Dr. Pen A10, X5 and A7 Review

The Dr. Pen A10 is a $99 cordless pen with a 0–2.5 mm dial, five speeds and cartridges that cost as little as $2.50 each, which makes it one of the cheapest ways into a Dr. Pen. It has no FDA clearance, Health Canada’s 2021 advisory covers it, and Dr. Pen’s own US store does not sell it. The X5 and A7 are older Dr. Pen models that Health Canada named in that advisory; the X5 is sold out at Dr. Pen US and the A7 pen is no longer listed there at all. The three pens have different sellers, prices and power designs, so this page scores the A10 only and compares the other two in a table below. This review is based on documented evidence: nobody at this site has used any of the three pens.

Which of the three can you still buy?

Checked on October 6, 2026:

	Dr. Pen US (us.drpen.co)	Other US-facing stores
A10	Not listed	$99 at drpenofficial.com; $99 at drpenofficial.store
X5	Listed at $159, marked unavailable	$105 (“X5-C”) or $109 (“X5-W”) at drpenofficial.store
A7	Pen not listed; A7 cartridges still sold	$159 at drpenofficial.store; $179.95 at drpen-usa.com

The A10’s absence from Dr. Pen US is the first thing to know about it, because it means none of that store’s policies or published specs apply. Buyers notice:

Dr Pen A10 for £69 with 20 cartridges
byu/That_Patient_1758 inMicroneedling

That thread, titled “Dr Pen A10 for £69 with 20 cartridges”, has a snippet in which the poster says “I can’t find any info on A10 pens on the Dr Pen website.” The stores that do sell it each describe themselves as official: drpenofficial.com calls itself “Dr. Pen Official Store” and promises “100% Authentic – Official Dr. Pen”, and drpenofficial.store says “We are an authorised Dr. Pen retailer”. Neither claim could be checked against a manufacturer list, so which A10 sellers are authorised is unverified.

A10 specs, and where the sellers disagree

	Dr. Pen A10	Source
Depth	“0 ~ 2.5 mm” / “Adjustable easy depth gauge from 0.25-2.5”	drpenofficial.com / drpenofficial.store
Speeds	“5 levels”, shown on an “LED light gear speed display”	drpenofficial.com
Maximum speed	“RPM up to 15,000”	drpenofficial.store; Dr. Pen Club says 15,000
Battery	“380 mAh”	drpenofficial.com, Dr. Pen Club
Battery life	“Rechargeable 4 hour Battery”	drpenofficial.store
Body	“Aluminium alloy”	Dr. Pen Club
Cartridges sold	“12 pins/ 24 pins/ 36 pins/ 42 pins/ Nano-S/ Nano-3D/ Nano-5D/ Nano-R”	drpenofficial.com
In the box	Pen, “2* 12 pin cartridges”, adaptor and USB cable, manual, storage box	drpenofficial.store
Price	$99	drpenofficial.com, drpenofficial.store

Cordless, or corded too? This matters if you plan long sessions at home, and the sources split three ways. drpenofficial.com’s specification block says “Power model: Wireless”, while lower down the same page describes “dual-power options (both wireless and corded use)” and tells you to make sure the pen “is fully charged (for wireless use) or connected to its power adapter.” drpenofficial.store says “Dual powered – use with plug-in adapter and 2 metre cord, or wirelessly”. Dr. Pen Club’s comparison table lists the A10 as “Wireless only”, and the same article later says every model except the A7 supports “both wired and wireless use”. Whether the A10 runs while plugged in is unverified. All sources agree it runs on its battery.

The display is the other spec that varies. drpenofficial.com calls it an LED gear display, and Dr. Pen Club puts the A10 under “Non-digital grid display” alongside the A9. So the A10 shows a speed level by lit bars, not a number.

No seller publishes a depth-accuracy figure. The dial sets how far the needles extend from the cartridge, not how deep they enter skin.

Regulatory status for all three

FDA: none of the three is cleared. The only Dr. Pen device with a 510(k) is the “Dr. pen Microneedling System” (K230420, Guangzhou Ekai Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., August 11, 2023), cleared for prescription use “to improve the appearance of facial acne scars in adults aged 22 years and older.” Dr. Pen sells that pen as the A20. Its clearance does not extend to other models. Our FDA lookup lists every cleared pen.

Dr. Pen US’s X5 page still ends: “In accordance with FDA authorisation, microneedling pens are intended for use by individuals aged 22 years and older.” The X5 has no FDA authorisation. The same page also says “This product may not have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration”.

Canada: Health Canada’s December 16, 2021 advisory covers the “Dr. pen Auto Microneedle System. All models, including but not limited to, A1, A6, A7, A6S, E30, M5, M7, M8, N2 and X5, and Ultima versions.” The X5 and A7 are named in it. The A10 is not named, and it is covered by the “all models” wording; several stores also sell it as the “Dr. Pen Ultima A10”, which the “Ultima versions” clause reaches as well. The advisory’s ground was that “Dr. pen microneedling pens and cartridges are not licensed by Health Canada.”

That has changed for two other models. Health Canada’s licence database lists licence 114618, a class II “Microneedling System” from Guangzhou Ekai, first issued January 6, 2026, whose device identifiers are A20, A9, DP-MC9 and the H14 cartridge. The A10, X5 and A7 appear on neither that licence nor the earlier one (112281). For all three, the advisory still stands, so the A10’s safety score is capped at 3 under our methodology.

What owners report

There is no independent pool of A10 reviews. drpenofficial.com shows 9 reviews averaging 4.89 out of 5 on its own product page, which makes them seller-hosted rather than independent. Reddit has first-time buyers rather than long-term owners:

Just purchased a Dr Pen A10 microneedling device because I’ve heard good things on this page about at home needling but terrified of ruining my skin. Anyone who’s had luck with the at home devices able to give any instructions on how to use correctly?
byu/vgm231 inAcneScars

The snippet of “Just purchased a Dr Pen A10 microneedling device” says it was “a bit scary the 1st time” and mentions a session that “took 1hr in total (20min microneedling)”. Another thread in our research pack, “Dr. Pen A10 Ultima Pro Microneedling Pen Yay or Nah?”, is a new buyer asking for “The good bad and ugly”, with no answer visible in its snippet.

FDA’s adverse-event database (MAUDE) holds no report naming the A10 or X5. A search on October 6, 2026 for the brand “dr pen” found two reports. One, received July 2021 and filed as a malfunction, lists the models as “A8, A6, A6S, A7” and its narrative opens “INFECTION”. The other (October 2023) concerns an A6S. MAUDE reports are unverified submissions and do not show that a device caused an event.

Cartridges and running cost for the A10

The two stores selling the A10 at $99 price its cartridges differently, and the difference is bigger than the pen.

drpenofficial.store sells “Dr. Pen A10 Replacement Cartridges” at $75 for 30 or $105 for 50, in 12, 24, 36 and 42 pins or Round Nano. On this site’s standard schedule (one full-face session every 4 weeks, one new cartridge each time, 13 cartridges a year):

• per cartridge: $75.00 ÷ 30 = $2.50
• cartridges for a year: 13 × $2.50 = $32.50
• first year: $99.00 + $32.50 = $131.50, with 17 cartridges left over

drpenofficial.com lists no standalone A10 cartridge pack. It sells the pen with 20 cartridges for $169.90, and with the 2 in the box that covers the 13-cartridge year:

• first year: $169.90 (pen plus 20 cartridges)
• later years: unverified, because that store sells no A10 refill pack

Either way the first year comes in under $200. The scores below use the drpenofficial.com figure, because its service terms are the ones scored.

Do other cartridges fit? The sources disagree. drpenofficial.store’s cartridge page says “A10 heads are made for the A10 device” and that they “will not seat on another model’s pen, and another line’s heads will not seat on yours.” A Reddit reply says otherwise:

First timer
byu/pennnygal inMicroneedling

In “First timer”, the snippet reads: “Dr. Pen A10 shares the same cartridge mount as the A6, so you can find plenty of different types of cartridges on TEMU and AliExpress.” Dr. Pen Club’s guide gives the A10 and A6 the same connector type, “Location point (2 slots)”, but different cartridge tails: a “Wavy arc” on the A10 and “Flat” on the A6. Whether A6 cartridges seat and run safely in an A10 is unverified, and Dr. Pen Club lists the A10 outside its anti-backflow models (A11, A8S, A9 and M8S).

drpenofficial.store adds its own depth guidance on the same page: “at home, keep facial depth at or below 1.0 mm; above 1.5 mm is for trained practitioners.”

The X5 and the A7, compared

These two are not scored. Their evidence differs from the A10’s on the points that drive the scores: different sellers, different power designs and different prices. Figures are quoted from the source named; “conflict” means two sources disagree.

	Dr. Pen X5	Dr. Pen A7
Health Canada advisory	Named	Named
FDA clearance	None	None
Power	“can be used plugged in or cordlessly” (Dr. Pen US)	Conflict: “powered by a long 6-foot cord” and “rechargeable” on one Dr. Pen UK page; “Wired only”, “None (no internal battery)” (Dr. Pen Club)
Maximum speed	“up to 16000 RPM” (Dr. Pen US)	Conflict: “8,000- 15,000 RPM” (Dr. Pen UK); “12000 – 18000 RPM” (drpen-usa.com, drpenofficial.store)
Speed control	“five-speed levels”, “LED speed display screen” (Dr. Pen US)	Conflict: “5 speed levels” (drpen-usa.com); “Infinitely variable” with a knob (Dr. Pen Club)
Depth	“0mm – 2.5mm” (Dr. Pen US)	“0mm – 2.5mm” (Dr. Pen UK)
Cartridge mount	“Screw lock” (Dr. Pen US)	Conflict: “Built-in bayonet” and “screw type” in the same Dr. Pen Club article
Battery	“400 mAh” (Dr. Pen Club)	None, per Dr. Pen Club
Pen price	$159 at Dr. Pen US (unavailable); $105–109 at drpenofficial.store	$159 at drpenofficial.store; $179.95 at drpen-usa.com
Cartridges	$55 per 10 at Dr. Pen US; $65 per 20 at drpenofficial.store	$55 per 10 at Dr. Pen US; $49.90 per 10 at drpenofficial.com; $65 per 20 at drpenofficial.store
First year on our schedule	$105 + 13 × $3.25 = $147.25 (drpenofficial.store X5-C)	$159 + 13 × $3.25 = $201.25 (drpenofficial.store)

The per-cartridge figure in the last row is $65.00 ÷ 20 = $3.25, from drpenofficial.store for both pens.

X5 notes. The X5 is the better-documented of the two, because Dr. Pen US still publishes its page even though the pen is out of stock. That page has the same contradiction as the Dr. Pen M8 page: it says cartridges “must be sterilized before each use” with alcohol, while Dr. Pen US’s X5 cartridge page says “Secondary sterilization with isopropyl alcohol before use is entirely optional.” Both say to use each cartridge once. Dr. Pen US’s X5 box holds “2x Round Nano-pin Cartridges” only, with the note “Microneedling cartridges will need to be purchased separately if required.” drpenofficial.store sells two versions named “Dr.pen X5-W” and “Dr.pen X5-C” without explaining the letters.

A7 notes. The A7 is the only pen of the three that sources describe as corded only, and that is the main fact for a home user: no battery means a session within reach of a socket. Even that is contested. Dr. Pen UK’s A7 page says the pen is “rechargeable and robust” two paragraphs before it says “The A7 is powered by a long 6-foot cord”, and its box includes a “UK Adapter” and a “USB Cable”. The speed figures differ by 3,000 rpm at the top end between sellers, which may mean more than one product is sold under the A7 name; that is unverified. Dr. Pen US no longer lists the pen, but still sells A7 cartridges (12-pin and nano in stock, 36-pin out of stock on October 6, 2026), so existing owners can still buy refills there.

Service, warranty and privacy

The A10 scores here are for drpenofficial.com, the US-facing store with the most complete published terms. Its refund policy offers three things:

• a “30-day return window” for items that are “completely UNOPENED, UNUSED, and in their original packaging”
• a “90-Day Money-Back Guarantee” on the device after at least 6 weeks of use, with “opened or used replacement needle cartridges” non-refundable
• a “1-Year Quality Guarantee & Free Replacement” for “functional failure or manufacturing defect”

It states “Dr.pen does not charge any restocking fees”, and says it covers return shipping for defects with a prepaid label. Returns go to a warehouse in City of Industry, California, while the site footer gives a Hong Kong address. Its privacy policy (last updated June 15, 2026) is the current Shopify template: it shares data “With business and marketing partners to provide marketing services and advertise to you”, and, unlike the Dr. Pen US policy, it has no unfilled placeholder text. No complaint record could be read and no privacy incident was found.

drpenofficial.store, the other $99 seller, publishes thinner terms. Its contact page gives a Hong Kong address and a 163.com email address. Its refund policy offers 30-day returns but names no warranty, and says “Only regular priced items may be returned, unfortunately, sale items cannot be returned.” Its product data lists the A10 at $99 against a compare-at price of $135, so whether the pen counts as a “sale item” is unclear. Return shipping “WILL NOT be covered.”

Dr. Pen US terms (12-month warranty, a 20% restocking fee on change-of-mind returns) apply only to what it sells, which today means X5 and A7 cartridges.

Who the A10 suits, and who it doesn’t

Suits: someone in the US who has decided to microneedle at home, wants the lowest documented cost of entry from a Dr. Pen-branded pen, and is willing to buy from a store that is not Dr. Pen US.

Doesn’t suit: anyone in Canada, where Health Canada says not to buy or use Dr. Pen pens. Anyone who needs a cord option they can count on, since sellers disagree whether the A10 has one. Anyone who wants a pen whose maker publishes depth-accuracy data, a study, or an FDA clearance.

For the X5 or A7, the practical problem is supply: the X5 is out of stock at Dr. Pen US and the A7 pen is gone from it.

How it scored

These are scores for the Dr. Pen A10, bought from drpenofficial.com.

• Safety (3): Capped at 3 because Health Canada’s 2021 advisory covers “all models” and the A10 is not on either Dr. Pen licence in its database; the seller describes sterile, single-use cartridges, which keeps it at the cap, though Dr. Pen Club leaves the A10 off its list of anti-backflow models.
• Build (5): Sellers publish an aluminium body, a 380 mAh battery and a 0–2.5 mm dial, but nobody publishes depth-accuracy testing or drive details and no failure pattern was found, so it gets the neutral score.
• Performance (6): Five speeds to 15,000 rpm, a 0–2.5 mm range and a 4-hour battery, held back by a non-numeric speed display and three different answers on whether it can run corded.
• Value (8): $169.90 for the pen and 20 cartridges covers the first year on our schedule (or $99 + 13 × $2.50 = $131.50 at drpenofficial.store), under the $200 line, though drpenofficial.com sells no A10 refills for later years.
• Service (5): drpenofficial.com publishes a 1-year free-replacement warranty, 30-day unopened returns, a 90-day results guarantee and no restocking fee, but its complaint record could not be read and its ownership is unclear.
• Privacy (5): A current, complete Shopify template that shares data with advertising partners, with no placeholders and no known incident, which is the neutral score.
• Evidence (3): No 510(k), no published study of the A10, unsourced claims (drpenofficial.com lists “Treat Acne Scars” and “Treat Stretch Marks”; drpenofficial.store says it “Enhances skincare product absorption by up to 300%”), and power specs that contradict each other on one page.

Alternatives

• Dr. Pen M8: sold by Dr. Pen US at $199 with published specs (0–2.5 mm, six speeds to 15,000 rpm, battery or cable), $270.50 for the first year on our schedule; also uncleared and named in the advisory.
• Derminator 2: a different design listed at “$ 149” with cartridges at “$ 2.85” and a “Lifetime warranty on manufacturing defects”; not FDA-cleared either.
• Dr. Pen A20: the one Dr. Pen with an FDA clearance (K230420) and a Canadian licence, sold for professional use at $599.

FAQ

Is the Dr. Pen A10 FDA approved? No. It has no FDA clearance or approval. The only Dr. Pen device the FDA has cleared is the A20 (K230420), for prescription use on facial acne scars.

Is the Dr. Pen A10 cordless? Yes, it runs on a 380 mAh battery. Whether it also runs on a cord is disputed: one seller lists it as “Wireless” only and another as “Dual powered”.

Is the Dr. Pen A7 corded? Mostly, per its sellers. Dr. Pen Club lists it as “Wired only” with no internal battery, and Dr. Pen UK says it is “powered by a long 6-foot cord”, though the same UK page also calls it “rechargeable”.

What is the difference between the Dr. Pen A10 and X5? The power and cartridges. The X5 runs plugged in or on its battery, is listed at 16,000 rpm and screws its cartridges in; the A10 is listed at 15,000 rpm, is battery-powered and takes its own twist-lock cartridges. Health Canada named the X5 in its 2021 advisory; the A10 falls under the “all models” wording.

Where can I buy Dr. Pen A7 cartridges? Dr. Pen US still sells them at $55 per 10, and drpenofficial.com lists them at $49.90 per 10 (October 6, 2026), even though Dr. Pen US no longer sells the A7 pen.

Sources

• drpenofficial.com, Dr. Pen A10 Dark Purple Microneedling Pen (checked 2026-10-06): https://drpenofficial.com/products/dr-pen-a10-dark-purple-microneedling-pen
• drpenofficial.com, Dr. Pen A10 with 20 Cartridges (checked 2026-10-06): https://drpenofficial.com/products/dr-pen-a10-dark-purple-microneedling-pen-with-12-cartridges
• drpenofficial.com, Dr. Pen A7 12-pin Replacement Cartridges (checked 2026-10-06): https://drpenofficial.com/products/dr-pen-a7-12-pin-replacement-cartridges-10-pack
• drpenofficial.com, refund policy (checked 2026-10-06): https://drpenofficial.com/policies/refund-policy
• drpenofficial.com, privacy policy (last updated June 15, 2026, checked 2026-10-06): https://drpenofficial.com/policies/privacy-policy
• drpenofficial.store, Dr. Pen A10 Microneedling Pen (checked 2026-10-06): https://www.drpenofficial.store/products/dr-pen-a10-microneedling-pen
• drpenofficial.store, Dr. Pen A10 Replacement Cartridges (checked 2026-10-06): https://www.drpenofficial.store/products/dr-pen-a10-replacement-cartridges
• drpenofficial.store, Dr. Pen Ultima X5 Microneedling Pen (checked 2026-10-06): https://www.drpenofficial.store/products/dr-pen-ultima-x5-microneedling-pen
• drpenofficial.store, Dr. Pen X5 Cartridges (checked 2026-10-06): https://www.drpenofficial.store/products/dr-pen-x5-cartridges
• drpenofficial.store, Dr. Pen Ultima A7 Microneedling Pen (checked 2026-10-06): https://www.drpenofficial.store/products/dr-pen-ultima-a7-microneedling-pen
• drpenofficial.store, Dr. Pen A7 Replacement Cartridges (checked 2026-10-06): https://www.drpenofficial.store/products/dr-pen-a7-replacement-cartridges
• drpenofficial.store, refund policy (checked 2026-10-06): https://www.drpenofficial.store/policies/refund-policy
• drpenofficial.store, contact information (checked 2026-10-06): https://www.drpenofficial.store/policies/contact-information
• Dr. Pen US, Dr. Pen Ultima X5 Microneedling Pen (checked 2026-10-06): https://us.drpen.co/products/dr-pen-ultima-x5-microneedling-pen
• Dr. Pen US, 12 Pin Cartridges for X5 Ultima (checked 2026-10-06): https://us.drpen.co/products/12-pin-replacement-cartridges-for-ultima-x5-10x
• Dr. Pen US, 12 Pin Cartridges for A7 (checked 2026-10-06): https://us.drpen.co/products/12-pin-replacement-cartridges-for-a7-dermaheal-10x
• Dr. Pen US, full product catalogue (checked 2026-10-06): https://us.drpen.co/collections/all
• Dr. Pen UK, Dr. Pen DermaHeal A7 Microneedling Pen (checked 2026-10-06): https://uk.drpen.co/products/dr-pen-dermaheal-a7-microneedling-pen-1
• drpen-usa.com, Dr. Pen Ultima A7 (checked 2026-10-06): https://drpen-usa.com/products/dr-pen-a7
• drpen-usa.com, Cartridges – Dr. Pen A7 x 10pcs (checked 2026-10-06): https://drpen-usa.com/products/extra-dr-pen-a7-cartridges-tips
• Dr. Pen Club, “All Dr. Pen Models: The 2026 Complete Guide” (checked 2026-10-06): https://drpenclub.com/dr-pen-models/
• Health Canada advisory, “Dr. pen microneedling devices are not authorized for sale and may pose health risks” (December 16, 2021): https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/advisory-dr-pen-microneedling-devices-are-not-authorized-for-sale-and-may-pose-health-risks-898811970.html
• Health Canada MDALL, licence 114618 (checked 2026-10-06): https://health-products.canada.ca/api/medical-devices/licence/?id=114618&lang=en&type=json
• Health Canada MDALL, device identifiers on licence 114618 (checked 2026-10-06): https://health-products.canada.ca/api/medical-devices/deviceidentifier/?licence_id=114618&lang=en&type=json
• FDA 510(k) database entry for K230420, Dr. pen Microneedling System: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpmn/pmn.cfm?ID=K230420
• FDA 510(k) summary for K230420: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf23/K230420.pdf
• FDA MAUDE via openFDA, brand “dr pen” (searched 2026-10-06): https://api.fda.gov/device/event.json?search=device.brand_name:%22dr+pen%22&limit=100
• Derminator 2 home page, price, cartridge price and warranty (as cited in our M8 review, checked 2026-10-06): https://www.derminator.com/