Here's Why You Should Add A Microcurrent Device To Your Skincare Routine

Lifting and rejuvenating the face used to mean paying the med spa a visit for costly treatments. Luckily, the beauty tech industry is quickly becoming more advanced and services previously only offered by licensed technicians — laser hair removal, red light therapy, high-frequency oxygenated acne therapy, and more — can now be done by you, safely and in the privacy of your own home.

On the list of at-home skin tech is the new kid on the block: the microcurrent facial device. Before the creation of this handheld gadget, only a licensed professional could administer the beautifying facial technology that sends electrical currents through to the skin and muscles (via Medical News Today). As intimidating as it might sound, the procedure is completely painless, non-invasive, and has a list of benefits. Let's dive into all of the ways microcurrent devices can reverse signs of aging, reduce inflammation, stimulate collagen production, and more. 

Though small handheld microcurrent devices are not able to provide the same amount of electric currents as larger professional machines, they still can provide similar skin healing and sculpting benefits, according to Medical News Today. Their technology was first developed in the '70s as a form of physiotherapy and treatment for facial paralysis, but researchers quickly discovered that the low-voltage electricity also boosted ATP, an energy-producing coenzyme that stimulates collagen and cell growth (via Loshen).

According to Skin Apeel Day Spa, the microcurrents also mimic the same electric currents the body generates in an attempt to heal itself. The discharge of electrical current is able to trigger the body into stimulating collagen, healing wounds, smoothing wrinkles, and even aiding in lymph node drainage.

A 2012 study published in Life Science Journal treated a group of women with microcurrents for 20 minutes in three sessions and found that not only was the treatment successful in smoothing wrinkles, but recovery also continued after sessions (via ResearchGate). A more recent 2022 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences found that microcurrent devices were also successful in reducing inflammation and decreasing the size of acne lesions (via National Library of Medicine).

Even if you aren't seeing wrinkles yet or suffer from acne, you can still reap the benefits of a microcurrent device. Six-time award-winning gadget NuFace Mini Facial Toning Device also promises to tone, lift, and contour droopy skin. Like most microcurrent tools, it is styled with two metal prongs that are used to sculpt and lift the face. With one knob under the jaw and one above, it's able to smooth saggy jowls, snatch double chins, and lift aging skin. It can also be used around the brow area and give a non-invasive at-home brow lift. 

Its three-depth technology is also activated with three separate modes including the Skin-Tightening mode that targets the epidermis, the Instant-Lift Mode that works with the hypodermis, and the Pro-Toning Mode that targets facial muscles. In a clinical trial, 85 percent of users reported an improvement in facial contouring with 77 percent also reporting an increase in facial toning. Unlike fillers that can reduce bone density and even produce more sagging over time, microcurrent therapy encourages the body to lift and heal itself (via MedEsthetics).