How Facial Muscles Help Move Fluid Through the Face
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.
Prof. Dr. med. Ivo Buschmann
Chair of Angiology, Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg | Clinic Director, University Clinic for Angiology, Brandenburg University Hospital | Former Senior Consultant, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Prof. Dr. med. Ivo Buschmann is Chair of Angiology at the Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane (MHB) and Clinic Director of the University Clinic for Angiology at the Brandenburg University Hospital. He completed his medical training at the University of Hamburg, served as a Max-Planck Society Fellow at the Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, and held senior consultant positions at the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Virchow before being appointed Chair at MHB in 2016.
Prof. Buschmann is one of Europe's leading authorities on arteriogenesis — the flow-driven growth and remodeling of blood vessels — with more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and several US and EU patents on devices that stimulate collateral blood vessel growth through controlled shear-rate therapy. His research connects mechanical and electrical stimulation to vascular adaptation, microcirculation, and tissue perfusion.
Prof. Buschmann's contributions bring PureLift LAB readers a vascular-biology perspective that complements our existing clinical, physical-therapy, and surgical-anatomy authorship — explaining how EMS stimulation engages not only facial muscles but also the microcirculation that supplies them, and why smart delivery matters at the level of blood flow as much as muscle contraction.
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When we talk about facial muscles, the typical association is expression — smile, frown, raise eyebrows. Less discussed is their role in fluid dynamics. Every contraction the facial muscles produce creates pressure changes in the surrounding tissue, and those pressure changes contribute to the movement of fluid through the face's small-vessel circulation and lymphatic channels.
The short version
- Facial muscle contractions produce small pressure changes in surrounding soft tissue.
- Those pressure changes support both microcirculation and lymphatic flow.
- Voluntary expressions, chewing, and talking all contribute to this effect throughout the day.
- EMS-supported contraction-relaxation cycling adds more consistent, repetitive activation in a controlled session.
The mechanics of muscle-driven fluid movement
A contracting muscle slightly enlarges in cross-section and shortens in length. The expansion pushes against neighboring soft tissue. The space inside that tissue contains capillaries (small blood vessels) and lymphatic channels (small vessels carrying interstitial fluid back toward systemic circulation).
When the muscle relaxes, the pressure decreases and the tissue returns to baseline. The repeated cycle of pressure-up, pressure-down produces a gentle pumping effect on the small vessels in the surrounding tissue.
This is why physical activity is so beneficial for circulation everywhere in the body — and the same principle applies in miniature in the face.
Which facial muscles matter most
The larger and more centrally-located facial muscles contribute the most to fluid dynamics:
- Masseter (jaw closing) — large, deep, active during chewing
- Zygomaticus major and minor (cheek lifting) — active during smiling
- Orbicularis oris (around the mouth) — active during talking and lip movement
- Frontalis (forehead) — active during eyebrow raising
- Platysma (front of neck, connects to lower face) — active during certain expressions and neck movement
Smaller muscles contribute less but cumulatively matter. The orbicularis oculi (around the eyes) is small but its blinking-driven cycling supports the eye-area circulation throughout the day.
What happens when facial muscle activity is low
Long screen sessions, sleep, and quiet sedentary periods involve minimal facial muscle activation. Without the contraction-relaxation cycling, the gentle pumping effect on surrounding fluid pauses. The visible result over hours: more accumulated fluid, less defined contours, a less "alive" complexion.
This is why the face often looks softer after a long stationary period — and why brief activation (talking, exercise, a 10-minute PureLift session) can visibly restore the more defined look.
How PureLift fits
PureLift's randomized PDM provides controlled contraction-relaxation cycling across many of the major facial muscles for the full session. The cycling is more consistent and rhythmic than voluntary expression — every cycle delivers the pressure changes that support fluid movement.
The session's 10-minute duration provides cumulative cycling that voluntary movement during the same period wouldn't necessarily match.
What the published evidence supports
Omatsu et al. (2024) documented blood-flow improvements during facial NMES sessions, alongside the cosmetic-outcome improvements over 8 weeks. The flow effect is part of what makes the visible session-after-session result work.
The honest framing
PureLift supports fluid movement through facial muscle activation; it does not "drain lymph" in a medical sense or "treat" any specific condition. The cosmetic effect — visible depuffing and brighter complexion — is the practical reason users come back to the device.
The bottom line
Facial muscles are part of the body's fluid-movement machinery, not just expression-makers. Each contraction supports microcirculation and lymphatic flow in the surrounding tissue. PureLift's contraction-relaxation cycling provides a controlled, consistent version of that activation in a 10-minute session, supporting the visible depuffing and brighter look.
For the more detailed mechanism, see The Contraction-Relaxation Cycle.
References: Omatsu J et al. (2024), J Cosmet Dermatol 23(10):3222-3233, PMID 38992992.