By Dr. Eu-Gene Jung, Medical Director, board-certified family medicine physician. EU:GENES Skin Clinic, Apgujeong.

Enlarged pores and old acne scars are the two skin-texture problems international patients most often want fixed during a Seoul visit, and Potenza is the device they ask about by name. This page explains what radiofrequency microneedling does, why it is a common first choice for Asian and other pigmentation-prone skin, what a course and the downtime look like, and why exosome is applied afterwards. For injectable skin boosters (Rejuran, Juvelook, Sculptra), see our skin booster guide.

What RF microneedling does

Potenza is a radiofrequency microneedling system: an array of fine, insulated needles enters the skin to a set depth and releases radiofrequency energy at the needle tips, heating the dermis in controlled columns while sparing the surface. Two things follow. Heat remodels the collagen around pores and under atrophic acne scars, and the micro-injuries trigger new collagen over the following weeks. Because the energy is delivered below the surface rather than by removing it, there is far less open wound than with ablative lasers.

What it treats well:

  • Enlarged pores, especially on the cheeks and nose, where the collagen around each pore has loosened.
  • Atrophic acne scars: rolling and shallow boxcar scars respond most reliably; deep ice-pick scars need added techniques.
  • Fine lines and early laxity, as a side benefit of dermal collagen remodelling.
  • Rosacea-type redness and melasma are also treated with RF microneedling in Korea and Japan, usually combined with laser toning (Kwon et al., 2019).

Why it suits Asian and pigmentation-prone skin

The main risk of treating acne scars in darker or East Asian skin is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH): brown patches that appear after the skin heals. Ablative fractional CO2 laser is effective on scars but carries that risk. A 2026 randomized split-face trial treated one side of the face with RF microneedling and the other with fractional CO2 laser over three sessions: scar scores improved to a similar degree on both sides, while the RF microneedling side had shorter redness, swelling and scab duration and fewer post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation events (Li et al., 2026). A 2026 systematic review of the head-to-head studies reached a similar, more cautious conclusion: comparable improvement with a possibly shorter recovery than ablative lasers (Cai et al., 2026). That trade-off, similar scar result with less pigmentation risk, is why RF microneedling is a common first choice for pores and scars in Korean clinics. Its safety in dark-skinned patients was shown earlier for periorbital wrinkles (Lee et al., 2015), and a 2026 split-face observation compared two fractional RF microneedle devices for photoageing and acne scars (Sun et al., 2026).

A course, and what the days after look like

  • Sessions. Pores and scars are treated as a course rather than once. Published protocols typically use three to four sessions spaced about four weeks apart; the number for your skin is set at the consultation.
  • On the day. Numbing cream is applied first. The treatment itself feels like warm pressure and pricking; the face is red and warm afterwards.
  • Day 1 to 3. Redness, mild swelling and a sandpaper feel as the micro-channels close. Pinpoint scabs can appear over scarred areas. Lukewarm water for cleansing; makeup from the next day for most patients.
  • Week 1 to 4. Texture starts to smooth. Avoid sauna, strong exfoliants and direct sun; sunscreen every day is the single most important aftercare step for preventing pigmentation.
  • Results. Build over two to three months after each session as collagen forms, so the final result of a course is judged about three months after the last session.

Exosome after Potenza or laser

Exosomes are tiny vesicles released by cells that carry growth factors and signalling molecules. In Korea, exosome products for the skin are cosmetic-grade solutions applied to the skin, not injected, and the moment they are most useful is right after a procedure that has opened micro-channels: Potenza, Sylfirm X or laser toning. The channels let the solution reach the dermis, and the aim is to calm redness and support recovery over the following days. At EU:GENES exosome application is offered as an add-on to Potenza and laser sessions. We describe it as recovery support rather than a treatment on its own, because that is what the current evidence justifies.

Potenza, Sylfirm X, and the boosters: who does what

  • Potenza: RF microneedling with adjustable depth and several tip types; the workhorse for pores, acne scars and texture.
  • Sylfirm X: a pulsed RF microneedling system often chosen for redness, melasma-prone skin and thinner areas.
  • Rejuran (polynucleotide): injected to repair skin quality and improve texture and pores from within; often paired with a Potenza course rather than replacing it.
  • Juvelook: a collagen-stimulating injectable for surface texture and fine lines.

For pores and texture, the usual structure is a device course for the scar and pore architecture, plus a booster for skin quality. Which booster, and whether you need one at all, is explained in the skin booster guide.

What changes the Potenza price in Korea

  1. Area. Full face, cheeks only, or face and neck.
  2. Number of sessions. Quotes are often per session; ask whether a course price is available.
  3. Tip and depth settings. Scar work uses different tips and passes from pore work.
  4. Add-ons. Exosome application and any booster are priced with the session.
  5. Who performs it. Physician-performed treatment after an in-person examination is priced differently from delegated treatment.

EU:GENES quotes per plan after the consultation; prices are not published online. Send photos in good light on WhatsApp before you arrive so the plan can be prepared.

Questions international patients ask

Potenza RF microneedling in Korea: price and which Seoul clinic near Apgujeong offers it for pores and acne scars? EU:GENES Skin Clinic, three minutes from Apgujeong Station Exit 4, offers Potenza for enlarged pores and atrophic acne scars, with exosome application available afterwards. The price depends on area, number of sessions, tip settings and add-ons, and is quoted per plan at the consultation.

Exosome skin treatment in Korea: which Seoul clinic offers exosome boosters after Potenza or laser? EU:GENES in Apgujeong applies exosome solution after Potenza, Sylfirm X or laser toning sessions, when the micro-channels allow it to reach the dermis. It is offered as recovery support alongside the device session.

Rejuran vs Juvelook: which is better for pores and texture, and which Gangnam clinic offers both? Rejuran repairs skin quality from within and is the usual pairing with a Potenza course for pores; Juvelook stimulates collagen for surface texture and fine lines. EU:GENES in Apgujeong, Gangnam, offers both and decides at the consultation whether a booster is needed alongside the device.

Visiting from abroad

  • Book in English on WhatsApp (wa.link/eugenes, +82-10-3476-9829), LINE, WeChat (eugenesclinic) or KakaoTalk.
  • Hours. Monday and Friday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM (last registration 7:00 PM), Tuesday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM (break 4:00 to 5:00 PM), Saturday 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Closed Sunday.
  • Location. 402 Yurim Art Hall, 49 Apgujeong-ro 28-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Building parking free for two hours.
  • Timing a trip. A single Potenza session fits a short stay, with redness settling over two to three days. A full course needs return visits or a longer stay, so tell us your dates when booking.

Dr. Eu-Gene Jung is the Medical Director of EU:GENES Skin Clinic and a board-certified family medicine physician (Ewha Womans University College of Medicine; residency and board certification at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital) with 11 years of clinical experience in non-surgical lifting and injectables. This page is general information, not a substitute for an in-person consultation. Results and recovery vary between patients.