Microcurrent for Cellulite and Body Contouring, What It Can Do
Medically reviewed by
4 independent reviewers
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.
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
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
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.
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Microcurrent does not remove fat or the fibrous bands that cause cellulite, so on its own it is not a cellulite or slimming treatment, although body EMS can tone muscle and massage-based treatments can temporarily smooth the look of the skin.
This guide sets realistic expectations, such as:
- what actually causes cellulite
- what microcurrent and EMS do on the body
- why fat does not melt with current
- treatments with stronger evidence
- how to use a facial device on the neck and chest safely
and many more!
We make facial devices, not body slimming tools, so we explain plainly what current can and cannot do below the jaw.
Key Points:
Cellulite comes from fat pushing up between fibrous bands that tether the skin, which current does not change.
Microcurrent is a very low current used for facial toning; it does not burn or remove fat.
Body EMS can strengthen and tone muscle, which may improve firmness but does not erase cellulite.
Massage, including mechanical and lymphatic massage, can smooth the look of skin temporarily.
For lasting change, discuss options such as subcision-based treatments, acoustic wave therapy or energy-based body treatments with a dermatologist.
What causes cellulite
Cellulite is very common, especially in women, and it is not a sign of being overweight. Under the skin, fat sits in compartments divided by fibrous bands called septa. Where those bands pull the skin down while fat pushes up between them, the surface dimples.
Because the cause is structural, anything that only works on the skin surface or on muscle will struggle to change it for long.
What microcurrent does on the body
Microcurrent sends a very low current through a conductive gel. On the face, regular sessions give a firmer, more toned look, and a randomized controlled trial by Kavanagh and colleagues, published in 2012, measured the effect of facial electrical stimulation after twelve weeks of regular use.
On the body, the larger muscles and thicker tissue mean a facial-strength current has far less to work on, and there is little good evidence that microcurrent changes cellulite. Whether you can use a facial device on the body is covered in our microcurrent on the body article.
Does current burn fat
No. Neither microcurrent nor EMS melts or removes fat. Muscle work uses energy, but not in a way that targets the fat over a particular area. The same question for the face is answered in our microcurrent and facial fat article.
What body EMS can do is make muscle stronger and firmer, which can improve the feel and shape of an area such as the buttocks or abdomen. It does not erase the dimpling of cellulite.
Body options compared
| Option | What it works on | Effect on cellulite |
|---|---|---|
| Microcurrent | Muscle tone at low strength | Little evidence |
| Body EMS | Muscle strength and tone | Firmer feel, dimpling stays |
| Massage and lymphatic drainage | Fluid and surface smoothness | Temporary smoothing |
| Subcision-based treatments | The fibrous bands | Directly targets dimples |
| Acoustic wave and energy-based treatments | Skin and tissue | Gradual improvement for some |
Speak with a board-certified dermatologist about which clinic treatments suit you.
Where a facial device helps below the jaw
A facial device is designed for the face, neck and, on many models, the chest. That is where the current strength and contact size are a good match, and where most people want a firmer, smoother look.
Our guide is in our microcurrent for neck and chest article, and after weight loss the face is covered in our microcurrent after weight loss article.
Our devices run nanocurrent at level 1, microcurrent at level 2 and EMS from level 3 to 10, plus an Infuse pass, on one dial, with a ten minute session and no more than three minutes per side of the face, and they work with any water-based conductive serum.
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
Does microcurrent get rid of cellulite
There is little evidence that it does. Cellulite comes from fibrous bands and fat structure that current does not change.
Can microcurrent slim the body
No. Microcurrent does not remove fat.
Does EMS help cellulite
Body EMS can tone muscle and improve firmness, but it does not erase cellulite dimpling.
Can I use my facial microcurrent device on my body
Facial devices are designed for the face, neck and often the chest. Follow your device's instructions for other areas.
What actually works for cellulite
Treatments that target the fibrous bands, such as subcision-based procedures, have the most direct effect. Ask a dermatologist.
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.