Microcurrent vs Nanocurrent, What Is the Difference
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
Read bio
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
Read bio
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
Read bio
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
Read bio
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.
Share
Nanocurrent is a far lower current than microcurrent, measured in billionths rather than millionths of an amp, and is used as the gentlest setting for sensitive skin and areas, while microcurrent is the main setting for toning the facial muscles.
This article explains both in plain terms, such as:
- what the units mean
- how each one feels
- what each is used for
- what the evidence covers
- which devices offer both
and many more!
Our devices start at nanocurrent on level 1 and microcurrent on level 2, so we use both every day.
Key Points:
Microcurrent is measured in microamps, millionths of an amp, while nanocurrent is measured in nanoamps, billionths of an amp.
One microamp equals 1,000 nanoamps, so nanocurrent is a far lower current.
Most people feel nothing at all from nanocurrent, and a light tingle or nothing from microcurrent.
The published evidence on facial muscle toning concerns electrical stimulation strong enough to work the muscle, not nanocurrent on its own.
ZIIP HALO and our devices offer both on the same device.
The units, in plain terms
An amp is the standard unit of electrical current. A microamp is one millionth of an amp, and a nanoamp is one billionth.
So one microamp is 1,000 nanoamps. A device working at 500 nanoamps delivers half a microamp. More on the units is in our microamps explainer.
What microcurrent is
Microcurrent is the main setting on most facial toning devices, typically delivered in the tens to hundreds of microamps.
It works the facial muscles for a firmer, more lifted look with regular use. How it works is in our article on what a microcurrent device is.
What nanocurrent is
Nanocurrent is an even lower current, in the nanoamp range. ZIIP popularized it in facial devices, and reviewers report the HALO 2.0 starts at 900 nanoamps.
Brands position nanocurrent as a gentle setting for sensitive skin and delicate areas such as around the eyes.
How each one feels
Nanocurrent is usually felt as nothing at all.
Microcurrent is felt as a light tingle or nothing, and more strongly near the jaw and teeth.
EMS, a stronger setting again, produces a visible muscle contraction. See our EMS versus microcurrent article.
What the evidence covers
A randomized controlled trial by Kavanagh and colleagues, published in 2012, studied facial electrical stimulation strong enough to work the muscle. That is the strongest evidence for a firmer, more lifted look.
Evidence specifically on nanocurrent for facial results is much thinner, so treat it as the gentlest setting rather than the main one. The research is summarized in our research summary.
When to use each
Nanocurrent
For sensitive skin, for the eye area and for anyone new to facial current who wants to start gently. See our eye area article.
Microcurrent
For the main toning work on the jaw, cheeks, forehead and brows.
EMS
For a stronger, visible contraction once you are comfortable with microcurrent.
Devices that offer both
ZIIP HALO combines nanocurrent and microcurrent. See our ZIIP HALO 2 review.
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.
Which brands carry which technologies is set out in our article on which brands carry microcurrent.
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 the difference between microcurrent and nanocurrent
Nanocurrent is measured in billionths of an amp and microcurrent in millionths, so nanocurrent is a far lower current.
Is nanocurrent better than microcurrent
Not for muscle toning. The published evidence covers stimulation strong enough to work the muscle. Nanocurrent suits sensitive skin and delicate areas.
Can you feel nanocurrent
Usually not. Most people feel nothing at all.
How many nanoamps are in a microamp
One microamp equals 1,000 nanoamps.
Which devices have nanocurrent
ZIIP HALO and our PureLift devices, where level 1 is nanocurrent.
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.