How to Choose a Facial Toning Microcurrent Device
Medically reviewed by
4 independent reviewers
Andrew Conrad Barile, kinésithérapeute, DPT
Doctorat en physiothérapie (DPT), physiothérapeute agréé (PT)
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Le Dr Andrew Conrad Barile est docteur en physiothérapie et PDG ainsi que fondateur de Xtreem Pulse LLC. Il a obtenu son doctorat en physiothérapie à Daemen College et possède plus de vingt ans d'expérience clinique et entrepreneuriale en physiothérapie pédiatrique, thérapie craniosacrale et innovation en dispositifs médicaux. Sa profonde connaissance de l'anatomie humaine, de la physiologie musculaire et des technologies thérapeutiques offre une approche scientifique précieuse pour le rajeunissement du visage et les solutions anti-âge.
Bertica M. Rubio, M.D.
Directeur Médical, Clinique de Médecine Régénérative Anti-âge | Médecin Certifié par le Conseil | École de Médecine de Dartmouth
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Le Dr Bertica M. Rubio est une médecin certifiée et directrice médicale de la clinique de médecine régénérative anti-âge à Redlands, en Californie. Elle a obtenu son Bachelor of Science à l'Université Loyola Marymount et son Doctorat en médecine à la Dartmouth Medical School (Geisel School of Medicine). Elle a effectué sa résidence en pédiatrie au UC Irvine Medical Center.
Forte de plusieurs décennies d'expérience clinique, le Dr Rubio est spécialisée en médecine de gestion du vieillissement, médecine régénérative, cicatrisation des plaies et thérapies par facteurs de croissance. Sa pratique intègre la science médicale fondée sur des preuves avec des traitements esthétiques et régénératifs avancés, aidant les patients à atteindre une santé optimale et une vitalité juvénile.
Le Dr Rubio est passionnée par l'éducation des patients sur la science derrière les soins de la peau, le rajeunissement du visage et les technologies non invasives comme l'EMS (stimulation électrique musculaire) pour le tonus facial. Ses articles pour PureLift LAB allient connaissances médicales rigoureuses et conseils pratiques pour obtenir des résultats réels et durables.
Daniel Grinberg, MD, FACS
Otolaryngologiste et chirurgien de la tête et du cou certifié par le conseil | Membre, American College of Surgeons | Professeur clinique adjoint, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
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Daniel Grinberg, MD, FACS, est un oto-rhino-laryngologiste certifié par le conseil et chirurgien de la tête et du cou chez ENT and Allergy Associates à West Nyack, NY. Il a obtenu son diplôme de médecine au Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, a effectué sa résidence en oto-rhino-laryngologie au New York University Medical Center, et est professeur clinique adjoint à la Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Il est membre de l'American College of Surgeons et de l'American Academy of Otolaryngology.
La perspective chirurgicale de la tête et du cou du Dr Grinberg offre aux lecteurs de PureLift LAB une vision clinique élargie — reliant la pratique EMS à domicile à l'anatomie médicale sous-jacente avec la même rigueur scientifique que celle que nous appliquons à chaque spécification d'appareil.
Prof. Dr med Ivo Buschmann
Président d'Angiologie, Hochschule Medizinische Brandenburg | Directeur de clinique, Clinique universitaire d'angiologie, Hôpital universitaire de Brandebourg | Ancien consultant principal, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin
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Le Prof. Dr. med. Ivo Buschmann est titulaire de la chaire d'angiologie à la Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane (MHB) et directeur de la clinique universitaire d'angiologie à l'hôpital universitaire de Brandebourg. Il a effectué sa formation médicale à l'Université de Hambourg, a été boursier de la Société Max-Planck à l'Institut Max-Planck de recherche sur le cœur et les poumons, et a occupé des postes de consultant principal à la Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Virchow avant d'être nommé titulaire de la chaire à la MHB en 2016.
Le Prof. Buschmann est l'une des principales autorités européennes en arteriogenèse — la croissance et le remodelage des vaisseaux sanguins induits par le flux — avec plus de 150 publications évaluées par des pairs et plusieurs brevets américains et européens sur des dispositifs stimulant la croissance des vaisseaux collatéraux par une thérapie contrôlée du taux de cisaillement. Ses recherches relient la stimulation mécanique et électrique à l'adaptation vasculaire, à la microcirculation et à la perfusion tissulaire.
Les contributions du Prof. Buschmann apportent aux lecteurs de PureLift LAB une perspective en biologie vasculaire qui complète notre expertise clinique, en physiothérapie et en anatomie chirurgicale — expliquant comment la stimulation EMS engage non seulement les muscles faciaux mais aussi la microcirculation qui les alimente, et pourquoi une administration intelligente est aussi importante au niveau du flux sanguin qu'à celui de la contraction musculaire.
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Choose a facial toning device by checking five things in order: an FDA clearance you can look up, a published output figure, what it costs to run each year, whether you will use it several times a week, and the return policy.
This checklist walks you through the decision step by step, such as:
- how to look up a clearance yourself in two minutes
- what an output figure tells you and what it does not
- the hidden yearly cost of branded gels
- microcurrent only versus microcurrent plus EMS
- the questions to ask a brand before you buy
and many more!
We make PureLift devices, so we have written this as a checklist you can apply to any brand, including ours.
Key Points:
A facial toning microcurrent device works by sending a low current through the facial muscles, and results depend on regular use over weeks rather than the brand name.
An FDA 510(k) clearance number can be looked up in the FDA database in a couple of minutes, and a brand that cannot give you one is a brand to question.
An output figure means little unless the brand also states the load it was measured at, typically in ohms.
Required branded gels can add well over $100 a year to the cost of a device.
The best device is the one you will use four or five times a week for three months, since the published results come from twelve weeks of regular use.
What a facial toning microcurrent device does
It is a handheld device with two contact points that passes a low electrical current through the skin and into the facial muscles while you glide it along set paths.
The aim is a firmer, more lifted look, most visible along the jaw, cheeks and brows, built up through repeated sessions rather than in one go.
Kavanagh and colleagues in 2012 measured an increase in cheek muscle thickness after twelve weeks of regular sessions, which is the strongest published evidence in this field.
The full explanation of how it works is in our article on whether microcurrent devices work.
Step one, confirm an FDA clearance
How to check it yourself
Ask the brand for its 510(k) number, or find it on the box or the product page. It starts with a K followed by six digits.
Search that number in the FDA 510(k) database on the FDA website. The entry shows the company name, device name and the date of clearance.
Check that the device in the entry matches the device you are buying, because some brands cite a clearance for an earlier model.
What a clearance does and does not mean
A clearance means the FDA accepted the device as substantially equivalent to one already on the market for a stated use. It is not an approval and it does not rank devices against each other.
No clearance is not automatically a reason to avoid a device, but it means you are relying on the brand's own claims. More detail is in our article on FDA clearance.
Step two, look for a published output figure
Output is the amount of current the device delivers, stated in microamps or milliamps. Several leading brands do not publish it at all.
A figure is most useful when it comes with a load, for example up to 7 mA at 500 ohms. Without a load, two brands' figures cannot be compared precisely.
Do not treat a higher number as a better device. Once the current reaches the muscle, more of it does not produce a proportionally better result, as we explain in our article on microamps.
Every figure published across the market is collected in our table of published output figures.
Step three, decide which technologies you need
Microcurrent only
Simpler devices run microcurrent alone, usually with three to five levels. They suit someone who wants a gentle daily routine and nothing more.
Microcurrent plus EMS
EMS, electrical muscle stimulation, produces a visible muscle contraction at higher levels. Devices that combine both let you move from a gentle setting to a stronger one on the same dial.
Our devices work this way, with nanocurrent at level 1, microcurrent at level 2 and EMS from level 3 to 10. The difference is explained in our EMS versus microcurrent article.
LED and other extras
Some devices add red or blue light, heat or percussion. Pay for these only if you would use them, because each extra raises the price without changing what the microcurrent does.
Step four, work out the real yearly cost
The sticker price is only part of the cost. Many devices require a branded conductive gel, often priced from around $30 to $80 a tube.
Used four or five times a week, a tube may last a few weeks, so the gel can add well over $100 a year.
A device that works with any water-based conductive serum costs less to run and lets you choose your own products. Which serums work is covered in our guide to the best gel or serum.
Also check the battery, the charging method and whether replacement parts are sold, since a device you cannot recharge or repair has a short life.
Step five, be realistic about how often you will use it
The published results come from regular use, typically four or five sessions a week for the first eight to twelve weeks, then two or three a week to maintain.
A full session on our devices takes about ten minutes, with no more than three minutes per side of the face.
If you know you will not keep to that, a cheaper device is a lower-risk test of whether the habit sticks. What to expect over time is in our article on how long microcurrent takes to work.
Questions to ask any brand before you buy
What is your FDA 510(k) number, and does it cover this exact model?
What is the maximum output, and at what load was it measured?
Does the device require your own gel, or will any water-based conductive serum work?
Where is it made, and under what quality standard? Ours are made in Japan in an ISO 13485 facility.
What is the return window, and does it apply to a used device?
A brand that answers all five plainly is giving you what you need to compare. For a side-by-side of ten devices on these points, see our comparison of the best microcurrent devices for face.
Who should not use a facial toning device
Anyone with a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device, anyone pregnant and anyone with epilepsy should not use one.
Avoid broken or irritated skin, active acne flare areas and recent filler or injection sites until your provider says otherwise.
The complete list is in our safety article.
Frequently asked questions
What is a facial toning microcurrent device
It is a handheld device that sends a low current through the facial muscles to give a firmer, more lifted look over weeks of regular use.
How do I know if a microcurrent device is FDA cleared
Ask for its 510(k) number and search it in the FDA 510(k) database. Check that the entry names the exact model you are buying.
Is a stronger microcurrent device better
No. A higher output figure does not mean a better result, and figures without a stated load cannot be compared between brands.
Do I need a special gel for a microcurrent device
Some devices require a branded gel. Others, including ours, work with any water-based conductive serum, which lowers the yearly cost.
How often should I use a facial toning device
Most routines use four or five sessions a week for the first eight to twelve weeks, then two or three a week to maintain the result.
Should I choose microcurrent only or microcurrent with EMS
Microcurrent alone suits a gentle routine. A device that adds EMS gives a stronger setting on the same dial for people who want visible muscle contraction.
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.