Can Microcurrent Make Wrinkles Worse
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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There is no good evidence that microcurrent causes wrinkles or deepens lines, but dragging dry skin, using too high a level around expression lines or letting the gel dry out can leave skin looking irritated or creased for a while, which is easy to avoid with the right technique.
This article answers the worry directly, such as:
- where the worry comes from
- what microcurrent actually does to the muscle
- the habits that can make skin look worse
- how to use it around expression lines
- what to do if you notice a change
and many more!
We make microcurrent devices and hear this question often from people who also use Botox.
Key Points:
Microcurrent works at a level well below visible muscle contraction, so it does not train frown lines deeper.
No published study has shown microcurrent causing wrinkles.
Dragging the device over dry skin pulls and stretches it, so always use a generous layer of gel.
Use upward and outward strokes and keep the level low around the forehead and frown lines.
Redness or creasing after a session that fades within hours is irritation, not new wrinkles.
Where the worry comes from
The concern usually goes like this. Wrinkles come partly from repeated muscle movement, so if a device works the facial muscles, might it make expression lines deeper? It is a fair question, especially for people who use Botox to relax the forehead.
The answer depends on what kind of stimulation you mean. Microcurrent works at a very low level, usually felt as a light tingle or nothing at all, and it does not make the face visibly scrunch the way frowning or squinting does. Visible contraction is the territory of EMS, explained in our microcurrent vs EMS article.
What the evidence says
No published study we know of reports microcurrent causing new wrinkles. A randomized controlled trial by Kavanagh and colleagues, published in 2012, measured the effect of facial electrical stimulation after twelve weeks of regular use and reported improvements, not worsening. Our summary of the wider research is in our article on what the research says.
What it can and cannot do for existing lines is in our microcurrent and wrinkles article.
Habits that can make skin look worse
| Habit | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Gliding over dry skin | Pulls and stretches the skin | Use a thick layer of gel and reapply |
| Pressing hard | Drags skin downward | Light pressure, let the device glide |
| Too high a level near lines | Sharp feel, squinting, irritation | Lower the level around the eyes and forehead |
| Downward strokes | Works against the lift | Glide upward and outward |
| Skipping moisturizer | Skin looks dry and lined | Hydrate after every session |
Using it around expression lines
On the forehead, glide from the brows up toward the hairline. Between the brows, use short upward passes on a low level. Around the eyes, follow the bony rim, never the eyelid.
If you use Botox, many people keep using microcurrent elsewhere on the face and follow their injector's timing for the treated area, as explained in our microcurrent with Botox and fillers article. Forehead technique is in our microcurrent for forehead lines article.
If you notice a change
Faint creasing or redness straight after a session that fades within a few hours is almost always surface irritation from dry gel or pressure. Add more gel, lower the level and moisturize afterward.
If a change lasts more than a day, stop and see a dermatologist. Normal and abnormal sensations are explained in our article on whether microcurrent should sting.
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 three minutes per side of the face as the sweet spot, and no more than five minutes per side, ten minutes in total, 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
Can microcurrent cause wrinkles
There is no good evidence that it does. It works below the level of visible muscle contraction.
Can microcurrent make forehead lines worse
Not when used correctly. Use plenty of gel, a low level and upward strokes on the forehead.
Does microcurrent cancel out Botox
Follow your injector's timing for the treated area; many people continue microcurrent elsewhere on the face.
Why does my skin look creased after microcurrent
Usually dry gel or too much pressure. It fades within hours; add more gel next time.
Is EMS more likely to deepen lines than microcurrent
EMS makes muscles visibly contract, so use it with care around expression lines and follow your device's instructions.
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.