Nasolabial Folds and Laugh Lines, Realistic At-Home Support
About the Authors
Bertica M. Rubio, M.D.
Medical Director, Antiaging Regenerative Medicine Clinic | Board-Certified Physician | Dartmouth Medical School
Dr. Bertica M. Rubio is a board-certified physician and Medical Director of the Antiaging Regenerative Medicine Clinic in Redlands, California. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola Marymount University and her Doctor of Medicine from Dartmouth Medical School (Geisel School of Medicine). She completed her pediatrics residency at UC Irvine Medical Center.
With decades of clinical experience, Dr. Rubio specializes in age management medicine, regenerative medicine, wound healing, and growth factor therapies. Her practice integrates evidence-based medical science with advanced aesthetic and regenerative treatments, helping patients achieve optimal health and youthful vitality.
Dr. Rubio is passionate about educating patients on the science behind skincare, facial rejuvenation, and non-invasive technologies like EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation) for facial toning. Her articles for PureLift LAB combine rigorous medical knowledge with practical guidance for achieving real, lasting results.
Andrew Conrad Barile, PT, DPT
Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT), Licensed Physical Therapist (PT)
Dr. Andrew Conrad Barile is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and the CEO and Founder of Xtreem Pulse LLC. He earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Daemen College and brings over two decades of clinical and entrepreneurial experience in pediatric physical therapy, craniosacral therapy, and medical device innovation. His deep understanding of human anatomy, muscle physiology, and therapeutic technology provides invaluable science-backed approach to facial rejuvenation and anti-aging solutions.
Daniel Grinberg, MD, FACS
Board-Certified Otolaryngologist & Head and Neck Surgeon | Fellow, American College of Surgeons | Assistant Clinical Professor, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Daniel Grinberg, MD, FACS is a Board-Certified Otolaryngologist and Head & Neck Surgeon at ENT and Allergy Associates in West Nyack, NY. He earned his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, completed his Otolaryngology residency at New York University Medical Center, and serves as Assistant Clinical Professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Otolaryngology.
Dr. Grinberg's head-and-neck surgical perspective brings PureLift LAB readers a wider clinical lens — connecting at-home EMS practice to the underlying medical anatomy with the same scientific rigor we apply to every device specification.
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Nasolabial folds are the lines that run from the sides of the nose toward the corners of the mouth. They are normal anatomical boundaries, not defects that can be safely erased at home. They may look deeper as cheek volume shifts, skin changes, facial support evolves, and repeated expression creases the area. PureLift can condition the cheek muscles that help support the midface, but EMS does not fill a fold, replace lost volume, move a fat compartment back into place, or deliver an overnight result.
Why smile lines become more visible
A nasolabial fold reflects the transition between the mobile mouth area and the fuller cheek. Its depth depends on genetics, cheek projection, fat distribution, skin quality, dental and skeletal anatomy, expression, and age. A shallow fold can look deeper under overhead light or when the skin is dehydrated. A pronounced fold at rest may involve volume and structural changes that an electrical device cannot replace.
This is why a serious home plan separates skin quality from structural support. Sunscreen and a tolerable skin-care routine help protect the dermal layer. Hydration can soften the temporary look of dryness. Facial muscle training addresses a different target. If significant volume loss is the main driver, a qualified clinician can explain appropriate options. EMS is not a filler and should never be sold as one.
Train the support under the cheek
The zygomaticus muscles help elevate the mouth and contribute to cheek movement. Facial muscle also changes with age, as documented in a surface electromyography study of facial aging. That study does not show that muscle change alone creates a nasolabial fold, but it supports treating muscle as one component of the visible midface. Controlled EMS can recruit that layer directly.
PureLift calls its approach Next-Gen EMS because the platform spans two electrical territories. Low-amplitude skin support is the stated role of the first two levels, and their exact lowest outputs are engineering estimates pending final bench measurement. Levels 1 and 2 do not add muscle activation. Higher output crosses the motor threshold and produces visible contraction. The lift-related mechanism is the higher-setting EMS, not a vague promise attached to a low-power sensation.
Understand PDM before comparing devices
PDM is the full delivery architecture in every PureLift model. Dynamic Modulation™ cycles through 361 frequencies from 1,370 to 1,730 Hz rather than holding one fixed frequency. Triple-Wave™ layers three simultaneous components, low for surface anaesthetic effect, mid for the dermal layer, and high for deep muscle reach. These are the two trademarked parts of PDM. Glow adds PDM++, a bipolar-pulse evolution; PDM++ should not be attributed to Face, Pro, Pro Edition, or Pro Plus.
Research on electrically stimulated skeletal muscle indicates that activation pattern matters. A study of variable-frequency trains found torque effects independent of stimulation amplitude in its specific experimental setting. It was not a facial or PureLift study. It supports modulation generally, not a claim that PDM guarantees a shallower nasolabial fold or prevents all adaptation. A maximum-current figure without delivery context cannot predict an individual cosmetic outcome. Power matters. Delivery matters more.
What the facial evidence says about this area
A randomized controlled facial NMES study reported an average increase in zygomaticus major thickness after twelve weeks. This is directly relevant to the trainability of a cheek muscle, but the trial used another device and does not prove that PureLift will reduce a fold by a particular amount. A twenty-four-person split-face study of a different high-frequency NMES protocol reported a change in nasolabial fold depth among several measures after eight weeks. The small sample, distinct frequency range, and different equipment rule out a brand-specific promise. The Omatsu endpoints cited here were measured at week eight in a prospective split-face controlled study, not a randomized trial, using a multimodal intervention that combined 40 to 190 kHz fNMES with iontophoresis, LED, and cooling, so the study cannot isolate an fNMES-specific effect. A 2026 correction disclosed that two authors were YA-MAN employees and that YA-MAN supplied the devices and instruments; it stated that the results and conclusions were unchanged.
Conventional facial microcurrent devices operate at 1 to 8 Hz. At their cited microampere outputs, they remain below the motor threshold; a review of microcurrent physiology addresses this low-amplitude category (PMID 36399190). There are also no direct randomized comparisons of PureLift against NuFACE, ZIIP, FOREO, or FaceGym for laugh lines. The responsible commercial argument is mechanistic. Microcurrent-only devices remain below motor contraction at their published outputs. PureLift includes low-amplitude skin-support settings and then continues into motor-level EMS. It covers the rival category and adds real muscle recruitment, without claiming a head-to-head outcome that has not been studied.
How to use EMS around smile lines
Do not drag the probes repeatedly along the crease as though ironing fabric. Use the specified conductive medium and follow the official cheek treatment map so the contraction lifts through the relevant muscle path. Complete the ten-minute session as directed. Increase output only while contact remains even and the contraction feels controlled. Maximum intensity is not a shortcut, and muscle response can differ across sides of the face.
Track the relaxed face in consistent lighting rather than photographing a smile one day and a neutral expression the next. Natural daily variation in hydration, expression, and light can otherwise look like a treatment result. Continue sunscreen and appropriate skin care for the dermal component. If the fold reflects substantial midface volume loss or if the goal is complete removal, get a professional assessment rather than expecting EMS to replace volume.
Choose the model by output and added functions
PureLift Face is $499, with the common PDM engine and lower output. The $699 PureLift Pro is the established mid-range model. PureLift Pro Edition costs $799 and is 10 percent stronger than both Face and Pro. PureLift Pro Plus costs $899, adding a diamond-textured probe and Active plus Infuse modes. PureLift Glow costs $999, includes Active plus Infuse, and adds PDM++ with integrated 634 nm red and 465 nm blue LED. Pro Plus and Glow have a supplied up-to-9 mA maximum. Exact maxima for Face, Pro, and Pro Edition are not supplied. PureLift Pro Plus and Glow share the patented diamond-faceted probe and Active plus Infuse dual modes.
Every model is FDA cleared 510(k) Class II and made in Japan under ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 systems. Buying Face does not mean giving up PDM, while buying Glow adds features that should not be back-attributed to the rest of the range.
The direct recommendation for nasolabial folds
Choose PureLift when the aim is to add genuine cheek-muscle conditioning to an at-home routine. Its low settings cover skin-support territory, and its higher output reaches the motor threshold that microcurrent-only devices do not cross at their stated outputs. Pro Plus is the strongest recommendation for concentrated midface and jawline EMS without paying for LED. Glow is the recommendation when red and blue LED is also part of the desired skin routine. Do not buy either expecting filler-like volume or an erased fold. The defensible goal is a better-supported-looking midface, built through real contraction and paired with care for the skin above it.
Review the current range, instructions, and contraindications at the official PureLift LAB website.