Facial With Microcurrent, What Happens at a Salon Appointment
Medically reviewed by
4 independent reviewers
Andrew Conrad Barile, Fisioterapeuta, Doctor en Terapia Física
Doctorado en Terapia Física (DPT), Fisioterapeuta Licenciado (PT)
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El Dr. Andrew Conrad Barile es Doctor en Terapia Física y CEO y Fundador de Xtreem Pulse LLC. Obtuvo su Doctorado en Terapia Física en Daemen College y aporta más de dos décadas de experiencia clínica y empresarial en terapia física pediátrica, terapia craneosacral e innovación en dispositivos médicos. Su profundo conocimiento de la anatomía humana, la fisiología muscular y la tecnología terapéutica ofrece un enfoque invaluable respaldado por la ciencia para la rejuvenecimiento facial y soluciones antienvejecimiento.
Bertica M. Rubio, M.D.
Director Médico, Clínica de Medicina Regenerativa y Antienvejecimiento | Médico Certificado por la Junta | Escuela de Medicina de Dartmouth
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La Dra. Bertica M. Rubio es una médica certificada y Directora Médica de la Clínica de Medicina Regenerativa y Antienvejecimiento en Redlands, California. Obtuvo su licenciatura en Ciencias en la Universidad Loyola Marymount y su título de Doctora en Medicina en la Escuela de Medicina de Dartmouth (Geisel School of Medicine). Completó su residencia en pediatría en el Centro Médico UC Irvine.
Con décadas de experiencia clínica, la Dra. Rubio se especializa en medicina para el manejo de la edad, medicina regenerativa, cicatrización de heridas y terapias con factores de crecimiento. Su práctica integra la ciencia médica basada en evidencia con tratamientos estéticos y regenerativos avanzados, ayudando a los pacientes a alcanzar una salud óptima y vitalidad juvenil.
La Dra. Rubio siente pasión por educar a los pacientes sobre la ciencia detrás del cuidado de la piel, el rejuvenecimiento facial y las tecnologías no invasivas como EMS (Estimulación Eléctrica Muscular) para el tonificado facial. Sus artículos para PureLift LAB combinan un conocimiento médico riguroso con orientación práctica para lograr resultados reales y duraderos.
Daniel Grinberg, MD, FACS
Otorrinolaringólogo y cirujano de cabeza y cuello certificado | Miembro, Colegio Americano de Cirujanos | Profesor clínico asistente, Escuela de Medicina Mount Sinai
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Daniel Grinberg, MD, FACS, es un otorrinolaringólogo certificado por la junta y cirujano de cabeza y cuello en ENT and Allergy Associates en West Nyack, NY. Obtuvo su título de médico en la Facultad de Médicos y Cirujanos de la Universidad de Columbia, completó su residencia en Otorrinolaringología en el Centro Médico de la Universidad de Nueva York y es profesor clínico asistente en la Escuela de Medicina Mount Sinai. Es miembro de la American College of Surgeons y de la American Academy of Otolaryngology.
La perspectiva quirúrgica de cabeza y cuello del Dr. Grinberg ofrece a los lectores de PureLift LAB una visión clínica más amplia, conectando la práctica de EMS en casa con la anatomía médica subyacente con el mismo rigor científico que aplicamos a cada especificación del dispositivo.
Prof. Dr. med. Ivo Buschmann
Cátedra de Angiología, Hochschule Médica de Brandeburgo | Director de Clínica, Clínica Universitaria de Angiología, Hospital Universitario de Brandeburgo | Ex Consultor Senior, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlín
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El Prof. Dr. med. Ivo Buschmann es Catedrático de Angiología en la Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane (MHB) y Director Clínico de la Clínica Universitaria de Angiología en el Hospital Universitario de Brandeburgo. Completó su formación médica en la Universidad de Hamburgo, fue becario de la Sociedad Max-Planck en el Instituto Max-Planck de Investigación Cardiaca y Pulmonar, y ocupó cargos de consultor senior en la Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Virchow antes de ser nombrado Catedrático en la MHB en 2016.
El Prof. Buschmann es una de las principales autoridades europeas en arteriogénesis — el crecimiento y remodelación de los vasos sanguíneos impulsados por el flujo — con más de 150 publicaciones revisadas por pares y varias patentes en EE. UU. y la UE sobre dispositivos que estimulan el crecimiento de vasos colaterales mediante terapia controlada de tasa de cizalladura. Su investigación conecta la estimulación mecánica y eléctrica con la adaptación vascular, la microcirculación y la perfusión tisular.
Las contribuciones del Prof. Buschmann aportan a los lectores de PureLift LAB una perspectiva de biología vascular que complementa nuestra autoría clínica, de fisioterapia y de anatomía quirúrgica existente — explicando cómo la estimulación EMS activa no solo los músculos faciales sino también la microcirculación que los abastece, y por qué la administración inteligente es tan importante a nivel del flujo sanguíneo como en la contracción muscular.
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A facial with microcurrent is a salon treatment where an esthetician cleanses your skin, then uses probes or conductive gloves to send a low current through your facial muscles for a firmer, more lifted look, usually as part of a series.
This article walks you through the appointment, such as:
- what happens before, during and after the treatment
- what it feels like
- how many sessions a salon recommends
- what to ask before you book
- how a salon facial compares with a home device
and many more!
We make home devices, and we recommend a salon series for anyone who wants a trained professional to start them off.
Key Points:
A facial with microcurrent usually lasts thirty to sixty minutes and is often combined with cleansing, exfoliation and a mask.
Most people feel a light tingle or nothing at all, and there is no downtime.
Many people see a lifted, more awake look straight after the appointment, which fades within a day or so.
Lasting results need a series of sessions, which is why salons recommend a course followed by maintenance visits.
A home device makes the frequent sessions results depend on practical, and many people combine a salon series with home use.
What a facial with microcurrent is
It is a facial treatment built around a professional microcurrent machine. The esthetician uses handheld probes, rollers or conductive gloves to deliver a low current through the skin into the facial muscles.
The aim is a firmer, more lifted look across the jaw, cheeks and brows, with a brighter, more awake appearance straight after the session.
How the technology works is in our microcurrent facial guide.
What happens at the appointment
Before the treatment
The esthetician asks about your health, skincare and any recent injectables, and checks for reasons not to treat you, such as a pacemaker, pregnancy or epilepsy.
Your skin is cleansed to remove makeup and oil, and sometimes exfoliated.
During the treatment
A conductive gel is applied, and the esthetician works the probes or gloves along set paths, holding at points along the jaw, cheeks, forehead and brows.
Settings are adjusted as they go, and one side of the face is often finished first so you can see the difference.
The zones and directions they follow are in our microcurrent on face zone guide.
After the treatment
The gel is removed, and many salons finish with a mask, serum and moisturizer. You can put makeup on and go straight back to your day.
What it feels like
Most people feel a light tingle, a mild metallic taste or nothing at all. Probes held near the jaw or teeth can make the sensation more noticeable.
It should never hurt. Tell the esthetician if it stings, which usually means the gel has dried. More on the sensation is in our article on what a microcurrent facial feels like.
How many sessions you need
One session gives a short-lived lift. Lasting change comes from repetition, so most salons recommend a series of weekly or twice weekly sessions, followed by maintenance visits.
A randomized controlled trial by Kavanagh and colleagues, published in 2012, measured the effect of facial electrical stimulation after twelve weeks of regular use, which shows the time frame a lasting change needs.
What to expect over time is in our week by week results article.
What to ask before you book
What machine do you use, and how long have you trained on it?
How many sessions do you recommend, and what does the full series cost?
Can I combine it with my injectables, and how long should I wait after them?
What results do you expect for my face, and what will it not change?
Our checklist for finding the right person is in our guide to finding a good microcurrent esthetician.
Salon facial vs a home device
A salon gives you more control and a relaxing treatment. A home device gives you frequency at a lower cost per session.
The cost comparison is in our salon vs device cost article, and the side by side is in our home vs salon machine 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.
How to get salon-level results at home is in our at home device guide.
Who should not have a facial with microcurrent
Anyone whose main concern is loose skin or lost volume, since microcurrent works on muscle tone.
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 a facial with microcurrent
It is a salon facial that uses a professional microcurrent machine to send a low current through the facial muscles for a firmer, more lifted look.
How long does a microcurrent facial take
Usually thirty to sixty minutes, including cleansing and any mask or finishing steps.
Does a microcurrent facial hurt
No. Most people feel a light tingle or nothing at all. Stinging usually means the gel has dried.
How many microcurrent facials do I need
Most salons recommend a series of sessions followed by maintenance visits, since lasting change builds over weeks.
Is there downtime after a microcurrent facial
No. You can wear makeup and return to your day straight away.
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.