Best Non-Surgical Face Lift Treatment, Every Option Compared

Medically reviewed by

4 independent reviewers

Andrew Conrad Barile, PT, DPT

Andrew Conrad Barile, PT, DPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) | Licensed Physical Therapist (PT) | CEO and Founder, Xtreem Pulse LLC

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Dr. Andrew Conrad Barile is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and the CEO and Founder of Xtreem Pulse LLC, the engineering company behind PureLift. He earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Daemen College and is a licensed physical therapist.

He brings over two decades of clinical and entrepreneurial experience across physical therapy, craniosacral therapy and medical device innovation, built on a working knowledge of human anatomy and muscle physiology.

For PureLift LAB he reviews how current is delivered across all ten levels, from sub-sensory nanocurrent and skin-level microcurrent to motor-level EMS, and how the Infuse pass fits into the same ten-minute routine.

Bertica M. Rubio, M.D.

Bertica M. Rubio, M.D.

Board-Certified Physician, Dartmouth Medical School | Medical Director, Antiaging Regenerative Medicine Clinic

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Dr. Bertica M. Rubio is a board-certified physician and Medical Director of the Antiaging Regenerative Medicine Clinic in Redlands, California. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from Dartmouth Medical School and completed her pediatrics residency at UC Irvine Medical Center.

With decades of clinical experience, she specialises in age management medicine, regenerative medicine, wound healing and growth factor therapies, and her practice integrates evidence-based medical science with advanced aesthetic treatment.

For PureLift LAB she reviews articles for medical accuracy across the whole dial, from the gentle nanocurrent and microcurrent settings through to muscle-level EMS and the Infuse pass.

Daniel Grinberg, MD, FACS

Daniel Grinberg, MD, FACS

Board-Certified Otolaryngologist | Head and Neck Surgeon | Fellow, American College of Surgeons | Mount Sinai

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Daniel Grinberg, MD, FACS is a board-certified otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon at ENT and Allergy Associates in West Nyack, New York. He earned his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

He completed his otolaryngology residency at New York University Medical Center, serves as Assistant Clinical Professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and is a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Otolaryngology.

For PureLift LAB he brings a wider clinical lens, connecting at-home facial stimulation from microcurrent to EMS to the anatomy underneath, with the same rigour we apply to every device specification.

Prof. Dr. med. Ivo Buschmann

Prof. Dr. med. Ivo Buschmann

Chair of Angiology, Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg | Clinic Director, University Clinic for Angiology

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Prof. Dr. med. Ivo Buschmann is Chair of Angiology at the Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane and Clinic Director of the University Clinic for Angiology at the Brandenburg University Hospital.

He trained at the University of Hamburg, was a Max Planck Society Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, and held senior consultant posts at the Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin before his appointment as Chair in 2016.

One of Europe's leading authorities on arteriogenesis, with over 150 peer-reviewed publications and US and EU patents, he reviews for PureLift LAB how the evidence on electrical stimulation is read and where its limits lie.

What's This About:

The best non-surgical face lift depends on your concern: at-home devices suit muscle tone and a lifted look, clinic energy treatments suit skin tightening, injectables suit lines and volume, and creams and massage support skin quality.

This guide compares every option, such as:

- creams and serums

- facial massage

- at-home devices

- clinic energy treatments

- injectables

and many more!

We make PureLift at-home devices, so we have been clear about where other options do better.

Key Points:

No single non-surgical option does everything a surgical face lift does.

At-home devices with microcurrent and EMS tone the facial muscles for a lifted look with no downtime.

Clinic radiofrequency and ultrasound treatments target skin tightening.

Injectables relax lines or restore volume and need a qualified injector.

Many people combine options, such as injectables with an at-home device.

The options at a glance

Option Best for Downtime Cost
Creams and serums Skin quality None Low, ongoing
Facial massage Puffiness, relaxation None Low
At-home devices Muscle tone, lifted look None One-time
Clinic energy treatments Skin tightening Minimal to some High per session
Injectables Lines, volume Minimal High, repeated

At-home devices

Microcurrent and EMS tone the facial muscles for a firmer, more lifted look. A randomized controlled trial by Kavanagh and colleagues, published in 2012, measured facial electrical stimulation over twelve weeks.

Every PureLift model runs nanocurrent at level 1, microcurrent at level 2 and EMS from level 3 to 10 on one dial, plus an Infuse pass, with a ten minute session and no more than three minutes per side of the face, and works with any water-based conductive serum.

Clinic treatments

Radiofrequency and ultrasound heat deeper skin layers. See our microcurrent vs radiofrequency article and our EMS vs radiofrequency article.

Injectables

Neuromodulators and fillers do different jobs. How devices fit alongside them is in our botox and fillers article.

How to choose

Muscle tone and a lifted look: an at-home device.

Loose skin: a clinic consultation.

Lines and volume: a qualified injector.

Cost comparisons are in our cost comparison.

Model Price Output FDA 510(k) Best for
PureLift Face $499 Up to 7 mA at 500 ohms K190269 Compact, the simplest way into the range
PureLift Pro $699 Up to 7 mA at 500 ohms K230506 Larger handle for longer home sessions
PureLift Pro Edition $799 Up to 7.7 mA at 500 ohms K230506 More output on the Pro body
PureLift Pro Plus $899 Up to 9 mA at 500 ohms K221443 Our strongest output
PureLift GLOW $999 Up to 9 mA at 500 ohms K243587 Adds red 634 nm and blue 465 nm light

Do not use any facial current device if you have a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device, if you are pregnant or if you have epilepsy, and skip broken or irritated skin. The full list is in our safety article.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best non-surgical face lift

It depends on your concern: devices for muscle tone, clinic treatments for skin tightening, injectables for lines and volume.

Do at-home face lift devices work

With regular use they can give a firmer, more lifted look by toning the facial muscles.

Is there a non-surgical face lift with no downtime

At-home devices and massage have no downtime.

Can I combine a device with injectables

Yes, with your injector's advice on timing.

How long do non-surgical face lift results last

Device results are maintained with regular use; clinic and injectable results vary by treatment.

This article sits inside our full map of the category, where we set out all 33 devices we track, what each one carries and what each brand publishes: Nine Technologies on One Dial, What the Rest of the Market Actually Carries.

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