What Is a Microcurrent Device, How It Works and What It 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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A microcurrent device is a handheld tool that sends a very low electrical current, measured in microamps, through the skin to the facial muscles, giving a firmer, more lifted look with regular use over weeks.
This explainer covers the basics, such as:
- what is inside a microcurrent device
- how the current reaches your facial muscles
- what results to expect and when
- the main types of device on the market
- how to use one safely
and many more!
If you are new to microcurrent, start here, then follow the links to the deeper guides.
Key Points:
A microcurrent device has two contact points, a battery, a control circuit and a few intensity levels.
The current is tiny, measured in microamps, millionths of an amp, and most people feel a light tingle or nothing at all.
The visible result is a firmer, more lifted look along the jaw, cheeks and brows after several weeks of regular sessions.
Devices range from simple microcurrent wands to multi-technology devices that add nanocurrent, EMS or LED.
A water-based conductive gel or serum is needed so the current can pass through the skin.
What a microcurrent device is
It is a small, battery-powered handheld device with two metal contact points, often shaped as spheres, prongs or flat plates.
A control circuit inside sets the current and the waveform, and a button or dial lets you choose the intensity.
The device is glided over the face on top of a conductive gel, following set paths along the facial muscles.
How it works
The current
When both contact points touch wet skin, a very low current flows from one to the other, through the skin and into the muscle underneath.
The current is measured in microamps. What those figures mean, and why bigger is not always better, is in our microamps explainer and our article on why more microamps do not mean better results.
The effect on the muscles
Repeated sessions work the facial muscles, which gives a firmer, more toned look over time.
A randomized controlled trial by Kavanagh and colleagues, published in 2012, measured the effect of facial electrical stimulation after twelve weeks of regular use, which is the strongest published evidence in this field.
Why it needs gel
Dry skin resists current, so a water-based conductive gel or serum bridges the gap. See our article on whether microcurrent devices need gel.
What a microcurrent device can do
Give a firmer, more defined jawline after several weeks of regular use.
Give a slightly lifted look across the cheeks and brows.
Give a short-lived lifted, more awake look straight after a session.
The benefits are ranked by evidence in our microcurrent facial benefits article.
What it cannot do
Tighten loose or crepey skin.
Replace lost volume in the cheeks or temples.
Erase deep etched lines, covered in our wrinkles article.
Give permanent results, since the effect fades gradually if you stop.
The main types of microcurrent device
Microcurrent-only devices
Simple devices with three to five levels, such as NuFACE MINI+ and the Skin Gym wand. See our NuFACE Mini review.
Nanocurrent plus microcurrent
Devices such as ZIIP HALO that combine a gentler nanocurrent with microcurrent. See our ZIIP HALO 2 review.
Multi-technology devices
Devices that add EMS, LED or other technologies to microcurrent. 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.
How EMS differs from microcurrent is in our EMS versus microcurrent article.
Professional machines
Tabletop machines used by estheticians in salons. See our professional microcurrent machine guide.
How to use one
Cleanse, apply a thick layer of conductive gel or serum, then glide the device slowly upward and outward along the jaw, cheeks, forehead and brows, holding at the end of each glide.
Most routines use four or five sessions a week for eight to twelve weeks, then two or three a week to maintain.
Step by step technique is in our step by step guide, and the zones are in our microcurrent on face zone guide.
How to choose one
Look for an FDA clearance you can look up, a published output with a stated load, the yearly cost of any required gel and the return policy.
The checklist is in our guide to choosing a toning device, and ten devices are compared in our best microcurrent device for face article.
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 a microcurrent device
A handheld tool that sends a very low current through the skin to the facial muscles, giving a firmer, more lifted look with regular use.
How does a microcurrent device work
Two contact points pass a current measured in microamps through a conductive gel, through the skin and into the facial muscles.
Does a microcurrent device hurt
No. Most people feel a light tingle or nothing at all. Stinging usually means the gel has dried.
How long does a microcurrent device take to work
An immediate lift fades within a day, while lasting change usually shows after four to eight weeks of regular sessions.
Is a microcurrent device safe
For most people, yes. Avoid it with a pacemaker or implanted electronic device, during pregnancy or with epilepsy.
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.