Matrix Pro
49 microneedles in a 7 by 7 grid It is one of three applicators on the same platform. The other two use no needles. One is a pin array, and the other heats the skin without breaking it.
← All comparisons
Dermapedia / CompareProcedures
Matrix Pro vs Morpheus8
Matrix Pro is the better fit for dermal work on the face. Its needles reach 3.5 mm, and it is one of three handpieces that share one machine. Morpheus8 is the better fit when the plan needs more depth, like the jawline, under the chin or the body. It is a family of needle tips that reach up to 7 mm. Neither device has a published trial of its own.
At a glance
| The difference | Matrix Pro | Morpheus8 |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | 49 microneedles in a 7 by 7 grid | Needle tips of 12, 24 and 40 pins |
Morpheus8
Side by side
The differences that matter
What it is
Matrix Pro
49 microneedles in a 7 by 7 grid
It is one of three applicators on the same platform. The other two use no needles. One is a pin array, and the other heats the skin without breaking it.
Morpheus8
Needle tips of 12, 24 and 40 pins
These tips run on radiofrequency consoles. A separate applicator from the same maker does resurfacing. Morpheus8 does not.
How it works
Matrix Pro
Radiofrequency through needles
It tracks impedance, meaning how much the tissue resists the current, and adjusts the energy as it goes. The FDA summary does not give its frequency, or say whether the needles are insulated.
Morpheus8
Radiofrequency at 1 MHz through needles
The needles are coated except for the last 0.5 mm, so the heat is released below the surface. The console it runs on is rated to a maximum of 65 watts.
How deep it goes
Matrix Pro
Adjustable up to 3.5 mm
Morpheus8
0.5 to 7 mm, depending on the tip
The resurfacing tip is fixed at 0.5 mm. The 12-pin tip runs 1 to 4 mm. The 24 and 40-pin tips go up to 7 mm.
Sessions
Matrix Pro
No session count is published
Published protocols in this field cluster at three sessions, three to eight weeks apart. Three applicators share the platform, so ask how many of your visits use the needle one.
Morpheus8
1 to 6, usually 3 to 5
The operator manual says every 3 to 6 weeks.
The at-home or drugstore version
Matrix Pro
No home version of this applicator
Home radiofrequency wands have no needles. They put a fraction of the power into the surface of the skin, and never reach the depth this applicator works at.
Morpheus8
Home rollers are a different thing
A home roller or pen makes punctures and adds no heat. Heat placed at a chosen depth is the whole point of this treatment.
Who tends to be happy with it
Matrix Pro
- Best for - Someone who wants dermal work and likes that all three applicators sit on one trolley, so a course can be mixed.
- The mindset - Ask which applicator, at what depth, on which visit.
Morpheus8
- Best for - Someone whose plan involves the jawline, under the chin or the body, where the longer needles are the point.
- The mindset - Ask what depth and what energy per pin, and why.
What is published, and what is not
Matrix Pro
Matrix Pro's wrinkle indication is real, and it is narrow. It covers that one applicator. It also means the use was reviewed, not that it was proved. Ask which applicator is being used on which visit.
What the reported problems look like
More photographs
Morpheus8
The fine print
Matrix Pro
Matrix Pro is one of three applicators on Candela's Profound Matrix platform; the other two are Sublative RF, a non-needle pin array, and Sublime, which heats without breaking the skin. Morpheus8 is a family of InMode needle tips; InMode's separate Fractora applicator covers resurfacing.
Matrix Pro's cleared wording names a cosmetic use. It is cleared for general dermatological procedures for electrocoagulation and hemostasis, which is surgical language for sealing tissue and stopping bleeding. It is cleared separately for the percutaneous treatment of facial wrinkles, meaning through the skin (K240070, July 2024).
The other applicators on the Profound Matrix carry their own wording. Sublative RF is cleared for ablation and resurfacing of the skin and for facial wrinkles. Sublime is cleared for non-invasive wrinkle treatment. Acne scars appear in none of them, and cellulite belongs to a different Candela product entirely.
The original Profound System was cleared in September 2016 under a different FDA product category from Matrix Pro, and it uses temperature sensors that hold tissue between 65 and 75 degrees Celsius.
Morpheus8
Morpheus8's cleared wording names no cosmetic use. It reads electrocoagulation and hemostasis (K192695, December 2019), then coagulation or contraction of soft tissue (K231790, July 2023).
Compare the total cost
Matrix Pro
Ask for the exact Matrix Pro treatment plan, number of visits, area and numbing costs.
Morpheus8
Ask for Morpheus8 pricing for the same area and goal, with all planned visits and follow-up included.
Common questions
Questions Patients Ask
Is Matrix Pro the same as Profound?
No, and this is the most common mix-up. The original Profound System is a separate product cleared in September 2016 with temperature sensors and its own wrinkle and cellulite indications. Matrix Pro is a newer applicator on the Profound Matrix platform, filed under a different FDA product category, with impedance monitoring instead. They share a family name and little else.
Is Matrix Pro FDA cleared for wrinkles when Morpheus8 is not?
Yes, and that is a genuine difference. Matrix Pro's cleared text names the percutaneous treatment of facial wrinkles in Fitzpatrick skin types I to IV. Morpheus8's clearances name no cosmetic use at all. It means that indication was reviewed, not that a lasting result was demonstrated.
Which one goes deeper?
Morpheus8. Matrix Pro is documented to 3.5 mm; Morpheus8's manual lists up to 7 mm on its largest tips. Whether that matters depends on whether your plan involves working below the dermis.
Can Matrix Pro do ablative resurfacing too?
Not the needle applicator. Ablation and resurfacing on that platform are the Sublative RF applicator's cleared job. If a package is sold as ablative plus radiofrequency, ask which applicator does which part, and on which visit.
Which has more published evidence?
Neither has device-specific trial evidence. No published study names Matrix Pro or Profound Matrix, and Morpheus8 has 16 PubMed records with no randomised controlled trial. The research supporting this treatment was generated largely on Lutronic, Jeisys, Pollogen and Lumenis machines.
Is either better for deeper skin tones?
Neither has been shown better, because they have never been compared. Their paperwork differs, and not in the way you might expect. Matrix Pro's wrinkle indication is limited to Fitzpatrick skin types I to IV outright, at any energy - deeper skin tones are outside that indication however conservatively it is set. Morpheus8's limit is conditional: above 62 millijoules per pin the applicator is limited to skin types I to IV, and below that threshold it is not. (The 62 mJ/pin rule on the Profound Matrix platform belongs to a different applicator, Sublative RF, not to Matrix Pro.) Across this class, lower energy, lower density and a test area first are the accepted approach in deeper skin tones - and neither of these is a statement that either device works better.
Safety to keep in mind
RF microneedling can cause serious injury. The FDA has received reports of burns, scarring, loss of fat, nerve damage and disfigurement. Some injuries have needed surgery or other medical treatment. A few days of expected redness is not the full risk picture.
Choose a licensed medical professional trained on the device. Discuss the risks and other treatment options before deciding. RF microneedling should not be done at home.