You have probably come across Morpheus8: videos of micro-needles, skin that tightens, acne scars that soften. It is a serious device, authorized in Canada since 2019.
At Clinique DC, we do this treatment with Potenza, by Cynosure Lutronic. Same family, same principle, different settings. Here is the comparison, prices included, and what each one does better.
Potenza: micro-needles that deliver heat into the dermis.
Potenza is made by Cynosure Lutronic. Its fine needles, insulated along most of their length, release radiofrequency heat through the tip, below the surface, to restart collagen and tighten the skin. Here is what the treatment looks like at Clinique DC.
| What is treated | Texture, pores, acne scars and firmness, on the face (neck as an add-on) |
|---|---|
| The session | 60 min, with a numbing cream beforehand |
| How often | A series of sessions, every 4 to 6 weeks |
| Afterwards | Redness and mild swelling for 24 to 48 h |
| The result | Gradual, over a few weeks to 3 months |
| The price | $749 per session, full face, taxes extra |
The same gesture: a fine needle, with heat at the tip.
Both pierce the skin with fine needles and deliver radiofrequency below the surface. The skin responds to the micro-injury and the heat by making new collagen. Radiofrequency doesn’t target skin colour, so both suit all skin tones, with adapted settings.
- They don’t remove excess skin: when skin hangs and folds at rest, the honest answer is surgery.
- They don’t restore volume to a hollowed cheek: that is what filler does.
What sets them apart, point by point.
What comes from a manufacturer is labelled as such. The rest comes from the sources cited at the end.
| Criterion | Potenza | Morpheus8 |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Monopolar or bipolar radiofrequency, depending on the area (manufacturer) | Fractional bipolar radiofrequency (manufacturer) |
| Depth | Adjustable, chosen for each area | Adjustable, chosen for each area |
| Driving in an active | Possible with the Fusion tip (manufacturer) | Not designed for it |
| During the session | Numbing cream beforehand | Numbing cream beforehand, usually |
| Afterwards | Redness and mild swelling for 24 to 48 h | Redness, sometimes faint temporary grid marks |
| In Canada | Offered in Canadian clinics | Authorized in October 2019 (manufacturer) |
| At Clinique DC | $749 per session, full face | Not offered |
What one full-face session costs, on each side.
We gathered the prices that North Shore and Montreal clinics post for one Morpheus8 session on the full face. Both treatments are done in a series, so we compare one session against one session, on the same area.
| Where | What is treated | Posted price |
|---|---|---|
| Morpheus8, North Shore and Montreal | Full face, one session | $800 |
| Morpheus8, Boisbriand | Full face, one session | $950 |
| Median, Morpheus8 | Full face, one session | $875 |
| Clinique DC, Laval | Potenza, full face, one session | $749 |
A full-face Potenza session is $749. For a series, the 4-session package is $2,197, and the neck can be added for $150. A higher price doesn’t guarantee a better result: no study compares the two devices.
Prices posted online, gathered October 12, 2026, before taxes. Clinic names are in the sources. 4-session package: $2,197. Neck add-on: $150. Taxes extra.
Potenza adapts to what your skin calls for, area by area.
Four points where the difference is clear, each with where the fact comes from.
Two radiofrequency modes
According to its manufacturer, Potenza works in monopolar or bipolar mode, with several tips. We choose the mode depending on whether we target skin texture or an area that is loosening.
An active that goes in during the session
Potenza’s Fusion tip drives in an active, exosomes for example, at the same time as the heat.
A posted price, face and neck
$749 per full-face session, $150 to add the neck. Taxes extra.
A 3D analysis before you decide
We measure your skin with the free LINE VU analysis before suggesting anything. If Potenza is not indicated, we tell you.
Morpheus8 has its reputation and a specific US clearance.
An article that only praises one device doesn’t help you choose. What Morpheus8 has going for it:
- A US FDA clearance for soft-tissue contraction with RF microneedling, which its manufacturer presents as a first.
- Tips designed for the body, deeper than the face tips, according to the manufacturer.
- A well-known name: many clinics offer it, and photos and reviews are easy to find.
No study compares Potenza and Morpheus8.
The pages pitting the two against each other at the top of Google are clinic pages, not studies. Here is what actually exists.
| Study | Device | What it shows, and its limit |
|---|---|---|
| Niaz et al., 2025 | RF microneedling | Review of studies on acne scars; covers the technique, not one brand |
| Kumar et al., 2026 | RF microneedling | Review of its effectiveness on several skin concerns; covers the technique, not one brand |
| Hendricks and Farhang, 2022 | Morpheus8 | Review of facial uses; published in a supplement close to the manufacturer |
| Dayan et al., 2019 | Morpheus8 | Combined with another treatment: the effect of Morpheus8 alone can’t be isolated |
What it means: RF microneedling is well documented as a technique, and no brand has been shown superior to the other. The choice comes down to your skin, what bothers you most, and the price.
The right choice depends on what you are looking for.
| If… | Rather |
|---|---|
| You want your face treated in Laval, at a price known in advance | Potenza |
| You want an active driven in during the session | Potenza |
| You mostly want to treat a body area | Morpheus8 |
| You are set on the device you have heard about | Morpheus8 |
| Marked loosening of the lower face or neck | Neither: XERF |
| Your skin hangs and folds at rest | Neither: surgery |
Why we chose Potenza.
We wanted a device that works in both monopolar and bipolar modes, to tune the session to what the skin calls for: texture and pores on one side, a scar or a loosening area on the other.
We also wanted to drive in an active in the same session, and to know the device inside out: the clinic’s owner has trained clinicians for Cynosure, the maker of Potenza.
The right setting is the one that treats what bothers you, not the whole face at the same intensity.
Questions we get asked
Is Potenza the same as Morpheus8?
It is the same family of treatment: micro-needles that deliver radiofrequency below the surface. The two devices differ in their radiofrequency modes and tips, and are made by two different companies.
Do you offer Morpheus8 at Clinique DC?
No. For RF microneedling we chose Potenza. The prices other clinics post for Morpheus8 are in the “The price” section, with their source.
Does it hurt?
We apply a numbing cream before the session. Most people feel a series of small pricks and some heat as the needle delivers its energy, intense but tolerable. No study compares the comfort of Potenza and Morpheus8.
How many sessions are needed?
Usually a series of sessions 4 to 6 weeks apart, then maintenance. The exact plan is set at your assessment, based on your skin.
Is it suitable for darker skin?
Yes. Radiofrequency doesn’t target pigment: it suits all skin tones, with settings adjusted at the assessment.
How much does Potenza cost in Laval?
$749 per session at Clinique DC, full face, or $2,197 for a 4-session package. The neck can be added for $150. Taxes extra.
Sources
- Niaz G. et coll. Fractional Radiofrequency Microneedling as a Monotherapy in Acne Scar Management: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2025.
- Kumar N. et coll. Effectiveness of Radiofrequency Microneedling in the Treatment of Dermatological Conditions: A Systematic Review. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2026.
- Hendricks AJ, Farhang SZ. Dermatologic facial applications of Morpheus8 fractional radiofrequency microneedling. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2022;21(Suppl 1):S11-S19.
- Dayan E, Chia C, Burns AJ, Theodorou S. Adjustable depth fractional radiofrequency combined with bipolar radiofrequency: a minimally invasive combination treatment for skin laxity. Aesthet Surg J. 2019;39(Suppl 3):S112-S119.
- InMode. Morpheus8 Burst, fiche produit.
- InMode. Autorisation de la FDA pour la contraction des tissus mous, communiqué.
- InMode. Certification de Santé Canada, communiqué d’octobre 2019.
- Cynosure Lutronic. Potenza, fiche produit.
- Prix : O’Derma (Rive-Nord et Montréal) et Red médico-esthétique (Boisbriand), pages de prix consultées le 12 octobre 2026.
Facts attributed to a manufacturer come from its documents. Other clinics’ prices are those they post online, as of the date gathered; Clinique DC’s are before taxes. Results vary from person to person.