Pro Tips › Skin
How to Choose a Microneedling Pen:
Needle Count, Depth, Gauge and Speed
- Needles
- Depth
- Speed
- Cartridges
A microneedling pen is compared on a handful of numbers, and each one measures something physical. Needle count is how many needles sit in the cartridge. Gauge is how thick each needle is, and a higher gauge number means a finer needle. Depth range is how far the needles can extend past the cartridge tip, and the increment is the size of each adjustment step. Speed, in RPM, is how many times per minute the motor drives the needles in and out. Needle count multiplied by strokes per second gives the number of microchannels the pen creates each second. No single figure makes a pen better. Read them together with the cartridge design, the power option, the device's regulatory status and the training and support behind it.
Skin needling devices are sold on specification sheets, and the sheets are full of numbers that are easy to compare and harder to interpret. Is 12 needles more than you need? Is a finer gauge an advantage or just different? What does a 0.1 mm depth increment change in the treatment room?
This guide explains what each number measures, so you can read any spec sheet with confidence. It uses the KausmediPen range stocked by Salon First as a worked example, and it does not rank one setting above another, because the right setting depends on the treatment, the client and your training.
Needle Count
How many needles touch the skin at once
The cartridge holds the needles, and the count tells you how many enter the skin with each stroke. More needles cover more area per stroke. Fewer needles concentrate each stroke on a smaller area. Cartridges are often offered in several configurations so the same pen can be set up differently, which makes it worth checking which configurations a system offers and whether they fit the work you do.
KausmediPen cartridges use a 12 needle configuration of surgical-grade stainless steel needles.
Gauge
Needle thickness, read backwards
Needle gauge works the opposite way to most numbers. The higher the gauge, the thinner the needle. A 30 gauge needle is about 0.3 mm in diameter, and most pens use 32 to 33 gauge needles, which are finer still.
A trade-off, not a ranking
Gauge is a physical dimension. A finer needle has a smaller diameter, and a thicker one is more rigid. Which suits your work depends on the treatment protocol you are trained in, so read the gauge as a description of the needle and match it to your training rather than to the smallest or largest number on offer.
KausmediPen cartridges use 30 gauge needles, which places them at the thicker end of the usual range.
Depth
Range and increment
Depth is set by how far the needles extend past the end of the cartridge. Two numbers describe it. The range is the shortest and longest setting available. The increment is the size of each step between them.
| Spec |
What it measures |
KausmediPen |
| Depth range |
The shortest to longest needle extension past the cartridge tip |
0 to 2.0 mm |
| Increment |
The size of each adjustment step |
0.1 mm |
| Settings in that range |
How many distinct depths can be selected |
20 steps above zero |
A smaller increment gives finer control over the setting, because you can move between depths in smaller steps. It does not change the range. Remember too that the setting is the needle extension, not a measurement taken in the skin, and that the depth a practitioner may work to depends on their qualifications, their insurance and the rules in their state. Your training sets the depth for each area, and the pen should let you dial it in precisely.
Speed
RPM and microchannels per second
Pen speed is quoted in revolutions per minute. Each revolution of the motor drives the needles in and out, so dividing RPM by 60 gives strokes per second. Multiply that by the needle count and you have the number of microchannels created each second.
Working the numbers
At 4,800 RPM, a pen makes 80 strokes per second. With a 12 needle cartridge, that is 80 x 12 = 960 microchannels per second. The same sum works for any pen, which makes it a useful way to compare speed figures that are quoted differently.
A higher channel rate covers an area in fewer passes at a given hand speed, and a lower one takes more passes to do the same. Which speed setting suits a particular area is a matter of protocol and training. What the spec sheet can tell you is the range of speeds available and how finely you can move between them.
KausmediTech lists the KausmediPen with seven speed settings from 4,800 to 8,000 RPM, creating 960 to 1,560 microchannels per second.
Cartridges
The part that touches the client
The pen is the motor. The cartridge is the part that touches the skin, and it is replaced for every client. Its design decides how the system handles hygiene, and it is the ongoing consumable, so it deserves as much attention as the pen.
Membrane
Backflow barrier
A membrane inside the cartridge is a physical barrier between the needles and the pen. It is there to stop fluid travelling back up into the handpiece, which is reused between clients while the cartridge is not.
Vent
Pressure release
As the needles move in and out, the space inside the cartridge changes volume. A vent lets air move in and out of that space, which manufacturers describe as releasing vacuum pressure.
Packaging
Sterile, single use
Each cartridge should arrive sterile and individually sealed, and be used once. Check how it is sterilised and packed, and that it is made for the pen it goes on.
KausmediTech describes the KausmediPen cartridges as having a patented silicone membrane to prevent backflow and a side vent to release vacuum pressure. They are single-use, sterile and individually blister packed, with a retractable needle system and a small head for hard to reach areas, and they fit both the corded and cordless pens. Used cartridges go straight into a sharps container.
Power
Corded or cordless
A corded pen runs from mains power, so it never needs charging. A cordless pen runs from a rechargeable battery, so there is no cable to manage around the client's face, and it suits a room where the power point is not where you work.
- Battery arrangement. A spare battery means one can charge while the other is in use. The KausmediPen Cordless runs on dual rechargeable batteries.
- Consistency. The KausmediPen Corded uses the same speed, depth and cartridge specification on mains power.
- Controls and display. Both have button controls, a digital display for the settings and a cradle with an auto-pause function.
- Safety stop. KausmediTech lists needle motion detection that stops the needles if irregular movement is detected.
Before You Buy
Questions to ask any supplier
- Is the device on the ARTG? Ask for the device's entry on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods and its classification. KausmediTech lists the KausmediPen on the ARTG as a Class IIa medical device. An ARTG entry is a regulatory status, not a statement about results.
- What do the cartridges fit? Check that cartridges are made for the pen, and that supply is reliable, because you will buy far more cartridges than pens.
- What depth and speed control does it give you? Look at the range and the increment, not just the maximum.
- What happens when it needs a repair? KausmediTech offers a one year warranty and a loan device during repairs.
- What training and support come with it? KausmediTech works with independent educators, and Salon First's education and training page lists upcoming sessions.
Pens are not the only needling device. A derma roller rolls fixed needles across the skin, while a pen drives its needles straight in and out at a set depth and speed. Salon First's skin care devices range covers both.
Summary
Read the numbers together
Needle count tells you how many needles enter per stroke, gauge how thick they are, depth range and increment how far and how finely they extend, and speed how often they move. Multiply needles by strokes per second and you can compare any two pens on the same scale. Then look past the pen to the cartridge, the regulatory status, the repair arrangements and the training. That is the whole system you are buying.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What does needle gauge mean on a microneedling pen?
Gauge describes the thickness of each needle. The higher the gauge number, the thinner the needle. A 30 gauge needle is about 0.3 mm in diameter, and most pens use 32 to 33 gauge needles, which are finer.
How are microchannels per second calculated?
Divide the pen's RPM by 60 to get strokes per second, then multiply by the number of needles in the cartridge. At 4,800 RPM with 12 needles, that is 80 strokes per second and 960 microchannels per second.
What does a 0.1 mm depth increment mean?
It is the size of each step when you adjust the needle depth. Smaller steps give finer control over the setting. The increment does not change the depth range, which is the shortest to longest extension the pen allows.
What is a backflow membrane in a needling cartridge?
A barrier inside the cartridge between the needles and the pen. It is designed to stop fluid travelling back up into the handpiece, which is reused, while the cartridge is single use and discarded after each client.
Should I buy a corded or cordless microneedling pen?
A corded pen runs from mains power and never needs charging. A cordless pen removes the cable from around the client and suits rooms where the power point is out of the way. A spare battery lets one charge while the other is in use.
How do I check a microneedling pen's regulatory status?
Ask the supplier for the device's entry on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods and its classification. KausmediTech lists the KausmediPen as a Class IIa medical device. An ARTG entry is a regulatory status, not a statement about results.
What are the KausmediPen specifications?
KausmediTech lists 12 needle cartridges with 30 gauge needles, a depth range of 0 to 2.0 mm in 0.1 mm increments, and seven speeds from 4,800 to 8,000 RPM. It comes in corded and cordless versions and is listed on the ARTG as a Class IIa medical device.
Trade Account
Compare the pens side by side
Salon First stocks the KausmediPen Cordless, the KausmediPen Corded and KausmediPen cartridges, alongside the wider skin care devices range, with wholesale pricing for registered salon professionals. Browse the full Kausmedi range.