Where Not to Use Microcurrent on Your Face and Neck
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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Avoid the eyelids and eyeball, the front of the neck over the thyroid, the inside of the lips and nose, broken or inflamed skin and freshly treated areas, and never use a device over or near an implanted electronic device such as a pacemaker.
This guide maps the no-go and go-gently zones, such as:
- the eyelids and the eyeball
- the front of the neck
- the lips, nostrils and inside the mouth
- broken skin, active breakouts and rashes
- recent filler, toxin and procedure sites
and many more!
We make microcurrent devices and include these zones in our own instructions, so here they are in one place.
Key Points:
Work along the bony orbit around the eyes, never on the eyelid or over the eyeball.
Avoid gliding directly over the front of the neck, where the thyroid sits, unless your device brand says otherwise.
Stay on the skin, never on the inside of the lips, the nostrils or other mucous membranes.
Skip broken, irritated or infected skin and active breakouts until they heal.
Wait after injectables or procedures until your provider says the area is ready.
Why some areas need care
Microcurrent is gentle, but a current always takes the easiest path between two contact points. Over thin skin, delicate structures or broken skin, the same level that feels like nothing on the cheek can feel sharp, and in a few places it is simply not where the current should go.
Knowing the zones lets you use your device with confidence everywhere else. The full map of where to glide is in our guide to where to use microcurrent on the face and our microcurrent facial diagram.
The eyelids and eyeball
The eyelid skin is the thinnest on the face, and the eye itself is not a target for current. Work along the bony rim of the eye socket instead, on a low level, with plenty of gel and short passes.
If you see flashes of light or feel the current in the eye, move further from it and lower the level. Our eye area guide is in our microcurrent for the eye area article.
The front of the neck
The thyroid gland and major blood vessels sit at the front and sides of the neck. Most brands advise against gliding directly over the front of the throat, and a known thyroid condition is a reason to ask your doctor first.
Neck work should follow the side of the jaw and the area under the chin, with upward strokes away from the windpipe. Details are in our microcurrent for neck and chest article and our thyroid, pacemaker and implants article.
Lips, nostrils and the mouth
Stay on the outer skin. The inside of the lips, the nostrils and other mucous membranes conduct very easily, which can make the sensation sharp. Work around the mouth on the skin above and below the lip line instead.
If you notice a metallic taste or buzzing teeth near the mouth, see our article on why microcurrent affects the teeth.
Broken skin, breakouts and rashes
Current concentrates where the skin barrier is broken, so cuts, scratches, active cystic breakouts, cold sores, eczema flares and sunburn should be skipped until they heal. Work around the area rather than over it.
Acne and sensitive skin are covered in our microcurrent and acne article and our sensitive skin and rosacea article.
Freshly treated areas
After filler, toxin, laser, peels, microneedling or surgery, follow your provider's timing before using a device on that area. Gentle current is unlikely to move a settled filler, but fresh injections and healing skin should be left alone.
Timings are in our microcurrent with Botox and fillers article and our article on microcurrent after other treatments.
Implants and whole-body cautions
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Pacemaker or other implanted electronic device | Do not use a facial current device |
| Metal plates or screws in the face | Ask your surgeon first |
| Pregnancy | Do not use |
| Epilepsy | Do not use |
| Known tumor in the area | Do not use over it, ask your doctor |
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
Where should you not use microcurrent
On the eyelids or eyeball, directly over the front of the neck, inside the lips or nose, on broken or inflamed skin and on freshly treated areas.
Can I use microcurrent on my eyelids
No. Work along the bony rim of the eye socket instead, on a low level.
Can I use microcurrent on my neck
Yes, along the jaw and under the chin with upward strokes, avoiding the front of the throat over the thyroid.
Can I use microcurrent on my lips
Use it on the skin around the lips, not on the inside of the lips.
Can I use microcurrent over a pimple
Skip active, open or inflamed breakouts and work around them.
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.