What Is a Microcurrent Device, How It Works and What It Does
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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A microcurrent device is a handheld tool that sends a very low electrical current, measured in microamps, through the skin to the facial muscles, giving a firmer, more lifted look with regular use over weeks.
This explainer covers the basics, such as:
- what is inside a microcurrent device
- how the current reaches your facial muscles
- what results to expect and when
- the main types of device on the market
- how to use one safely
and many more!
If you are new to microcurrent, start here, then follow the links to the deeper guides.
Key Points:
A microcurrent device has two contact points, a battery, a control circuit and a few intensity levels.
The current is tiny, measured in microamps, millionths of an amp, and most people feel a light tingle or nothing at all.
The visible result is a firmer, more lifted look along the jaw, cheeks and brows after several weeks of regular sessions.
Devices range from simple microcurrent wands to multi-technology devices that add nanocurrent, EMS or LED.
A water-based conductive gel or serum is needed so the current can pass through the skin.
What a microcurrent device is
It is a small, battery-powered handheld device with two metal contact points, often shaped as spheres, prongs or flat plates.
A control circuit inside sets the current and the waveform, and a button or dial lets you choose the intensity.
The device is glided over the face on top of a conductive gel, following set paths along the facial muscles.
How it works
The current
When both contact points touch wet skin, a very low current flows from one to the other, through the skin and into the muscle underneath.
The current is measured in microamps. What those figures mean, and why bigger is not always better, is in our microamps explainer and our article on why more microamps do not mean better results.
The effect on the muscles
Repeated sessions work the facial muscles, which gives a firmer, more toned look over time.
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 is the strongest published evidence in this field.
Why it needs gel
Dry skin resists current, so a water-based conductive gel or serum bridges the gap. See our article on whether microcurrent devices need gel.
What a microcurrent device can do
Give a firmer, more defined jawline after several weeks of regular use.
Give a slightly lifted look across the cheeks and brows.
Give a short-lived lifted, more awake look straight after a session.
The benefits are ranked by evidence in our microcurrent facial benefits article.
What it cannot do
Tighten loose or crepey skin.
Replace lost volume in the cheeks or temples.
Erase deep etched lines, covered in our wrinkles article.
Give permanent results, since the effect fades gradually if you stop.
The main types of microcurrent device
Microcurrent-only devices
Simple devices with three to five levels, such as NuFACE MINI+ and the Skin Gym wand. See our NuFACE Mini review.
Nanocurrent plus microcurrent
Devices such as ZIIP HALO that combine a gentler nanocurrent with microcurrent. See our ZIIP HALO 2 review.
Multi-technology devices
Devices that add EMS, LED or other technologies to microcurrent. 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 EMS differs from microcurrent is in our EMS versus microcurrent article.
Professional machines
Tabletop machines used by estheticians in salons. See our professional microcurrent machine guide.
How to use one
Cleanse, apply a thick layer of conductive gel or serum, then glide the device slowly upward and outward along the jaw, cheeks, forehead and brows, holding at the end of each glide.
Most routines use four or five sessions a week for eight to twelve weeks, then two or three a week to maintain.
Step by step technique is in our step by step guide, and the zones are in our microcurrent on face zone guide.
How to choose one
Look for an FDA clearance you can look up, a published output with a stated load, the yearly cost of any required gel and the return policy.
The checklist is in our guide to choosing a toning device, and ten devices are compared in our best microcurrent device for face article.
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 microcurrent device
A handheld tool that sends a very low current through the skin to the facial muscles, giving a firmer, more lifted look with regular use.
How does a microcurrent device work
Two contact points pass a current measured in microamps through a conductive gel, through the skin and into the facial muscles.
Does a microcurrent device hurt
No. Most people feel a light tingle or nothing at all. Stinging usually means the gel has dried.
How long does a microcurrent device take to work
An immediate lift fades within a day, while lasting change usually shows after four to eight weeks of regular sessions.
Is a microcurrent device safe
For most people, yes. Avoid it with a pacemaker or implanted electronic device, during pregnancy or with epilepsy.
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.