Microcurrent for Frown Lines, What It Can and Cannot Do
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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Microcurrent can give the brow area a slightly lifted, smoother look with regular use, but it does not relax the frowning muscles the way neuromodulators do, so deep frown lines need a different treatment.
This article explains what to expect, such as:
- why frown lines form
- what microcurrent can do for the brow area
- what it cannot do
- how it compares with neuromodulators
- how to work the brow area safely
and many more!
We make microcurrent devices, so we have been plain about where they stop being the right tool.
Key Points:
Frown lines, the vertical lines between the brows, form from years of repeated contraction of the muscles that pull the brows together.
Microcurrent tones muscles rather than relaxing them, which is the opposite of how neuromodulators soften frown lines.
A lifted brow and a smoother-looking forehead are realistic goals with regular use, while erasing deep frown lines is not.
Work the brow by gliding outward and upward from the inner brow, rather than concentrating on the area between the brows.
If you use neuromodulators, ask your provider about timing and placement.
Why frown lines form
Frown lines, sometimes called elevens, are the vertical lines between the brows. They form from years of repeated frowning and squinting, which fold the skin in the same place.
Over time the skin loses some of its ability to bounce back, and the fold becomes a line you can see even when your face is relaxed.
What microcurrent can do
Microcurrent works the facial muscles for a firmer, more lifted look. Around the brows, regular use can give a slightly lifted brow and a more open, smoother-looking upper face.
A randomized controlled trial by Kavanagh and colleagues, published in 2012, measured the effect of facial electrical stimulation after twelve weeks of regular use.
Lifting the brows is covered in our article on hooded eyes.
What microcurrent cannot do
It does not relax the muscles that pull the brows together, which is how neuromodulators soften frown lines.
It does not fill a deep, etched line. Our article on wrinkles in general is in our wrinkles article.
Evidence specifically on microcurrent for frown lines is limited.
Microcurrent vs neuromodulators
Neuromodulators relax the frowning muscles so the skin is not folded as often, which softens frown lines. Microcurrent does a different job, toning muscles for a lifted look.
The two can be combined, but ask your provider about timing and placement. See our microcurrent with botox and fillers article.
How to work the brow area
Start at the inner end of the brow and glide outward along the brow bone toward the temple, holding at the tail.
Glide from the brow straight up toward the hairline across the forehead.
Avoid concentrating repeated passes on the area between the brows.
Stay off the eyelids. The zones are in our microcurrent on face zone guide.
Other habits that help
Wear sunglasses to reduce squinting, use sunscreen daily and notice when you frown at a screen.
Our article on lines around the eyes is in our crow's feet and under eye article.
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.
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
Does microcurrent work on frown lines
It can give the brow area a slightly lifted, smoother look with regular use, but it does not relax the frowning muscles or erase deep lines.
Is microcurrent better than botox for frown lines
They do different jobs. Neuromodulators relax the frowning muscles, while microcurrent tones muscles for a lifted look.
Can microcurrent make frown lines worse
There is no good evidence it does, but avoid concentrating repeated passes between the brows and glide outward and upward instead.
Can I use microcurrent with botox
Yes, with your provider's guidance on timing and placement.
How long does microcurrent take to help the brow area
Most people need several weeks of regular sessions to see a lasting change.
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.