Microcurrent vs Laser, Which One Suits Your Skin
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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Laser treatments work on the skin itself, targeting texture, lines, pigment and redness, often with downtime, while microcurrent works on the facial muscles for a firmer, more lifted look with no downtime, so they solve different problems.
This comparison covers what you need to decide, such as:
- what each treatment targets
- downtime and comfort
- cost and how often you need it
- which suits your concern
- how to combine them safely
and many more!
We make microcurrent devices, and we send readers to a laser provider whenever the skin itself is the main concern.
Key Points:
Lasers deliver light energy into the skin, while microcurrent passes a low electrical current to the muscles underneath.
Lasers target skin texture, fine lines, pigment, redness and scarring; microcurrent targets muscle tone for a lifted look.
Many laser treatments involve redness, peeling or downtime; microcurrent has none.
Laser is usually a series of clinic sessions spaced weeks apart; microcurrent works through frequent sessions, often at home.
Wait until the skin has fully healed after a laser treatment before restarting microcurrent, and follow your provider's advice.
How each one works
Laser
A laser delivers concentrated light energy into the skin. Depending on the type, it removes or heats skin layers to prompt renewal, or targets pigment or blood vessels.
Microcurrent
A device passes a very low current through the skin into the facial muscles, which gives a firmer, more lifted look with regular use. See our article on what a microcurrent device is.
What each one targets
Laser targets the skin itself, such as texture, fine lines, sun damage, pigment, redness and acne scarring.
Microcurrent targets muscle tone, most visibly along the jaw, cheeks and brows. It does not change pigment or texture.
Downtime and comfort
Many laser treatments cause redness, swelling, peeling or crusting for days, and deeper lasers need longer recovery.
Microcurrent has no downtime, and most people feel a light tingle or nothing. See our article on what microcurrent feels like.
Cost and frequency
Laser is usually a clinic series spaced weeks apart, with results that build over months.
Microcurrent works through frequent sessions, four or five a week to start, which a home device makes practical. A randomized controlled trial by Kavanagh and colleagues, published in 2012, measured results after twelve weeks of regular use.
Which suits your concern
Uneven tone, sun spots, redness or rough texture, a laser consultation.
A softer jawline or a slight drop in the cheeks and brows, microcurrent.
Both, a combination plan, starting with your laser provider's advice.
Microcurrent compared with other energy treatments is in our microcurrent vs radiofrequency article.
How to combine them safely
Do not use microcurrent on skin that is still red, swollen, peeling or tender after a laser treatment.
Restart once your skin has fully healed and your provider agrees, beginning on a low level. See our article on microcurrent after other treatments.
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
Is microcurrent better than laser
They do different jobs. Laser works on the skin's texture, tone and lines, while microcurrent works on muscle tone.
Can you do microcurrent after laser
Yes, once your skin has fully healed and your provider agrees.
Does microcurrent have downtime like laser
No. Microcurrent has no downtime.
Can microcurrent replace laser for pigment
No. Microcurrent does not change pigment or sun spots.
Can I combine microcurrent and laser
Yes. Many people use laser for skin concerns and microcurrent for muscle tone, spacing them as their provider advises.
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.