The Potenza treatment process: how does it work, from principles to anesthesia and recovery?
Potenza proceeds in the order of personalized consultation, numbing cream, treatment, and finishing care. For 3–7 days after treatment, recovery involves avoiding activities that raise body heat.
Potenza is a microneedle radiofrequency device that inserts fine needles to the desired depth within the skin and emits radiofrequency energy from their tips. Because it delivers thermal stimulation to the dermis while minimizing damage to the epidermis, post-treatment care focuses on avoiding irritation to the skin while redness and warmth subside.
How Potenza works in 3 steps
- Needle insertion: When the tip is placed on the skin, fine needles penetrate to a set depth. Even within the same face, the depth is adjusted differently for areas with thin skin and areas with deep scars.
- Radiofrequency delivery: As radiofrequency energy flows through the needles, heat is generated in the surrounding tissue.
- Coagulation and recovery: Small coagulation zones form where the heat was applied, and collagen regeneration is induced as the skin recovers from them.
According to manufacturer materials, this device emits radiofrequency in two modes, monopolar and bipolar, at two frequencies, 1MHz and 2MHz. Monopolar sends energy to deeper layers and bipolar to shallower layers, allowing a single device to address both layers separately. According to overseas manufacturer materials, multi-needle tips adjust depth between 0.5–4.0mm.
Differences by tip type
| Category | Multi-needle tip | Drug delivery tip | Diamond tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Needles | Multiple needles penetrate into the skin | Designed to deliver medication along with the needles | Contacts the skin surface without needles |
| Energy | Delivers radiofrequency through needles at a set depth | Delivers radiofrequency through needles | Alternates between monopolar and bipolar delivery |
| Typical use | When directly addressing the dermis, as with pores and scars | When delivering a skin booster at the same time | When delivering heat broadly across the epidermis and dermis |
On the Day of Treatment
- Personalized Consultation
- Numbing Cream
- Treatment
- Finishing Care
Numbing cream takes 20~30 minutes, and the treatment itself takes about 1 hour. With consultation and finishing care added, please allow plenty of time for your visit. The tip and depth are chosen during your consultation, and depth and energy are adjusted by area during the treatment.
Sensation and Anesthesia During Treatment
We begin only after confirming the anesthesia has taken effect. How much you feel during treatment depends on the tip type, needle depth, area, and your skin condition that day, so even the same person may feel it differently from area to area. If the discomfort becomes significant, please tell us right away during the treatment.
More on Potenza pain and anesthesia
Who this treatment suits
- Those with enlarged-looking pores and rough skin texture
- Those with depressed scars left by past acne
- Those with thin, sensitive skin who are concerned about treatment intensity
- Those concerned with both fine lines and loss of elasticity
Initially, we generally plan for at least 3~5 sessions at 4-week intervals.
The First Few Days After Treatment
- Warmth, stinging, swelling, redness, dryness, and itching may occur, and most of these subside soon.
- Avoid rubbing your face hard while redness and warmth remain.
- Your skin may become dry easily, so apply moisturizer frequently and always wear sunscreen when going out.
What to Avoid for One Week
- For 3–7 days: heavy drinking, smoking, saunas and Korean bathhouses (jjimjilbang), hot baths, and strenuous exercise
- Retinol-based anti-wrinkle cosmetics and functional whitening cosmetics
- Peeling off flaking skin by hand
Until your next session
Your next session is scheduled based on a 4-week interval, once we see that your skin has recovered. Collagen regeneration progresses over time, so please continue moisturizing and sun protection between sessions as well.
If swelling and redness worsen day by day, or if oozing or blisters appear, please contact us right away. Please let us know before treatment if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have inflammation or a wound in the treatment area, or are prone to keloids. Please also tell us in advance about any implanted electronic medical devices such as a pacemaker, metal implants, medications you are taking, and allergies.
Booking and consultation
Face Filter Clinic Suwon offers POTENZA in 1-session and 3-session packages. During your personalized consultation, we first assess your skin thickness and scar depth before choosing the tip and mode.
This content is provided as general treatment information and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a medical professional to decide whether and how to proceed with a treatment.