Dr. Pen Needle Depth Guide

This guide will explain everything you need to know about depths of Microneedling pens and the size of Needle Cartridges. . This guide is far from comprehensive but will give you an excellent understanding of how to think about needle cartridges, needle depths and how to proceed with them.
As different areas of the face vary in texture (for example, fattier areas such as the cheeks can handle a more robust needle depth than the delicate skin below the eyes) and thus it is important to adjust and readjust your needle depth to suit the area you are working on. *ALL NEEDLES WILL RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT COLLAGEN INDUCTION* See below for our most common Needle Cartridge sizes and their best intended uses

Cartridge Application Guide

x9 pin Cartridge

Excellent for deep and significant scars and stretch marks and some of the most effective for hair loss treatment such as balding or alopecia. Good for Acne scars, wrinkles, fine lines, melasma, rosasea, Hyperpigmentation, and excellent collagen induction. You may bleed but it is excellent for deep penetrative work and capable of generating excellent collagen induction. This is a good pin for deeper work.

Best Used for:

  • Resolve even the deepest stretch marks
  • Tighten skin
  • Tattoo removal with ease and far less painfully
  • Massively improve collagen induction
  • Stimulate new hair growth (includes alopecia)

Can also be used for:

  • Reduce large pores
  • Even Skin tone
  • Improve Melasma
  • Solve Rosasea
  • Cure fine lines and wrinkles
  • Discolouration
  • Hyperpigmentation
  • Improve hydration for natural glowing skin

 

x11 Pin Cartridges

A strong pin for deep, significant work on scars, stretch marks, severe skin marks on body and face. Great for Acne scars, wrinkles, fine lines, melasma, rosasea, discolouration, Hyperpigmentation, great hydration, reducing large pores, deal with balding tattoo removal and excellent collagen induction. 11 pins are great for deep penetrative work anywhere on your face or body. Again it will penetrate much deeper so be aware if you are just starting but best for deeper issues of the skin. This is a good pin for more serious hair loss issues.

Best Used For: 

  • Resolve even the deepest stretch marks
  • Improve hydration for natural glowing skin
  • Tattoo removal with ease and far less painfully
  • Massively improve collagen induction
  • Stimulate new hair growth (includes alopecia)

Also Used for:

  • Tighten skin
  • Cure fine lines and wrinkles
  • Discolouration
  • Hyperpigmentation
  • Reduce large pores
  • Even Skin tone
  • Improve Melasma
  • Solve Rosasea

 

x12 Pin Cartridges

Similar to the 11 pin, the 12 is an excellent choice for deep scar work, acne scars, wrinkles, fine lines, melasma, rosasea, discolouration, Hyperpigmentation, great hydration, large pores, tattoo removal and strong collagen induction. It is great for your face and body. It stimulates the scalp for greater hair growth for balding or alopecia. This is a great pin the maximize collagen induction at lower depths.

Best Used For: 

  • Resolve even the deepest stretch marks
  • Improve hydration for natural glowing skin
  • Tattoo removal with ease and far less painfully
  • Massively improve collagen induction
  • Stimulate new hair growth (includes alopecia)

Also Used for:

  • Tighten skin
  • Cure fine lines and wrinkles
  • Discolouration
  • Hyperpigmentation
  • Reduce large pores
  • Even Skin tone
  • Improve Melasma
  • Solve Rosasea

 

x42 pin Cartridge

Excellent for acne scars, wrinkles, fine lines, melasma, rosasea, discolouration, Hyperpigmentation, great hydration, large pores, tattoo removal and strong collagen induction. This is a safe cartridge gauge for anyone doing surface work that a little deeper than nano cartridges. flaky skin, dry patches, and any skin issue on the sruface that you want worked iwill be well served by the 42-pin.

Best Used for:

  • Reduce large pores
  • Even Skin tone
  • Improve Melasma
  • Solve Rosasea
  • Cure fine lines and wrinkles
  • Hyperpigmentation
  • Improve hydration for natural glowing skin

Also Used for: 

  • Resolve even the deepest stretch marks
  • Discolouration
  • Tattoo removal with ease and far less painfully
  • Massively improve collagen induction
  • Stimulate new hair growth (includes alopecia)
  •  
x16 pin Cartridge

Most popular needle as it has the best all around use. It is excellent for cosmetic grade uses on the surface of the skin and deep medical grade uses in treating stretch marks, scarring, treating wrinkles, shrinking pores, blemishes, lifting and firming and a solid choice in restoring hair loss. It is very capable of servicing all microneedling needs and highly recommended for those starting out.

Best Used for:

    • Reduce large pores
    • Even Skin tone
    • Improve Melasma
    • Solve Rosasea
    • Resolve even the deepest stretch marks
    • Tighten skin
    • Cure fine lines and wrinkles
    • Discolouration
    • Hyperpigmentation
x24 pin Cartridge

The deepest penetrating cartridge for surface skin work. Excellent for working on wrinkles, large pores, rejuvenating skin with moisturizers, lifting and firming, excellent for surface blemishes, skin pigmentation that may require less than some of the lower gauges but more significant use than some of the higher ones below.

Best Used For: 

  • Reduce large pores
  • Even Skin tone
  • Improve Melasma
  • Solve Rosasea
  • Cure fine lines and wrinkles
  • Hyperpigmentation
  • Improve hydration for natural glowing skin

Also Used for:

 
  • Resolve even the deepest stretch marks
  • Discolouration
  • Tattoo removal with ease and far less painfully
  • Massively improve collagen induction
  • Stimulate new hair growth (includes alopecia)
 
x36 pin Cartridge

Our most popular cartridge for surface skin blemishes, this is the all around best cartridge for discolouration, large pores, dry skin, flakiness, improves hydration at the skin, hyperpigmentation (melsama), light acne marks, fine lines and wrinkles. It can also be used to some effectiveness deeper into the scar tissue and stretch marks. Recommended to start a series of treatment with a lower gauge and as it improves switch to the 36 pin.

Best Used For: 

  • Reduce large pores
  • Even Skin tone
  • Improve Melasma
  • Solve Rosasea
  • Cure fine lines and wrinkles
  • Hyperpigmentation
  • Improve hydration for natural glowing skin

Also Used for:

  • Resolve even the deepest stretch marks
  • Discolouration
  • Tattoo removal with ease and far less painfully
  • Massively improve collagen induction
  • Stimulate new hair growth (includes alopecia)
     
xNano pin Cartridge

The Nano Cartridge is great for regular use. This basically touches the top layer of your skin, allowing your products to penetrate more fully and helping get rid of old skin cells that build up causing your skin to look dull. A Nano cartridge has a max depth setting of .25mm and most commonly used cartridges for weekly. This cartridge is great to improve the quality of the surface of your skin to give it a dewry, moisturized, shining look that radiates. Use it for surface skin work under 0.5mm once a week with ease and comfort and see immediate glowing benefits.

Best Used for:

  • Improve hydration for natural glowing skin
  • Reduce large pores
  • Even Skin tone
  • Improve Melasma
  • Solve Rosasea
  • Hyperpigmentation
  • Discolouration

Best Used for:

  • Cure fine lines and wrinkles
  • Resolve even the deepest stretch marks
  • Tattoo removal with ease and far less painfully
  • Massively improve collagen induction
  • Stimulate new hair growth (includes alopecia)

 

Microneedling Pen Depth

Here are our recommended depths for our microneedling pens. Choose the appropriate needle depth on your face dependent on your skin type. All measurements are in millimeters (mm)

Consider your Skin Type

It’s also important to consider the type of skin that you’re treating, as thicker skin (such as mature skin or skin with stretch marks and scar tissue) will require a slightly deeper treatment to get the optimum results.

  • Scarring = 1.0mm – 1.5mm

  • Loose skin and sun damage = 0.5mm to 1.5mm

  • Stretch marks = 1.5mm to 2.5mm 
  • Fine and deep lines = 0.5 to 1.5 mm
  • Hair Loss= DEPENDs on degree of hair loss and use of treatments.
  • If you are using other treatments do not microneedle too deeply as it may interfere

If you are working on deeper more robust skin issues like wrinkles, dry scalp, hair regrowth, acne scars and deep stretch marks it would be most appropriate to use Medical Grade depths above 0.5mm, closer to 1.00mm. (see above) This means you should only be microneedling once every 2-6 weeks at medical grade depths and applying your solutions very carefully. See below for a guide on depths

  • 0.25 mm = once a week

  • 0.5 mm = every 2 weeks

  • 1.0 mm = once every 21-28 days (3-4 weeks)
  • 1.5 mm = once every 3 to 5 weeks
  • 2.0 – 2.5mm = every 4-6 weeks.

If you are working on more cosmetic surface issues like dry skin, light and fine lines, wrinkles, discolouration or anything on the surface of your skin you should use around 0.5mm or less. Some areas like below and around the eyes should be stay around 0.5mm at all times.