Is NuFACE Microcurrent or EMS, What the Device Uses

Medically reviewed by

4 independent reviewers

Andrew Conrad Barile, PT, DPT

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.

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

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

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.

What's This About:

NuFACE devices use microcurrent, a very low current designed to tone the facial muscles, not EMS, which produces visible contractions, and not radiofrequency, which heats the skin; the TRINITY+ adds red light only through its Wrinkle Reducer attachment.

This article clears up the confusion, such as:

- what NuFACE uses

- how microcurrent differs from EMS

- how both differ from radiofrequency

- what each one feels like

- devices that combine microcurrent and EMS

and many more!

We make PureLift, a competing device, so every detail about other brands comes from their own pages and published reviews.

Key Points:

NuFACE describes its devices as microcurrent devices.

Microcurrent is measured in microamps and is usually felt as a light tingle or nothing at all.

EMS uses stronger current that produces a visible muscle contraction.

Radiofrequency heats the deeper skin layers and is a different technology altogether.

Some devices, including ours, combine microcurrent and EMS on one dial.

What NuFACE uses

NuFACE describes its MINI+, TRINITY+ and FIX as microcurrent devices. The TRINITY+ adds red light only through the LED Wrinkle Reducer attachment. See our NuFACE attachments guide.

NuFACE does not publish the output of its devices.

Every figure comes from the brand's own website or listings, checked in October 2026. Prices change often, so confirm before you buy.

Microcurrent vs EMS

Microcurrent EMS
Strength Microamps, millionths of an amp Milliamps, thousandths of an amp
What you feel Light tingle or nothing Visible muscle contraction
Typical use Gentle toning, daily routines Stronger muscle work

The full comparison is in our EMS versus microcurrent article.

Microcurrent vs radiofrequency

Radiofrequency heats the deeper layers of the skin and is used for tightening. It is not what NuFACE uses. See our microcurrent vs radiofrequency article.

Why people ask

Some multi-mode devices, such as the Medicube Booster Pro, combine microcurrent with EMS and other modes, which makes the categories blur. See Medicube Booster Pro vs NuFACE.

Which is better for you

Microcurrent suits a gentle daily routine.

EMS suits people who want a stronger, visible contraction.

Neither tightens loose skin. The evidence is in our research summary.

Devices that combine both

We make PureLift, so weigh this accordingly. Our devices run nanocurrent at level 1, microcurrent at level 2 and EMS from level 3 to 10 on one dial, publish their output at a stated load, up to 7 mA at 500 ohms on PureLift Face, and work with any water-based conductive serum.

Our comparison with NuFACE is in PureLift vs NuFACE.

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 NuFACE microcurrent or EMS

NuFACE describes its devices as microcurrent devices, not EMS.

Is NuFACE radiofrequency

No. Radiofrequency heats the skin, while NuFACE uses microcurrent.

Does NuFACE make your muscles twitch

Usually not. Microcurrent is felt as a light tingle or nothing, while EMS produces visible contractions.

Does NuFACE have red light

Only through the TRINITY+ LED Wrinkle Reducer attachment.

Is EMS stronger than NuFACE

EMS uses stronger current than microcurrent and produces a visible contraction.

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.

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