Microcurrent vs Microneedling, Which Is Better for Your Skin
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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Microneedling is better for texture, acne scars, enlarged pores and fine lines because it works inside the skin, while microcurrent is better for a softer jawline and a lifted look because it works on the muscles, and many people use both on a schedule.
This comparison sets out what you need to choose, such as:
- how each treatment works
- what the research shows for each
- downtime, comfort and cost
- which concern each one suits
- how long to wait between them
and many more!
We make microcurrent devices, and we send readers to microneedling whenever the skin's texture is the main concern.
Key Points:
Microneedling makes tiny controlled punctures that prompt the skin to repair itself and build collagen.
Microcurrent passes a low current to the facial muscles for a firmer, more lifted look, without breaking the skin.
Microneedling suits scars, texture, pores and fine lines; microcurrent suits sagging contours.
Microneedling brings redness for one to a few days; microcurrent has no downtime.
Wait until the skin has fully healed after microneedling, often about a week, before restarting microcurrent.
Two treatments, two different layers
The simplest way to choose is to ask which layer of your face is causing the problem. Microneedling works in the skin, the surface you see and touch. Microcurrent works in the muscles beneath it, which hold up the contours of your cheeks, jaw and brows.
When the issue is the skin itself, such as rough texture or acne scars, microneedling is the stronger tool. When the issue is shape, such as a jawline that has softened or cheeks that sit lower than they did, microcurrent addresses the cause directly.
How microneedling works
A pen or roller with very fine needles makes thousands of tiny channels in the skin. The skin treats these as minor injuries and responds with a repair process that includes new collagen and elastin.
Aust and colleagues, writing in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 2008, reported on a large series of patients treated this way for scars, wrinkles and skin laxity, and described improvements in skin quality alongside increased collagen on tissue samples. Clinic treatments use deeper needles than home rollers, and results build over a series of sessions spaced weeks apart.
How microcurrent works
A microcurrent device glides over a layer of conductive gel and sends a very low current to the facial muscles. Nothing breaks the skin, and most people feel a light tingle or nothing at all.
A randomized controlled trial by Kavanagh and colleagues, published in 2012, measured the effect of facial electrical stimulation after twelve weeks of regular use. Results come from frequent sessions, four or five a week to start, which is why a home device makes it practical. What the research says about collagen specifically is in our microcurrent and collagen article.
Side by side
| Microneedling | Microcurrent | |
|---|---|---|
| Works on | Skin texture and collagen | Facial muscle tone |
| Best for | Scars, pores, fine lines, texture | Jawline, cheeks, brows, a lifted look |
| Breaks the skin | Yes | No |
| Downtime | Redness for one to a few days | None |
| Schedule | A clinic series weeks apart | Frequent short sessions, often at home |
Which one suits your concern
Acne scars, enlarged pores or crepey, uneven texture point to microneedling with a trained provider.
A heavier lower face, softer jaw or tired-looking brows point to microcurrent, explained in our microcurrent for jowls article and our jawline device guide.
If you want both smoother skin and firmer contours, the two treatments complement each other well, because they work on different layers.
How to combine them safely
Never use a microcurrent device on skin that is still red, raw or tender after microneedling, because the channels are open and the skin is healing.
Wait until the skin has fully settled, often around a week after a clinic session, and check with your provider. Then restart on a low level with plenty of gel.
Avoid using microcurrent and a home needling roller in the same session. Our detailed timing guide is in our microneedling timing article, and recovery after other treatments is in 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 microneedling
Neither is better overall. Microneedling suits texture, scars and fine lines; microcurrent suits sagging contours and a lifted look.
Can I do microcurrent and microneedling together
Yes, but not on the same day. Wait until the skin has fully healed after microneedling before using microcurrent.
How long after microneedling can I use microcurrent
Often about a week after a clinic session, once redness and tenderness have gone and your provider agrees.
Does microcurrent build collagen like microneedling
Microneedling has the more direct collagen evidence. Microcurrent is mainly used for muscle tone.
Which has more downtime
Microneedling, with redness for one to a few days. Microcurrent has none.
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.