Microcurrent vs Ultrasonic Facial Devices, What Each One Actually Does
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 devices pass a low electrical current into the facial muscles for a firmer, more lifted look, while ultrasonic devices use high-frequency sound vibration on the skin's surface to cleanse, exfoliate or massage, so they solve different problems and can be used in the same routine.
This comparison covers what you need to decide, such as:
- how electrical current and sound vibration differ
- the three kinds of ultrasonic device on the market
- what each one can and cannot change on your face
- how clinic ultrasound such as HIFU fits in
- the right order if you own both
and many more!
We make microcurrent devices and do not sell an ultrasonic tool, so we explain both and say where each one wins.
Key Points:
Microcurrent is an electrical current; ultrasonic devices use sound waves above the range of human hearing.
Ultrasonic skin scrubbers loosen dead skin and debris, and ultrasonic massagers are sold to help skincare feel absorbed.
Neither home ultrasonic tool works on muscle tone, which is what microcurrent is used for.
Clinic HIFU, such as Ultherapy, is a different, much stronger form of ultrasound that heats deep tissue.
If you own both, cleanse with the ultrasonic tool first, then use microcurrent with a water-based gel.
Why these two devices get confused
Both are small handheld tools, both are glided over a gel or serum, and both are often marketed with the same promise of a fresher, firmer face. The technology behind them, however, is completely different, and the difference decides what each one can do for you.
A microcurrent device sends a very low electrical current through the skin to the muscles underneath. An ultrasonic device converts electricity into vibration, and that vibration, at a frequency too high for you to hear, is what touches your skin. No current reaches your muscles at all.
The three kinds of ultrasonic device
Ultrasonic skin scrubbers
These flat metal spatulas vibrate against damp skin to loosen dead cells, oil and debris from pores. They are a cleansing and exfoliating tool, and they work on the surface only.
Ultrasonic facial massagers
These round-headed wands are sold to massage the skin and help serums feel absorbed. The vibration is gentle, and the claims are usually about skin feel rather than measured change.
Clinic high-intensity focused ultrasound
HIFU, such as Ultherapy, focuses ultrasound energy into tiny points deep under the skin to heat tissue and prompt tightening over months. It is a medical treatment in a clinic, not a home gadget, and we compare it with microcurrent in our microcurrent vs Ultherapy and Morpheus8 article.
Side by side
| Microcurrent device | Ultrasonic scrubber or massager | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Low electrical current | Sound vibration |
| Works on | Facial muscle tone | Skin surface |
| Main use | A firmer, more lifted look | Cleansing, exfoliating, massage |
| Feel | A light tingle or nothing | A faint buzz or warmth |
| How often | Four or five sessions a week to start | Scrubber once or twice a week |
How microcurrent works from the first session is explained in our article on what a microcurrent device is.
What each one can change
An ultrasonic scrubber can leave skin smoother and makeup sitting better, because it clears what is sitting on the surface. It cannot lift a cheek or define a jawline, because it never works the muscle that holds those contours.
Microcurrent works the opposite way round. Regular sessions give a firmer, more toned look along the jaw, cheeks and brows, 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. Microcurrent does not exfoliate or clean pores.
Using both in one routine
Start with the ultrasonic scrubber on clean, damp skin, then rinse and pat dry. Apply a generous layer of water-based conductive gel and run your microcurrent session, then remove the gel and finish with your serum and moisturizer.
Keep the scrubber to once or twice a week if your skin is sensitive, and skip both tools on broken or irritated skin. The full order for every product is in our microcurrent before or after skincare article.
Can you use ultrasound gel for microcurrent? Often yes, and we explain when in our ultrasound gel article.
Which one should you buy
If clogged pores, dullness or rough texture bother you most, an ultrasonic scrubber is the cheaper, simpler answer.
If a softer jawline, flatter cheeks or heavier brows bother you most, microcurrent is the tool that works on the cause. 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
Is ultrasonic the same as microcurrent
No. Ultrasonic devices use sound vibration on the skin's surface, while microcurrent uses a low electrical current that reaches the facial muscles.
Can an ultrasonic device lift the face
A home ultrasonic scrubber or massager does not work on muscle tone, so it is not a lifting tool. Clinic HIFU is a different, much stronger treatment.
Should I use ultrasonic or microcurrent first
Use the ultrasonic scrubber first on clean skin, rinse, then apply conductive gel and use microcurrent.
Can I use ultrasound gel with microcurrent
Usually, if it is plain and water-based, but keep it wet and reapply often.
How often can I use an ultrasonic skin scrubber
Once or twice a week suits most skin, less if your skin is sensitive.
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.