Dr. Pen Microneedling Pens: Every Model Compared

Dr. Pen is a brand of microneedling pens made by Guangzhou Ekai Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., a Chinese manufacturer that also builds pens for distributors and private-label partners. You buy them through a set of online stores that each use the Dr. Pen name, several of which call themselves “official”. Only one model, the A20, has an FDA clearance, and it is a prescription clearance for facial acne scars, not home use. In Canada, Health Canada’s 2021 advisory against Dr. Pen pens still applies to every model except the A20 and A9, which now hold a Canadian licence. That regulatory record is the main reason the brand scores low on this site: seven reviewed Dr. Pen pens range from 4.4 to 5.6 out of 10, against 6.8 for the Dermapen 4, our reference review. This page is based on documented evidence. Nobody at this site has used any of these pens.

Every Dr. Pen model, ranked by score

Scores decide the order. Each overall score is computed from the seven category scores on that model’s review, using the weights on our methodology page (safety 20%, build 15%, performance 15%, value 15%, service 15%, privacy 10%, evidence 10%). Three pens tie at 4.5 and are listed alphabetically. Prices, specs and status were checked on October 6, 2026; where sellers disagree, the review explains it.

Score Model Power Max speed Depth Default cartridge Price (seller) FDA / Health Canada
5.6 Dr. Pen A20 Battery only 6,300–7,700 rpm (510(k)) 0–2.0 mm 14-pin, $79 per 10 $599 (us.drpen.co, asks for a license number) FDA-cleared K230420, prescription / licensed (114618)
5.0 Dr. Pen A10 Battery; sellers disagree on a cord 15,000 rpm 0–2.5 mm 12-pin; A10 refills $75 per 30 at drpenofficial.store $99 (drpenofficial.com) Not cleared / covered by the advisory
4.6 Dr. Pen A11 Cord or battery (one reseller says battery only) 15,000 rpm per us.drpen.co; 16,000 or 18,000 elsewhere 0–2.5 mm 18-pin, $59.95 per 10 $319 (us.drpen.co) Not cleared / licensed 2024–25, lapsed
4.6 Dr. Pen M8 Battery; one reseller also lists wired 15,000 rpm 0–2.5 mm 16-pin, $55 per 10 $199 (us.drpen.co) Not cleared / named in the advisory
4.6 Hydra Pen H3 Battery, runs while charging Up to 18,000 rpm (drpenofficial.store) 0–1.0 mm 12-pin with serum reservoir, $49.90 per 10 $149.90 (drpenofficial.com) Not cleared / covered by the advisory
4.5 Dr. Pen M8S Battery, USB-C; corded use unverified 16,000 rpm on most listings, 22,000 on one 0–2.5 mm (other sellers) 18-pin, $59.95 per 10 $299 (us.drpen.co) Not cleared / covered by the advisory
4.4 Dr. Pen A6S Cord or two batteries 16,000–18,000 rpm 0–2.5 mm (other sellers) 16-pin, $55 per 10 $249 (us.drpen.co) Not cleared / named in the advisory

“Named” means the advisory lists the model by name; “covered” means it falls under the advisory’s wording “All models, including but not limited to”. The Hydra Pen is a Dr. Pen line: Dr. Pen US now sells its newest model as the Dr. Pen H6 after what it calls a “brand refresh”.

Which Dr. Pen should ig et for acne scars (cheek) AND hair loss in windows peak area?
byu/DoctorQuinlan inMicroneedling

That thread asks which Dr. Pen to buy for acne scars and hair, and the reply in Google’s snippet says “Any Dr pen will work you need to just figure out which one you like more.” On our scores the home pens sit close together: the A10 and the A6S, top and bottom of the six, are 0.6 points apart.

Why every Dr. Pen scores below 6

Two categories do most of the damage.

Safety is capped. Our methodology caps safety at 3 for any device under an open regulator advisory, and Health Canada’s 2021 advisory covers the whole brand. The M8, A6S and Hydra Pen H3 drop to 2 within that cap, for contradictory sterilizing instructions, a missing anti-backflow design or, on the Hydra Pen, a reservoir that feeds non-sterile serum into skin during needling. The A20 escapes the cap because it holds both an FDA clearance and a Canadian licence by model number, and scores 6. Safety carries 20% of the overall score, so a capped 3 contributes 0.6 points where an uncapped 6 would contribute 1.2.

Evidence is thin. None of the seven reviewed models has a clinical study on PubMed (the A6, an older model, appears only as a tool in two lab studies on pig skin), and several store pages make claims the devices can’t support, such as “In accordance with FDA authorisation” on pens with no FDA authorisation. Evidence scores run 2 to 3, except the A20 at 5.

On the things a buyer notices day to day, Dr. Pen does better. Performance scores run 6 to 7, and value 5 to 8, because the pens are cheap and the cartridges are easy to find. On our standard schedule (one full-face session every 4 weeks, one new cartridge each time, 13 cartridges a year), first-year costs from each review are:

Model First year (pen + 13 cartridges) Value score
A10 $169.90 (pen with 20 cartridges, drpenofficial.com) 8
Hydra Pen H3 $149.90 + 13 × $4.99 = $214.77 7
M8 $199.00 + 13 × $5.50 = $270.50 7
A6S $249.00 + 13 × $5.50 = $320.50 6
M8S $299.00 + 13 × $5.995 = $376.94 6
A11 $319.00 + 13 × $5.995 = $396.94 6
A20 $599.00 + 13 × $7.90 = $701.70 5

Most boxes from Dr. Pen US ship with nano cartridges only, so a first-time buyer needs a cartridge pack before the pen can microneedle at all.

Who makes Dr. Pen?

Guangzhou Ekai Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. is the applicant on the FDA clearance for the A20 (K230420) and the licence holder on both Health Canada licences, and it is listed as manufacturer on both FDA adverse-event reports that name the brand. Its own site, gzekai.com, describes Ekai as “A Beauty Pen Brand Built for Distributor Growth” that “supports global distributors and private label partners”, and offers “OEM manufacturing, private label customization and distributor partnerships worldwide”. So the same factory supplies several sellers, and the name on a store’s domain tells you little about who runs it.

Which Dr. Pen sites are official?

Several stores say they are, and none of the pages we read links to a manufacturer list of authorized sellers that would settle it. Here is what each store says about itself, as of October 6, 2026:

  • us.drpen.co (Dr. Pen US). Its terms of service say “This website is operated by Dr Pen US, run by eShopping Group Pty Ltd”, with a head office in Welshpool, Western Australia, and a US mailing address in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Its footer calls the company “Authorised Distributors of Dr.Pen” and links to Dr. Pen sites for Australia, the UK and New Zealand. It sells the A20, A11, M8, M8S, A6S and the H6.
  • drpenofficial.com. Calls itself “Dr. Pen Official Store” and promises “100% Authentic – Official Dr. Pen”. Its about page names the operator as “DR PEN LIMITED, a company registered in Hong Kong”. It sells the A10 and the Hydra Pen H3 that we score, and is a different business from Dr. Pen US.
  • drpenofficial.store. Titled “Dr. Pen Official Store”, says “We are an authorised Dr. Pen retailer”, and gives a registered address in Chai Wan, Hong Kong, with a 163.com support email.
  • drpenskincare.com. Titled “Dr. Pen Official Microneedling Pen | Official Authentic Website”, with a footer reading “Authorized official retailer of Dr. Pen”. It tells buyers to check a scratch-off code at drpenreal.com.
  • drpen.io sells as “Dr. Pen Official” in euros; drpen-usa.com calls itself “Official Dr. Pen™ USA Retailer”; drpenusa.net titles itself “Dr. pen USA” and runs a banner reading “FDA-Cleared Technology” above Dr. Pen pens that have no FDA clearance.
  • originaldrpen.com describes itself as “Dr. Pen & Hydra Pen & BIO Pen – Online Microneedling Tools” and offers “5-year product support”.

Policies differ a lot between them. Dr. Pen US gives a 12-month warranty and charges a 20% restocking fee on change-of-mind returns; drpenofficial.com gives a one-year replacement warranty with no restocking fee; drpenusa.net advertises a “6-Month Warranty”. Prices for one pen can differ by more than $100: the M8 was $199 at Dr. Pen US and $89.99 at originaldrpen.com. Which stores ship genuine stock is unverified.

Dr. Pen A20
byu/Jo9228 inMicroneedling

That thread is titled “Dr. Pen A20”, and its snippet reads “Dr Pen is NOT U-S based, it is a Chinese product, allowed to market itself freely ! Stop getting scammed by resellers who are selling it for a…”. The first half matches the regulatory record: the maker is in Guangzhou.

Counterfeits

Fake Dr. Pens exist, and buyers find out late. In a thread already discussed in our M8 review, titled “Will the real Dr.Pen please stand up”, the poster says they “accidentally purchased a fake M8” and only learned it after contacting another seller.

There is more than one verification system. Hydrapen.com is a single “Anti-counterfeit Verification” page with a box for an authentication number, drpenskincare.com points buyers to drpenreal.com, and Dr. Pen US links a “Genuine Dr. Pen Verification” page from its footer (that page refused our request, so its contents are unverified). We found nothing showing that these systems check against the same records.

Cartridge compatibility

Most Dr. Pen cartridges fit one model only, and the stores say so.

What is verified on seller pages:

  • Dr. Pen US says M8 cartridges “are exclusively compatible with the Dr. Pen M8”, that A6 cartridges are “compatible with the Dr. Pen Ultima A6 only”, and that A6S cartridges are “compatible with the Dr. Pen A6S Microneedling Pen only”.
  • The M8 and M8S take different cartridges (16-pin against 18-pin), and an A6 owner moving to the A6S starts over: a reseller guide, Dr.pen Club, lists a 2-slot connector on the A6 and a 3-slot one on the A6S.
  • The Hydra Pen H3 and H5 share a cartridge line, sold at drpenofficial.com as “HydraPen H3/H5 12-pin”.
  • Dr. Pen US’s warranty does not cover faults “caused by the use of such cartridges”, meaning cartridges “not received or purchased directly from us”.

What is not verified:

  • A20 and M8S. A Reddit snippet says the two “use the same cartridges”. Dr. Pen sells A20 cartridges as their own line with a three-snap connector, and the A20’s FDA clearance describes only a 14-needle cartridge.
  • A10 and A6. A Reddit reply says they share a mount; drpenofficial.store says A10 heads “will not seat on another model’s pen”. Dr.pen Club gives both the same connector type but different cartridge tails.
  • Anti-backflow. Dr.pen Club lists anti-backflow cartridges for “the A11, A8S, A9, and M8S” only. No Dr. Pen seller publishes a backflow test.

What the FDA cleared, and what it didn’t

The FDA’s 510(k) database holds one Dr. Pen device: K230420, the “Dr. pen Microneedling System” from Guangzhou Ekai, decided August 11, 2023, for prescription use “to improve the appearance of facial acne scars in adults aged 22 years and older.” The 510(k) summary names model A20, with a 0–2.0 mm range and a 14-needle sterile cartridge. No other Dr. Pen model shares it, and the A20 review covers what the clearance does not extend to, including home use, hair and stretch marks. Several sellers describe Dr. Pen pens as “FDA-approved” or “FDA-Cleared Technology”; for every model except the A20, no FDA record supports that. Our FDA lookup lists every cleared pen, and clearance versus approval explains the difference.

The Canadian position

On December 16, 2021, Health Canada published “Advisory – Dr. pen microneedling devices are not authorized for sale and may pose health risks”. It 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”, on the ground that “Dr. pen microneedling pens and cartridges are not licensed by Health Canada.”

Some of that has changed. Health Canada’s licence database shows:

  • Licence 114618, class II, held by Guangzhou Ekai, first issued January 6, 2026, with no end date. It lists the A20 and A9 handpieces (plus DP-MC9) and the H14 cartridge.
  • Licence 112281, which covered the A11, A20 and A9 from November 27, 2024 to December 9, 2025. The A11 is not on the current licence, so it was licensed for about a year and the licence lapsed.

Every other Dr. Pen model, including the M8, M8S, A6S, A10, X5, A7 and the Hydra line, is on neither licence. For those, the advisory’s finding still stands. Neither licence record says whether it covers home use, and in 2021 Health Canada said “no microneedling devices have been authorized for at-home use”.

Adverse-event reports

The FDA’s MAUDE database holds two reports with Dr. Pen in the brand name, both listing Guangzhou Ekai as manufacturer (openFDA search, October 6, 2026):

  • MW5102615, received July 2021, filed as a malfunction. Brand “DR PEN USA MICRONEEDLING DEVICE”, models “A8, A6, A6S, A7”. The narrative opens “INFECTION” and is mostly a complaint about online sales with “NO FDA APPROVAL”; no model is tied to the infection.
  • MW5146847, received October 2023, filed as an injury. Brand “DR PEN A6S”. The reporter found that water added at the needle end “DRIPPED DOWN THE STEM OF TIP THAT INSERTED INTO THE DEVICE ITSELF”, and the patient problem is coded “No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions”.

MAUDE reports are unverified submissions and do not show that a device caused an event. Two reports in five years say nothing about how often problems happen, since most users never file one. No report names the A20, A11, M8, M8S, A10 or any Hydra Pen.

Models we haven’t scored

  • A9. On the current Canadian licence with the A20, but not on the FDA clearance, which names the A20. No review yet.
  • A6. Reviewed with the A6S but not scored separately; $159 at Dr. Pen US, and its value score alone would be 7.
  • X5 and A7. Compared, not scored, on the A10 page. Both are named in the advisory; the X5 is listed as unavailable at Dr. Pen US and the A7 pen is no longer listed there.
  • H6. The newest Hydra model, $349 at Dr. Pen US, which Ekai labels “Professional Use Only”.
  • M8 Max. Listed by Dr. Pen US as a pre-order at $249, described as “the next evolution of the fan-favorite Dr. Pen M8S”.

FAQ

Is Dr. Pen FDA approved? No. No Dr. Pen is FDA-approved. One model, the A20, is FDA-cleared (K230420) for prescription use on facial acne scars in adults 22 and older. Every other model has no clearance.

Who makes Dr. Pen? Guangzhou Ekai Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., in China. It holds the A20’s FDA clearance and both Health Canada licences, and sells to distributors and private-label partners.

Is us.drpen.co the official Dr. Pen site? It says it is run by eShopping Group Pty Ltd, an Australian company, and calls itself “Authorised Distributors of Dr.Pen”. Other stores, including drpenofficial.com and drpenofficial.store, also call themselves official. We found no manufacturer list that settles which are authorized.

Which Dr. Pen scores highest? The A20, at 5.6, but it is a prescription device sold for professional use. Among pens sold for home use, the A10 scores highest at 5.0, mainly on value.

Do Dr. Pen cartridges fit every model? No. Dr. Pen US sells each cartridge line as compatible with one pen, and the M8, M8S, A6 and A6S all take different cartridges. Claims that the A20 and M8S, or the A10 and A6, share cartridges are unverified.

Is Dr. Pen legal in Canada? The A20 and A9 hold a Health Canada licence (114618). Every other Dr. Pen model is still covered by the 2021 advisory telling people not to buy or use them.

Sources

  • Dr. Pen A20 review, scores and first-year cost: https://microneedlingreview.com/reviews/dr-pen-a20/
  • Dr. Pen A10, X5 and A7 review: https://microneedlingreview.com/reviews/dr-pen-a10-x5-a7/
  • Dr. Pen A11 review: https://microneedlingreview.com/reviews/dr-pen-a11/
  • Dr. Pen M8 review: https://microneedlingreview.com/reviews/dr-pen-m8/
  • Dr. Pen M8S review: https://microneedlingreview.com/reviews/dr-pen-m8s/
  • Hydra Pen review (H2 and H3): https://microneedlingreview.com/reviews/hydra-pen/
  • Dr. Pen A6S and A6 review: https://microneedlingreview.com/reviews/dr-pen-a6s/
  • Dermapen 4 review (reference score 6.8): https://microneedlingreview.com/reviews/dermapen-4/
  • Dr. Pen US, terms of service naming eShopping Group Pty Ltd, head office and footer (checked 2026-10-06): https://us.drpen.co/policies/terms-of-service
  • Dr. Pen US, refund and warranty policy (checked 2026-10-06): https://us.drpen.co/policies/refund-policy
  • Dr. Pen US, Dr. Pen M8 product page, cartridge compatibility (checked 2026-10-06): https://us.drpen.co/products/dr-pen-m8-microneedling-pen
  • Dr. Pen US, 12 Pin Cartridges for A6 Ultima (checked 2026-10-06): https://us.drpen.co/products/12-pin-replacement-cartridges-for-a6-ultima-10x
  • Dr. Pen US, 16 Pin Cartridges for A6S Ultima (checked 2026-10-06): https://us.drpen.co/products/16-pin-replacement-cartridges-for-a6s-ultima-10x
  • Dr. Pen US, Dr. Pen H6 Advanced Serum Infusion Microneedling Pen (checked 2026-10-06): https://us.drpen.co/products/hydra-pen-h6-advanced-serum-infusion-microneedling-pen-with-light-therapy
  • Dr. Pen US, Dr. Pen M8 Max (checked 2026-10-06): https://us.drpen.co/products/dr-pen-m8-max-microneedling-pen
  • Dr. Pen US, Genuine Dr. Pen page (HTTP 429 on 2026-10-06, contents unverified): https://us.drpen.co/pages/genuine-dr-pen
  • Guangzhou Ekai Electronic Technology, brand page (checked 2026-10-06): https://gzekai.com/brand/
  • Guangzhou Ekai Electronic Technology, Dr.pen H6 page (checked 2026-10-06): https://gzekai.com/microneedling-pen/h6/
  • drpenofficial.com, About Us (checked 2026-10-06): https://drpenofficial.com/pages/about-us
  • drpenofficial.com, Dr. Pen A10 product page (checked 2026-10-06): https://drpenofficial.com/products/dr-pen-a10-dark-purple-microneedling-pen
  • drpenofficial.com, HydraPen H3/H5 12-pin Replacement Cartridges (checked 2026-10-06): https://drpenofficial.com/products/dr-pen-hydrapen-h3-h5-12-pin-replacement-cartridges-10-pack
  • drpenofficial.store, contact information (checked 2026-10-06): https://www.drpenofficial.store/policies/contact-information
  • drpenofficial.store, Dr. Pen A10 Replacement Cartridges (checked 2026-10-06): https://www.drpenofficial.store/products/dr-pen-a10-replacement-cartridges
  • drpenskincare.com, home page (checked 2026-10-06): https://www.drpenskincare.com/
  • drpen.io, Dr. Pen M8S (checked 2026-10-06): https://www.drpen.io/products/dr-pen-m8s
  • drpen-usa.com, Dr. Pen Ultima M8S (checked 2026-10-06): https://drpen-usa.com/products/dr-pen-m8s
  • drpenusa.net, home page (checked 2026-10-06): https://drpenusa.net/
  • originaldrpen.com, home page (checked 2026-10-06): https://originaldrpen.com/
  • Hydrapen.com, anti-counterfeit verification page (checked 2026-10-06): https://hydrapen.com/
  • Dr.pen Club, “All Dr. Pen Models: The 2026 Complete Guide” (checked 2026-10-06): https://drpenclub.com/dr-pen-models/
  • Reddit, “Will the real Dr.Pen please stand up” (title and snippet only): https://www.reddit.com/r/Microneedling/comments/1iqdlr1/will_the_real_drpen_please_stand_up/
  • 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; reports MW5102615 and MW5146847): https://api.fda.gov/device/event.json?search=device.brand_name:%22dr+pen%22&limit=100
  • 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
  • Health Canada MDALL, licence 112281 (checked 2026-10-06): https://health-products.canada.ca/api/medical-devices/licence/?id=112281&lang=en&type=json&state=archived
  • Health Canada MDALL, device identifiers on licence 112281 (checked 2026-10-06): https://health-products.canada.ca/api/medical-devices/deviceidentifier/?licence_id=112281&lang=en&type=json&state=archived