Fotona PQX (StarWalker)

StarWalker® PQX is a picosecond laser platform built by Fotona (Slovenia) and used at Kaiteki as one of the devices within our Pico laser treatment. Fotona describes it as an ultra-performance pico laser: the system generates Q-switched Nd:YAG energy at 1064nm and, via a KTP crystal, at 532nm, and delivers it in pulses short enough that pigment is broken up photoacoustically rather than by sustained heating. The manufacturer describes this as a non-thermal mechanism, which is one reason picosecond platforms are used across a wide range of skin types.

Its buyer-relevant distinction is breadth of pulse control and delivery options rather than a single headline wavelength. Fotona highlights the platform's high pulse energy and peak power together with its ASP (Adaptive Structured Pulse) technology, plus a range of both full-beam and fractional handpieces on an OPTOflex® articulated arm. Whether a picosecond laser is right for your concern, and which device and settings within it, is decided by a doctor after examining your skin at consultation.

Both wavelengths are delivered as very short pulses, and Fotona's ASP technology governs the structure of each pulse so the doctor can vary how the energy is packaged for the target. Fotona also builds in EFC (Energy Feedback Control), which monitors the energy of each individual pulse against the setting the practitioner selected.

Delivery matters as much as the source. Alongside conventional full-beam handpieces, Fotona offers fractional handpieces for its patented FracTAT® method, in which micro-holes are first created with a fractional handpiece before a full-beam pass; Fotona explains that these micro-holes reduce frosting and act as pressure-relief ducts so gases formed during tattoo clearance can escape. A related two-step protocol, FracRevive®, combines full-spot brushing with fractional stamping for photorejuvenation. Wavelength, handpiece, spot size and energy are all selected by the treating doctor, and changes develop gradually across a course and vary between individuals.

The 1064nm Nd:YAG wavelength penetrates more deeply and is absorbed relatively little by melanin in the epidermis, which is why it is the wavelength usually chosen for deeper pigment and for darker skin types. The frequency-doubled 532nm output is more strongly absorbed by superficial pigment and by red-family tattoo inks.

Within Kaiteki's Pico laser treatment, StarWalker PQX is commonly considered for the concerns listed below. It is not suitable for everyone, and a consultation establishes whether it is appropriate for you and which wavelength is the sensible starting point.

The 1064nm wavelength's low melanin absorption is the practical reason a doctor may prefer this platform for deeper Fitzpatrick skin types or for pigment that sits deeper in the skin. That does not make it universally safe: settings still have to be matched to your skin, and a test patch is often used first for dermal pigment, melasma or a tattoo whose ink composition is unknown.

A picosecond laser may not be suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, on recently tanned or sunburnt skin, over active infection, eczema or open wounds in the area, where you have a history of keloid scarring, or while you are taking photosensitising medication including oral isotretinoin. Please share your full medical, medication and treatment history at consultation, including previous lasers, peels or injectables in the area, so the doctor can advise safely.

Every plan starts with a doctor consultation and skin assessment, not a treatment. If StarWalker PQX is appropriate, the doctor decides which wavelength and handpiece to use and may treat a small test area before committing to a full session. On the day, the skin is cleansed, eye protection is fitted, and topical numbing may be used where the doctor considers it appropriate, more often for tattoo work than for a light toning pass.

During the pass you will hear rapid clicking and feel brief snapping or hot-pinprick sensations. Superficial pigment may whiten or grey momentarily, and treated tattoo areas commonly frost. A facial session is usually a short appointment, often in the region of 20 to 40 minutes including preparation, while tattoo sessions scale with size and the number of steps in a FracTAT® protocol. Courses are typically several sessions a few weeks apart so the skin can clear treated pigment in between; tattoo courses are usually spaced further apart. Your doctor sets the interval.

Downtime is generally short but varies with the intensity used and between individuals. Expect the possibility of redness, warmth and mild swelling for a few hours to a couple of days. Where pigment or ink was targeted directly, pinpoint darkening, fine crusting or small scabs can appear and then flake off over roughly one to two weeks; fractional passes may leave a sandpaper-like texture briefly. Let all of it shed naturally.

Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen and genuine sun avoidance between sessions are essential, and gentle cleansing with actives paused until your doctor clears you. Tattoo areas may need a dressing and specific wound-care instructions. Your doctor will give aftercare guidance matched to the area and the protocol used.

As with any medical laser, StarWalker PQX carries risks, which are explained at consultation before treatment is arranged. Temporary effects can include redness, swelling, pinpoint bleeding or bruising, crusting, and either darkening or lightening of the treated skin; melasma in particular can behave unpredictably and is approached cautiously. Blistering, infection of a crusted area and scarring are uncommon. Risk is reduced, but never eliminated, when the wavelength and settings are appropriately selected and the treatment is performed by a trained doctor.