Can PicoWay remove all tattoo colors? Most of them, but not all to the same degree

Short answer: a multi-wavelength picosecond laser like PicoWay can break up far more ink colors than older lasers that mainly handled black and red. Green, yellow, and even blue can respond. But "can respond" is not the same as "clears completely."

How far a color fades depends on which color it is, how deep the ink sits, and whether the wavelength matches that color. Black and dark navy usually fade most predictably. Yellow and pastel shades are the hardest. White and peach ink can turn darker instead of lighter, so removal is usually not recommended for them.

That is why many people with color tattoos aim for a realistic goal: fading of about 50 to 70%, which is often barely visible to the naked eye. Below is how each color behaves, why some tattoos stall, and what to ask before you book.

Why a color tattoo can stay the same after five or six sessions

Once the weather warms up and short sleeves come out, more people come in about a color tattoo they have lived with for years, like a red rose done a decade ago. Many of them say the same thing: "I already had five or six sessions somewhere else, and the color barely changed."

The usual reason is not a lack of skill. It is a wavelength mismatch. Each ink color absorbs a different wavelength of light. Black absorbs 1064nm well. Red responds to 532nm. Green and blue barely respond to either of those.

So if a green tattoo is treated with 1064nm again and again, the skin heats up while the color stays put. More sessions with the wrong wavelength mostly add stress to the skin.

One patient in her 30s had a green leaf tattoo on her wrist for 8 years. She had seven laser sessions at another clinic, and the color was almost unchanged. Her records showed that every session used only 1064nm. Green ink responds best to 755nm alexandrite. After three sessions with a picosecond 755nm laser, about 70% of the color had faded. That is one person's result, not a promise, but it shows why matching the wavelength comes first.

How a multi-wavelength picosecond laser breaks up colored ink

Color tattoo removal uses laser energy to break colored ink particles in the dermis into smaller pieces. The body's immune cells, called macrophages, then absorb those pieces and clear them out over time.

Conventional Q-switched lasers mainly used two wavelengths, 1064nm and 532nm, and mostly handled black and red. Picosecond lasers like PicoWay use multiple wavelengths, which lets them target green, yellow, and blue ink as well.

Speed matters too. The pulse unit changed from nanoseconds (one billionth of a second) to picoseconds (one trillionth of a second), which is 1,000 times faster. A shorter pulse breaks ink more through a shock effect than through heat, so ink can be split finer while heat damage to nearby tissue is reduced.

Still, the device name does not decide the result on its own. Which wavelength is used, at what intensity, and at what interval is what makes the difference.

Tattoo colors ranked by difficulty: wavelength and typical sessions

The approach varies a lot by color. This table sums up the questions that come up most often.

These are averages, not a fixed count. Pastel shades like yellow and light green can be hard to remove fully even after more than 10 sessions. A tattoo with several colors usually needs the wavelength changed partway through, as each color responds at its own pace.

White, peach, and light brown ink can turn darker

This part is not good news, but it matters before you start. Even with a picosecond laser, white or peach tattoos can turn black instead of fading.

Lighter shades are often made with titanium oxide, and browns often contain iron oxide. When these ingredients are heated by laser energy, they can be chemically reduced and shift to a darker color. That is why a light area can look gray or black right after treatment.

Darkening is not always a sign that something went wrong, and a darkened area can sometimes absorb light better in the next session. But it is a real risk, so these colors need a test-first, cautious plan, and in some cases removal is not recommended at all.

The color change after the first session is also useful information. It shows which pigments were mixed into the ink, which helps plan the next steps.

Key takeaway
The reason a color tattoo will not fade is usually a wavelength mismatch, not a lack of skill. Each color responds to a different wavelength, so the first step is choosing settings that match your tattoo's colors.

What decides your session count and when to aim for fading

"How many sessions will it take?" is hard to answer with one number. Two tattoos of the same color can progress differently because of these factors:

• Ink color and makeup: a single black ink, or a mix that includes pastel, white, or iron oxide pigments

• Depth: ink placed shallow near the surface, or pressed deep into the dermis

• Layering: areas that were redone several times hold stacked layers of ink

• Previous treatment: ink already broken up by earlier sessions can respond faster once the wavelength matches

• Skin response: whether your skin tends to develop pigment changes after irritation

The interval between sessions matters as well. Treating too often, before the broken ink has had time to clear, weakens the effect and only adds stress to the skin.

If yellow or light green fades by about 50 to 70%, it is often barely visible to the naked eye. Many people decide that level is their goal, which can save sessions compared with chasing every last trace.

Frequently asked questions

Can PicoWay remove all tattoo colours?

It can target more colors than black-only lasers, including green, yellow, and blue, because it uses multiple wavelengths. Results still differ by color. Black fades most predictably, yellow and pastels are the hardest, and white or peach ink can turn darker, so removal is usually not recommended for those.

Why doesn't green tattoo ink fade, even after multiple laser treatments?

The wavelength was likely not a match. Green ink absorbs the 755nm alexandrite wavelength best. If only 1064nm is used, the skin may heat up while the color barely changes.

I've already had several sessions at another clinic. Will starting again still work?

Often, yes. If earlier treatments already broke the ink into smaller particles, the remaining color can fade quickly once the right wavelength is used. Some people who had 7 to 8 sessions elsewhere are satisfied after 2 or 3 more. This depends on the colors and depth involved.

How many weeks apart are sessions, and what will it cost in total?

The usual interval is 4 to 8 weeks, because macrophages need time to clear the broken ink. Cost depends on the tattoo's size, colors, and depth, so a blanket estimate is not realistic. In general, color tattoos cost more per session and take more sessions than black ones.

Is there a risk of scarring or pigment changes?

Picosecond lasers reduce heat damage, but they are not completely harmless. If the energy is set too high, scarring can still happen. People with darker skin tones or deeply placed ink can develop temporary hypopigmentation, which in most cases recovers within 3 to 6 months. Adjusting the wavelength and intensity to your skin before treatment helps lower these risks.

Wavelength matching explains why a colour is not moving; it does not tell you how long the whole piece will take. For that, Beautystone uses the Kirby–Desai assessment at consultation, looking at skin type, location, ink amount, layering, scarring and colour to discuss an expected session range. It remains an estimate and is reassessed as the colours respond, which is worth knowing before you commit to a long course.

See how we estimate sessions for colour tattoos