Microneedling or RF microneedling (Potenza): which one for what?

The two treatments share almost the same name, and that's the first source of confusion on the phone. Classic microneedling and radiofrequency microneedling, done here with the Potenza™, aren't two versions of one treatment: they're two separate treatments, with two separate pages, and they don't work at the same depth.

Here's what they have in common, what radiofrequency adds, and above all how the choice gets made — because it isn't made by reading an article, this one included.

What the two share

In both cases, fine needles pass through the surface of the skin to prompt its natural renewal. In both cases, a cream is applied before the session and the time it needs is included in the appointment, which runs about 60 minutes. In both cases, redness is possible for one to a few days, you're given care and sun-protection instructions, and a series of spaced-out sessions is usually advised for a gradual result.

In other words, the logic is the same: we work on the quality of the skin, not its volume, and we work on it over time. What changes is the depth at which that work happens.

What radiofrequency adds

Classic microneedling works at the surface: the micro-channels created by the needles prompt the skin's renewal, and texture improves gradually, session after session.

The RF version adds a second thing. The needles no longer just pass through: they deliver radiofrequency energy into the deeper layers of the skin, to stimulate collagen. The surface is passed through, not stripped — most of the work happens further down. That's why Potenza™ is used for skin quality and firmness, and not only for texture.

With RF come settings: depth and intensity are adapted to your skin and to the area being treated. A neck and a scar aren't worked the same way, and the device doesn't apply one fixed protocol.

Which one for what

Here are the two scopes as our treatment pages describe them, without stretching either:

• Classic microneedling: uneven texture, visible pores, marks left behind, dull tone. Skin quality, worked without radiofrequency.
• RF microneedling · Potenza™: the same, plus structure — enlarged pores that keep coming back, mild to moderate laxity of the jawline, neck or décolleté, scars and stretch marks.
• Potenza™ comes in three options depending on the area: neck and décolleté, face, or scars, stretch marks and laxity. Prices for both treatments are on the Prices page.
• In both cases, results are progressive, vary from person to person and are not guaranteed.

Who decides, and on what

The choice isn't made from a comparison table: it's made in front of your skin, at the consultation. For Potenza™ it isn't even a matter of preference — a prior assessment is required to confirm the treatment is suitable and safe for you, because some conditions may rule it out. If that's your case, we tell you before you pay anything.

Classic microneedling calls for the same honesty in the other direction: if your goal is better served by the RF version, we'll say so straight rather than let you pay for several sessions of a treatment working on the wrong floor. And some skin conditions mean waiting, or choosing something else — that's a conversation, not a diagnosis handed down by an article.

If you're still hesitating between the two after reading this, that's normal — and it's actually the right frame of mind to walk into a consultation with. At the clinic in Ahuntsic, we look at your skin texture and the area you're concerned about, explain what the classic version does and what RF adds, and confirm the price before we start. You leave with an answer, even if it's no. Both treatment pages detail the device, how a session runs and the aftercare instructions.