:YAG is a crystal of yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) in which neodymium (Nd) generates the laser light. That light has a wavelength of 1064 nm. A second crystal in the beam can double the frequency, which halves the wavelength to 532 nm. Because that crystal is often KTP, such a laser is also called a KTP laser.

The same crystal is found in devices for very different treatments. What sets them apart is mainly the pulse duration. Clarity II and Elite iQ combine an alexandrite laser with a long-pulse Nd:YAG laser. Vydence's LongPulse handpiece (for the Etherea MX and the ZYE platforms) and the ZYE YAG work with millisecond pulses. DermaV is a vascular laser with millisecond pulses at 1064 and 532 nm.

For pigment and ink, Hollywood Spectra operates in Q-switched mode, with nanosecond pulses; it also has a 0.3-millisecond mode. PicoPlus and the handPICO handpiece work with picosecond pulses and also have a nanosecond mode.

Melanin absorbs 1064 nm weakly

Melanin absorbs 1064 nm much more weakly than shorter wavelengths: about three times less than 755 nm (alexandrite) and about eleven times less than 532 nm [1]. Blood also absorbs little in the near infrared. Around 1000 nm, oxygenated blood absorbs over forty times less than at 532 nm, and deoxygenated blood much less still [2].

As a result, the epidermis, which contains melanin, takes up less of the light. That is why 1064 nm is considered the safer choice for dark skin, especially in hair removal [3][4]. Because little is absorbed along the way, the light also reaches deeper into the dermis than shorter wavelengths [4]. But the target itself also absorbs 1064 nm less: to heat a hair shaft or blood vessel to the same degree, you need more energy per pulse than at a shorter wavelength.

Absorption of melanin, oxygenated and deoxygenated haemoglobin from 500 to 1100 nm on a logarithmic scale. Melanin absorbs about eleven times more strongly at 532 nm than at 1064 nm. Oxygenated blood absorbs over forty times more weakly around 1000 nm than at 532 nm, deoxygenated blood much more weakly still. Lines mark 532 nm (frequency-doubled Nd:YAG), 755 nm (alexandrite, for comparison) and 1064 nm (Nd:YAG).
The higher the line, the more strongly the substance absorbs that wavelength; the vertical axis is logarithmic. Melanin: S. Jacques, Oregon Medical Laser Center (1998). Haemoglobin: S. Prahl, Oregon Medical Laser Center (1998), converted to blood; these data run up to 1000 nm. Alexandrite is shown for comparison.

One crystal, three pulse regimes

The wavelength determines which structure absorbs the energy. What then happens to that structure depends on pulse duration and energy. According to the principle of selective photothermolysis, the heat stays in the target if the pulse is shorter than or equal to the thermal relaxation time: the time the target needs to cool down [5]. The larger the structure, the longer that time. A hair follicle or blood vessel cools in milliseconds or longer; pigment granules and ink particles lose their heat within nanoseconds to a microsecond [5][6].

This makes three different treatments possible with Nd:YAG, each with its own type of device:

  • A long pulse, in milliseconds, heats an entire structure, such as a hair follicle or a blood vessel.
  • Q-switched pulses of a few nanoseconds heat pigment and ink particles so quickly that they break apart (a mechanical, acoustic effect).
  • Picosecond pulses break them into dust-like particles, with even less heat.

That is why a long pulse at 1064 nm achieves little on pigment. During a millisecond pulse, the heat is already leaking out of the pigment granule, and melanin also absorbs this wavelength weakly [1][5]. Pigment and tattoo ink are what Q-switched and picosecond lasers are designed for.

Timeline on a logarithmic scale from 100 picoseconds to 1 second. At the top, the cooling time of targets in the skin: ink particles under 10 nanoseconds, melanosomes around 100 to 250 nanoseconds, fine vessels and hair follicles in milliseconds, leg veins of 0.3 to 3 mm from tens of milliseconds to a few seconds. At the bottom, the pulse durations of our Nd:YAG devices: picosecond (450–530 ps, PicoPlus and handPICO), nanosecond (2–10 ns, Hollywood Spectra and the nanosecond mode of PicoPlus and handPICO) and long pulse (0.1–300 ms, Clarity II, Elite iQ, LongPulse, ZYE YAG and DermaV).
The smaller the target, the faster it cools and the shorter the pulse needs to be. Pulse durations as specified by the manufacturers of our devices; thermal relaxation times approximate, after Anderson & Parrish (1983) and Reiter et al. (2016).

Long pulse: hair removal

With millisecond pulses, Nd:YAG can be used for hair removal. The melanin in the hair shaft and bulb absorbs the light and converts it into heat. The actual target lies beside and below it: the stem cells in the follicle wall, which themselves contain little pigment, and the capillaries that supply the follicle. According to the extended theory of selective photothermolysis, the pulse may therefore last longer than the cooling time of the hair shaft, so that the heat can spread to those cells [7].

Because the epidermis absorbs little 1064 nm light, long-pulse Nd:YAG is the usual hair removal laser for dark skin [4][8]. In a study of twenty women with skin types IV to VI, hair was reduced by 70 to 90% twelve months after three treatments. Side effects were mainly discomfort during treatment, and rarely small blisters or a temporary change in pigment [9].

Fine, thin hair contains little melanin and heats up less at 1064 nm than at 755 nm [1]. For light to medium skin, alexandrite is therefore the more obvious choice; skin type IV is a borderline area where both wavelengths are used. Grey, white and very light hair contains so little melanin that neither works well on it. Diode lasers, at around 800–810 nm, between alexandrite and Nd:YAG, are also widely used for hair removal; we do not sell them.

For the devices we offer for hair removal, see hair removal.

Long pulse: vessels

Haemoglobin absorbs near-infrared light weakly, much more weakly than green or yellow light [2]. Even so, long-pulse Nd:YAG has an established place in vascular treatment. The light reaches deep enough for larger, deeper and bluer vessels, such as leg veins and reticular veins [11]. And the blood changes during the pulse: heating produces methaemoglobin, which absorbs 1064 nm more strongly than haemoglobin. Absorption therefore increases over the course of the pulse [12].

In a comparative study of leg veins of 0.3 to 3 mm, 88% of the sites improved by more than 75% after Nd:YAG, compared with 33% after alexandrite and 29% after a diode laser [13].

For fine vessels and facial redness, wavelengths that haemoglobin absorbs more strongly are more commonly used, such as long-pulse 532 nm, the pulsed dye laser or IPL [3]. You can read more about treating vessels under vascular lesions.

Q-switched and picosecond: pigment and ink

For pigment and tattoo ink, the pulse must be shorter than the cooling time of the particle. A Q-switched laser first keeps the resonator closed, so that the crystal builds up energy, and then releases it in a single giant pulse of a few nanoseconds [14]. The particle heats so quickly that it breaks apart. Besides the heat, a mechanical effect also plays a part [14][15].

A picosecond pulse is shorter still: shorter than the time a pressure wave needs to cross the particle. The pressure then cannot escape and breaks the particle apart, with less heat reaching the surrounding tissue [15]. Whether that also gives better clinical results varies by indication.

After treatment, macrophages take up the ink fragments and carry them away [14]. At 1064 nm, Q-switched and picosecond lasers target black and dark blue ink [16] and dermal pigment, as in naevus of Ota. The light reaches into the deeper dermis, and because the epidermis absorbs little, this wavelength is also used in dark skin [3].

Two cross-sections of the skin. Left, long pulse at 1064 nm: a hair follicle whose shaft and bulb heat up, with a heat zone around the lower part of the follicle, and a larger, deeper blood vessel with a coagulated wall. Right, Q-switched and picosecond: green 532 nm light on pigment in the epidermis, and 1064 nm reaching deeper to tattoo ink in the dermis, which breaks apart into fragments.
Left, the long pulse, which heats an entire structure; right, Q-switched and picosecond, which break up particles. Schematic, not to scale.

532 nm: the doubled frequency

Red, orange and yellow ink barely absorb 1064 nm. They need 532 nm [3]. Because melanin strongly absorbs green light, 532 nm is also a wavelength for epidermal pigment, such as solar lentigines and freckles [1][17]. For the same reason, the epidermis of dark skin takes up more of it, with a greater risk of epidermal damage and pigmentary changes [4].

PicoPlus, handPICO and Hollywood Spectra all work at 1064 and 532 nm. PicoPlus and Hollywood Spectra also have optional dye handpieces that deliver light at other wavelengths: 595 and 660 nm for PicoPlus, 585 and 650 nm for Hollywood Spectra. Blue and green ink absorb between 600 and 800 nm [3], the range that also covers the 650 and 660 nm handpieces and alexandrite.

What it is used for

  • Hair removal

    With long pulses, in milliseconds, Nd:YAG is the usual hair removal laser for dark skin (Fitzpatrick IV to VI), because the epidermis absorbs little 1064 nm light [4][8]. Skin type IV is a borderline area where alexandrite (755 nm) is also used. In fine, thin hair, 1064 nm generates less heat than 755 nm [1].

  • Vascular lesions

    With long pulses for larger, deeper and bluer vessels, such as leg veins and reticular veins up to about 3 mm [11]. During the pulse, methaemoglobin forms, which absorbs 1064 nm more strongly than haemoglobin [12]. For fine vessels and facial redness, wavelengths with greater haemoglobin absorption are more commonly used [3].

  • Pigmentation

    With Q-switched or picosecond pulses; a long pulse at 1064 nm has little effect on pigment. At 1064 nm for dermal pigment, such as naevus of Ota, because the light reaches deep and the epidermis absorbs little [3]. At 532 nm for epidermal pigment, such as solar lentigines. For lentigines, picosecond gave a comparable or slightly better result than Q-switched in two randomised studies [17][19]. In a Korean series, one in five patients developed post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) after Q-switched 532 nm [20].

  • Melasma

    Low-energy Q-switched Nd:YAG at 1064 nm, also known as laser toning, is the best-studied laser treatment for melasma [21][22]. In two randomised split-face studies, picosecond 1064 nm gave a comparable result, in one of them with less pain after the first treatment [23][24]. Mottled hypopigmentation has been reported after repeated treatments, and melasma can recur; lasers are often combined with topical treatment [21].

  • Tattoo removal

    With Q-switched or picosecond pulses: 1064 nm for black and dark blue ink, including in dark skin, and 532 nm for red, orange and yellow ink [3][16]. According to a systematic review, black and blue ink usually need four to eight sessions for 75% clearance, and professional tattoos and coloured ink respond less well. Picosecond sometimes reached a comparable result in fewer sessions, but was not consistently better [16].

  • Permanent makeup removal

    Skin-coloured, white and rust-coloured permanent makeup ink often contains iron oxide or titanium dioxide, which can turn black under a Q-switched or picosecond laser [3]. A test spot beforehand is therefore common practice. Dark pigment responds to 1064 nm, red and orange to 532 nm [3].

  • (Acne) scars

    A fractional handpiece with microlenses concentrates 1064 nm picosecond pulses into a grid of small points in the skin. In a randomised split-face study, acne scars improved as much with it as with a 1550 nm non-ablative fractional laser, with more pinpoint bleeding and less pain [25]. In another split-face study, the scar score did not differ significantly from fractional CO₂, but physicians rated the CO₂ side as more improved; there were fewer side effects on the picosecond side [26].

  • Skin rejuvenation

    Nd:YAG is used for skin rejuvenation in two ways. Picosecond pulses at 1064 nm, often through a fractional handpiece, concentrate the energy into a grid of small points in the skin. A systematic review describes fractional picosecond Nd:YAG as a well-supported application for skin rejuvenation [27]. In addition, long pulses at 1064 nm heat the dermis non-ablatively.

What the research says

Hair removal

An evidence-based review from 2006 found fewer controlled studies with Nd:YAG than with alexandrite and diode lasers. Repeated Nd:YAG treatments probably also achieved partial long-term hair reduction. Complete and permanent hair removal had not been shown for any laser; the authors recommend informing patients of this beforehand [28].

A randomised study in skin types III and IV found no significant difference in hair reduction on the legs between Nd:YAG and alexandrite after 18 months; fifteen participants completed the study. Combining the two worked no better, but did cause more hyperpigmentation and pain [29]. In a retrospective comparison, alexandrite gave more hair reduction than Nd:YAG [30]. In skin types IV to VI, Nd:YAG gave more hair reduction in the armpit than IPL, with more pain [31].

Vessels

A systematic review of 26 studies with almost 2000 patients in total calls long-pulse Nd:YAG a safe and good option for leg veins up to 3 mm. Compared with sclerotherapy, clearance was the same, but sclerotherapy was less painful and worked faster. In three studies, polidocanol microfoam followed by Nd:YAG gave better clearance than Nd:YAG alone. Serious side effects were rare; moderate pain was almost universal [11].

Picosecond or Q-switched

A systematic review of 46 studies on Nd:YAG for tattoo removal found that picosecond lasers sometimes reached comparable clearance with fewer sessions or less energy [16].

For solar lentigines, picosecond 532 nm gave more clearance and less PIH (5% versus 30%) after a single treatment, in a randomised split-face study of twenty patients [17]. Another randomised study found no difference in clearance [19]. For melasma, two split-face studies at 1064 nm found no difference in effect; in the more recent one, picosecond was less painful after the first treatment [23][24]. These randomised comparisons are small and were carried out in Asian patients.

For Hori naevus (ABNOM), a form of dermal pigmentation, picosecond and Q-switched lasers gave comparable results in a meta-analysis [32].

Melasma

A systematic review of 42 studies describes low-energy Q-switched Nd:YAG as effective and safe for melasma, although melasma can recur [21]. A meta-analysis of sixteen randomised studies found that laser treatment reduced the severity of melasma; Q-switched Nd:YAG was the most frequently studied laser in that analysis [22]. In a series with Hollywood Spectra in 44 patients in Colombia, with skin types II to V, the severity score decreased [33].

Skin type and risks

For dark skin, a review article advises against high energy, short wavelengths, multiple pulses in quick succession on the same spot and short intervals between sessions [4]. How this plays out for each regime:

  • Long pulse. Pain is the most frequently reported side effect, in both hair removal and vascular treatment [9][11]. Because 1064 nm reaches deep and needs more energy per pulse, excessive energy or stacked pulses on the same spot can cause blistering and changes in pigment or texture [4][9]; cooling the skin surface is part of the treatment.
  • 532 nm. The epidermis strongly absorbs green light. In a Korean multicentre series, 20% of patients developed PIH after Q-switched 532 nm for solar lentigines. Skin type made little difference, but the range of skin types in these Korean patients was also narrow; red lentigines and a diffusely uneven skin tone were, however, associated with a higher risk [20].
  • Laser toning for melasma. After repeated low-energy sessions, mottled hypopigmentation can develop, possibly due to the cumulative energy. Used too aggressively, this treatment can also cause hyperpigmentation, especially in dark skin [21].
  • Tattoos and permanent makeup. Permanent depigmentation has been reported after many sessions with Q-switched lasers [4]. Permanent makeup ink containing iron oxide or titanium dioxide can turn black [3].

Light at 1064 nm is invisible and can damage the retina. Everyone in the room therefore wears safety goggles rated for this wavelength. Have any pigmented lesion of uncertain nature assessed before you treat it with a laser. Which settings suit which skin and indication depends on the device and the patient; that is set out in the protocols and covered in training.

Nd:YAG alongside other technologies

Alexandrite, long pulse (755 nm)

Melanin absorbs 755 nm about three times more strongly than 1064 nm [1]. That means a stronger effect in fine, thin hair, and a greater risk in dark skin. Clarity II and Elite iQ have both wavelengths in one device. See alexandrite.

Vascular lasers and IPL

For fine vessels and diffuse facial redness: long-pulse 532 nm, 577 nm, the pulsed dye laser or IPL. Haemoglobin absorbs these wavelengths much more strongly than 1064 nm [2][3].

Alexandrite, picosecond

For blue and green ink. These absorb between 600 and 800 nm and therefore respond well to 755 nm [3]. The optional 650 and 660 nm dye handpieces for PicoPlus and Hollywood Spectra also fall within that range.

Our devices using this technology

Clarity II laser hair removal device with Alexandrite and Nd:YAG laser technology for hair removal, skin quality improvement and vascular treatments, with touchscreen and medical treatment arm on a mobile unit.
Cynosure Lutronic

Clarity II

Hair removalVascular lesionsPigmentation+2
Microfractional picosecond laser for skin rejuvenation, pigment treatments and tattoo removal, with medical treatment arm on a mobile unit.
Vydence Medical

handPICO

Tattoo removalPigmentation(Acne) scars+2
LongPulse laser handpiece with Nd:YAG technology for vascular treatments, pigmentation treatment and skin quality improvement.
Vydence Medical

LongPulse

Hair removalVascular lesionsSkin rejuvenation
Hollywood Spectra Q-switched Nd:YAG laser system for pigmentation treatments, skin rejuvenation and tattoo removal, with medical treatment handpieces on a mobile unit.
Cynosure Lutronic

Hollywood Spectra

Tattoo removalPermanent makeup removalPigmentation+3
ZYE Nd:YAG 1064 nm laser platform for vascular treatments, skin quality improvement and medical aesthetic applications, with advanced laser technology on a mobile trolley unit.
Vydence Medical

ZYE – 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser platform

Vascular lesionsHair removalSkin tightening+6
DermaV laser platform with dual wavelengths for hair removal, vascular treatments and skin quality improvement, with medical treatment handpieces on a mobile unit.
Cynosure Lutronic

DermaV

Vascular lesionsPigmentationSkin rejuvenation
Cynosure Lutronic Elite iQ laser platform
Cynosure Lutronic

Elite iQ

Hair removalPigmentationVascular lesions+2
PicoPlus picosecond laser device for skin quality improvement, pigment treatments and tattoo removal, with touchscreen and medical treatment arm on a mobile unit.
Cynosure Lutronic

PicoPlus

Tattoo removalPermanent makeup removalPigmentation+4

Academy

Academy events with these devices

Upcoming events featuring these devices.

27OCT
user-meeting

PicoPlus User Meeting Hands-on (BE)

Medi-Invest hoofdkantoor — Bisschopslaan 14-16, 2340 Beerse · 10:00

Register →
5NOV
advanced-training

Vydence Advanced Clinical Training

Care Huid- en Oedeemtherapie - Woerden · 15:30

Signups closedJoin the waiting list →
28NOV
user-meeting

Clarity II User Meeting NL

Huid & Laser Utrecht · 09:30

Signups closedJoin the waiting list →
View all events →

Advice

Is this technology right for your practice?

A single page cannot fully cover the choice between technologies. It depends on your patients and their skin types, the indications you want to treat, the recovery time your patients will accept and the equipment you already have. Our clinical and sales specialists have years of experience with that choice and are glad to help you make it.

Already working with one of our devices? You will find the treatment protocols and guidelines on the customer portal, and we go deeper into technique in the training after delivery and at our Academy events.

Schedule a conversationGo to the customer portal

This is an indicative overview to explain how technologies differ. Actual settings are governed by the treatment protocols and guidelines.

References

  1. Jacques SL. Melanosome absorption coefficient. Oregon Medical Laser Center. https://omlc.org/spectra/melanin/mua.htmlSource of the melanin curve in the absorption chart.
  2. Prahl S. Tabulated molar extinction coefficient for hemoglobin in water. Oregon Medical Laser Center. https://omlc.org/spectra/hemoglobin/summary.htmlSource of the haemoglobin curves in the absorption chart; data up to 1000 nm.
  3. Husain Z, Alster TS. The role of lasers and intense pulsed light technology in dermatology. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2016;9:29–40. doi:10.2147/CCID.S69106
  4. Harnchoowong S, Vachiramon V, Jurairattanaporn N. Cosmetic considerations in dark-skinned patients. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2024;17:259–277. doi:10.2147/CCID.S450081
  5. Anderson RR, Parrish JA. Selective photothermolysis: precise microsurgery by selective absorption of pulsed radiation. Science. 1983;220(4596):524–527. doi:10.1126/science.6836297
  6. Reiter O, Atzmony L, Akerman L, Levi A, Kershenovich R, Lapidoth M, Mimouni D. Picosecond lasers for tattoo removal: a systematic review. Lasers Med Sci. 2016;31(7):1397–1405. doi:10.1007/s10103-016-2001-0
  7. Altshuler GB, Anderson RR, Manstein D, Zenzie HH, Smirnov MZ. Extended theory of selective photothermolysis. Lasers Surg Med. 2001;29(5):416–432. doi:10.1002/lsm.1136
  8. Gan SD, Graber EM. Laser hair removal: a review. Dermatol Surg. 2013;39(6):823–838. doi:10.1111/dsu.12116
  9. Alster TS, Bryan H, Williams CM. Long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser-assisted hair removal in pigmented skin: a clinical and histological evaluation. Arch Dermatol. 2001;137(7):885–889. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11453807/
  10. Snast I, Kaftory R, Lapidoth M, Levi A. Paradoxical hypertrichosis associated with laser and light therapy for hair removal: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2021;22(5):615–624. doi:10.1007/s40257-021-00611-w
  11. Baldaia L, Dias-Neto M, Almeida Pinto J. Long-pulsed 1064nm Nd:YAG laser in the treatment of leg veins: systematic review. Vascular. 2025;33(1):151–166. doi:10.1177/17085381241236587
  12. Mordon S, Brisot D, Fournier N. Using a "non uniform pulse sequence" can improve selective coagulation with a Nd:YAG laser (1.06 µm) thanks to met-hemoglobin absorption: a clinical study on blue leg veins. Lasers Surg Med. 2003;32(2):160–170. doi:10.1002/lsm.10135Small clinical study of 11 patients.
  13. Eremia S, Li C, Umar SH. A side-by-side comparative study of 1064 nm Nd:YAG, 810 nm diode and 755 nm alexandrite lasers for treatment of 0.3–3 mm leg veins. Dermatol Surg. 2002;28(3):224–230. doi:10.1046/j.1524-4725.2002.01162.x
  14. Barua S. Laser-tissue interaction in tattoo removal by Q-switched lasers. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2015;8(1):5–8. doi:10.4103/0974-2077.155063
  15. Kasai K. Picosecond laser treatment for tattoos and benign cutaneous pigmented lesions (secondary publication). Laser Ther. 2017;26(4):274–281. doi:10.5978/islsm.17-RE-02
  16. Wong JJE, Khan S, Tandel M, Dajani Z, Seth I. Efficacy of Nd:YAG lasers for tattoo removal: systematic review of clinical outcomes, clearance rates, and treatment parameters. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2026;25(6):e70914. doi:10.1111/jocd.70914
  17. Kim JY, Yang J, Huh G, Choi YJ, Kim WS. A split-face, single-blinded, randomized controlled comparison of 532 nm picosecond neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser versus 532 nm Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser in the treatment of solar lentigines. Ann Dermatol. 2020;32(1):8–13. doi:10.5021/ad.2020.32.1.8
  18. Wang JV, Bajaj S, Murgia R, Wu SZ, Weiss R, Geronemus RG, Ibrahimi OA, Kilmer S. Safety and efficacy of a novel, variable-sequenced, long-pulsed, 532-nm and 1,064-nm laser with cryogen spray cooling for pigmented and vascular lesions. Dermatol Surg. 2023;49(7):689–692. doi:10.1097/DSS.0000000000003831Carried out with DermaV; 23 participants, no control group. This study also appears on the DermaV page.
  19. Vachiramon V, Iamsumang W, Triyangkulsri K. Q-switched double frequency Nd:YAG 532-nm nanosecond laser vs. double frequency Nd:YAG 532-nm picosecond laser for the treatment of solar lentigines in Asians. Lasers Med Sci. 2018;33(9):1941–1947. doi:10.1007/s10103-018-2560-3
  20. Kang HJ, Na JI, Lee JH, Roh MR, Ko JY, Chang SE. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation associated with treatment of solar lentigines using a Q-switched 532-nm Nd:YAG laser: a multicenter survey. J Dermatolog Treat. 2017;28(5):447–451. doi:10.1080/09546634.2016.1254330
  21. Lee YS, Lee YJ, Lee JM, Han TY, Lee JH, Choi JE. The low-fluence Q-switched Nd:YAG laser treatment for melasma: a systematic review. Medicina (Kaunas). 2022;58(7):936. doi:10.3390/medicina58070936
  22. Chehrara M, Tabavar A, Roohaninasab M, Jafary P, Mohammad AP, Mozafarpoor S, Alavi Rad E, Goodarzi A. The efficacy of laser therapy in melasma treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2025;24(12):e70602. doi:10.1111/jocd.70602
  23. Hong JK, Shin SH, Park SJ, Seo SJ, Park KY. A prospective, split-face study comparing 1,064-nm picosecond Nd:YAG laser toning with 1,064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser toning in the treatment of melasma. J Dermatolog Treat. 2022;33(5):2547–2553. doi:10.1080/09546634.2022.2033674
  24. Wu Y, Wang Q, Feng J, Chen Z, Huang L, Feng Y, Li X. Comparison of 1064-nm picosecond and Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet lasers for melasma in Asian women: a randomized double-blind split-face trial. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2026;25(7):e71008. doi:10.1111/jocd.71008
  25. Chayavichitsilp P, Limtong P, Triyangkulsri K, Pratumchart N. Comparison of fractional neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) 1064-nm picosecond laser and fractional 1550-nm erbium fiber laser in facial acne scar treatment. Lasers Med Sci. 2020;35(3):695–700. doi:10.1007/s10103-019-02891-5
  26. Yuan Y, He Y, Fang J, Zhang M, Wu Q. Comparison of the fractionated Nd:YAG 1064-nm picosecond laser with holographic optics and the fractional CO₂ laser in atrophic acne scar treatment: a prospective, randomized, split-face study. Int J Dermatol. 2025;64(1):85–91. doi:10.1111/ijd.17296
  27. Wu DC, Goldman MP, Wat H, Chan HHL. A systematic review of picosecond laser in dermatology: evidence and recommendations. Lasers Surg Med. 2021;53(1):9–49. doi:10.1002/lsm.23244
  28. Haedersdal M, Wulf HC. Evidence-based review of hair removal using lasers and light sources. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2006;20(1):9–20. doi:10.1111/j.1468-3083.2005.01327.x
  29. Davoudi SM, Behnia F, Gorouhi F, Keshavarz S, Nassiri Kashani M, Rashighi Firoozabadi M, Firooz A. Comparison of long-pulsed alexandrite and Nd:YAG lasers, individually and in combination, for leg hair reduction: an assessor-blinded, randomized trial with 18 months of follow-up. Arch Dermatol. 2008;144(10):1323–1327. doi:10.1001/archderm.144.10.1323
  30. Bouzari N, Tabatabai H, Abbasi Z, Firooz A, Dowlati Y. Laser hair removal: comparison of long-pulsed Nd:YAG, long-pulsed alexandrite, and long-pulsed diode lasers. Dermatol Surg. 2004;30(4 Pt 1):498–502. doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.2004.30163.x
  31. Ismail SA. Long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser vs. intense pulsed light for hair removal in dark skin: a randomized controlled trial. Br J Dermatol. 2012;166(2):317–321. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2011.10695.x
  32. Li F, Wang Y, Shen Z. Efficacy of Q-switched and picosecond lasers for acquired bilateral nevus of Ota-like macules: a systematic review and exploratory dose-response meta-analysis. Lasers Med Sci. 2026;41(1):180. doi:10.1007/s10103-026-04982-6
  33. Pérez Haded I, Sabbagh D. Melasma treatment with the Q-switched 1,064 nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser using a novel low-fluence large spot size approach in Colombia: retrospective study. Med Lasers. 2025;14(1):9–15. doi:10.25289/ML.25.002Retrospective, no control group; three quarters of the patients were receiving medication at the same time. Carried out with Hollywood Spectra.
Schedule a conversation