Microcurrent Facial (MF) treatment, also called Bio Microcurrent Lift or Microcurrent Tightening, is -
- non-invasive,
- not painful,
- no downtime
- with gradual and cumulative rejuvenation effects.
It is done to lift and tone the face and to improve the skin quality. Multiple sessions are required to achieve a lasting effect. Maintenance sessions every four to eight weeks are recommended to maintain the results.
MF uses extremely low-level electrical currents that mimic body's own electrical currents. In theory, this should eventually increases the production of natural collagen and elastin, improve lymph and interstitual fluid circulation in the treated area, relax and tones the muscles of the face. Microcurrent is supposed to affect all layers of the face, to tighten, tone, and smooth the skin.
Microcurrent Therpary (MT) or Microcurrent Electrical Nerve Stimulation (MENS) has been originally developed for and used in physical therapy to facilitate recovery from the muscle injury. The effectiveness of MT for the muscle injury has been well studied, demonstrated, and prompted adaptation and use of the technology in the facial rejuvenation.
Besides salon-grade micro current devices, there are many micro current at-home treatment devices such as NuFace, Biosincron, ReFa S Carat, ZIIP Beaty, and many others.
- non-invasive,
- not painful,
- no downtime
- with gradual and cumulative rejuvenation effects.
It is done to lift and tone the face and to improve the skin quality. Multiple sessions are required to achieve a lasting effect. Maintenance sessions every four to eight weeks are recommended to maintain the results.
MF uses extremely low-level electrical currents that mimic body's own electrical currents. In theory, this should eventually increases the production of natural collagen and elastin, improve lymph and interstitual fluid circulation in the treated area, relax and tones the muscles of the face. Microcurrent is supposed to affect all layers of the face, to tighten, tone, and smooth the skin.
Microcurrent Therpary (MT) or Microcurrent Electrical Nerve Stimulation (MENS) has been originally developed for and used in physical therapy to facilitate recovery from the muscle injury. The effectiveness of MT for the muscle injury has been well studied, demonstrated, and prompted adaptation and use of the technology in the facial rejuvenation.
Besides salon-grade micro current devices, there are many micro current at-home treatment devices such as NuFace, Biosincron, ReFa S Carat, ZIIP Beaty, and many others.
What concerns can MF help with?
The Microcurrent facial is supposed to affect all layers of the face. Particularly, one may expect to see -
- a slight face lift due to the toning of the muscles,
- relaxation of the mimetic wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes due to the muscle re-training,
- lessening of the fine wrinkles due to the production of new collagen and elastin,
- an overall skin tightening and toning, and
- a smoother complexion.
- a slight face lift due to the toning of the muscles,
- relaxation of the mimetic wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes due to the muscle re-training,
- lessening of the fine wrinkles due to the production of new collagen and elastin,
- an overall skin tightening and toning, and
- a smoother complexion.
Skeptics will point out that there have been no well designed scientific studies to demonstrate that the microcurrent treatment is effective for the facial rejuvenation. However, there is abundant anecdotal evidence (confirmations of those who had the treatment) that the microcurrent facial works, and customers keep coming back for the treatment.
It is not entirely clear how exactly MF works and what tissues MF affects. However, based on the available studies from the physical therapy, based on the attempts for the biological mechanisms explanations, it is likely that MF affects and acts on all layers of the face (see the layers here), including the interstitium (see here).
Particularly, it appears that MF 1) relaxes and tones facial muscles, which leads to a lifting effect and less mimetic wrinkles, 2) stimulates skin renewal by an increase in ATP production.
Manufacturers of the one of the most known at home MT devices, NuFace, conducted a study to evaluate the effectiveness of a consistent use over a 60 day period. 70 - 80% of users reported an improved facial contour, better skin tone, less wrinkles. Medical grade/spa grade micro current devices are supposed to be more powerful and produce even more visible results than at home devices do.
Some science behind the micro current is as follows -
Microcurrent effects were first studied in relation to healing muscle injury and pain reduction. One of the first and major studies (Cheng, 1982) showed that micro current 1) dramatically stimulates an increase in ATP production (Cheng, 1982); ATP fuels all biochemical reactions within the body; 2) increases the uptake of aminoisobutyric acid, which is essential for protein synthesis and membrane transport, by 30-40%.
Thus, ATP increase and extracellular stimulation of intracellular signals are generally proposed as the mechanisms behind the micro current effectiveness.
Multiple studies have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of MT in the healing of the muscle injury and muscle pain. The studies show.
- Some reduction in facial muscle pain (Zuim, 2006);
- May be beneficial for regrowth of atrophied muscle (Ohno, 2013);
- Potentially effective in delaying age-related macular degeneration and possibly even improving it (Chaikin, 2015).
It is not entirely clear how exactly MF works and what tissues MF affects. However, based on the available studies from the physical therapy, based on the attempts for the biological mechanisms explanations, it is likely that MF affects and acts on all layers of the face (see the layers here), including the interstitium (see here).
Particularly, it appears that MF 1) relaxes and tones facial muscles, which leads to a lifting effect and less mimetic wrinkles, 2) stimulates skin renewal by an increase in ATP production.
Manufacturers of the one of the most known at home MT devices, NuFace, conducted a study to evaluate the effectiveness of a consistent use over a 60 day period. 70 - 80% of users reported an improved facial contour, better skin tone, less wrinkles. Medical grade/spa grade micro current devices are supposed to be more powerful and produce even more visible results than at home devices do.
Some science behind the micro current is as follows -
Microcurrent effects were first studied in relation to healing muscle injury and pain reduction. One of the first and major studies (Cheng, 1982) showed that micro current 1) dramatically stimulates an increase in ATP production (Cheng, 1982); ATP fuels all biochemical reactions within the body; 2) increases the uptake of aminoisobutyric acid, which is essential for protein synthesis and membrane transport, by 30-40%.
Thus, ATP increase and extracellular stimulation of intracellular signals are generally proposed as the mechanisms behind the micro current effectiveness.
Multiple studies have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of MT in the healing of the muscle injury and muscle pain. The studies show.
- Some reduction in facial muscle pain (Zuim, 2006);
- May be beneficial for regrowth of atrophied muscle (Ohno, 2013);
- Potentially effective in delaying age-related macular degeneration and possibly even improving it (Chaikin, 2015).
A micro current facial device has two prongs. An esthetician moves the prongs along the client face, along the facial muscles, and the prongs deliver a very low dose of energy to the face. Some people feel a slight tangling or a slight metallic taste in the mouth. There is no pain and no downtime. No one will be able to tell a treatment was performed. The results are very subtle and accumulate over the weeks of the initial treatment.
An MF treatment session in a medical spa or an office takes about an hour.
A series of six to 12 weekly sessions are recommended to achieve the optimal results. After that a maintenance procedure every four to eight weeks is recommended to maintain the results.
The protocol is different for the at home devices, partially because they are not as powerful as the medical grades ones are and also because the treatment time is much shorter. Typically the at home microcurrent devices are recommended to be used on an almost daily basis for a month or two to see the results.
An MF treatment session in a medical spa or an office takes about an hour.
A series of six to 12 weekly sessions are recommended to achieve the optimal results. After that a maintenance procedure every four to eight weeks is recommended to maintain the results.
The protocol is different for the at home devices, partially because they are not as powerful as the medical grades ones are and also because the treatment time is much shorter. Typically the at home microcurrent devices are recommended to be used on an almost daily basis for a month or two to see the results.
Chaikin L, Kashiwa K, Bennet M, Papastergiou G, Gregory W. Microcurrent stimulation in the treatment of dry and wet macular degeneration. Clinical Ophthalmology (Auckland, NZ). 2015;9:2345-2353. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S92296.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4689270/
Cheng N., Van Hoof H., Bockx E., Hoogmartens M., Mulier J.C., De Dijcker F.J., Sansen W.M., De Loecker W. (1982) The effects of electric currents on ATP generation, protein synthesis, and membrane transport of rat skin. Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research 171, 264-272.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7140077
NuFace. Clinically tested.
https://www.mynuface.com/pages/clinically-tested-fda-cleared
2018. Accessed May 15, 2018.
Ohno Y, Fujiya H, Goto A, et al. Microcurrent Electrical Nerve Stimulation Facilitates Regrowth of Mouse Soleus Muscle. International Journal of Medical Sciences. 2013;10(10):1286-1294. doi:10.7150/ijms.5985.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3752717/
Zuim PRJ, Garcia AR, Turcio KHL, Hamata MM. EVALUATION OF MICROCURRENT ELECTRICAL NERVE STIMULATION (MENS) EFFECTIVENESS ON MUSCLE PAIN IN TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS PATIENTS. Journal of Applied Oral Science. 2006;14(1):61-66. doi:10.1590/S1678-77572006000100012.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4689270/
Cheng N., Van Hoof H., Bockx E., Hoogmartens M., Mulier J.C., De Dijcker F.J., Sansen W.M., De Loecker W. (1982) The effects of electric currents on ATP generation, protein synthesis, and membrane transport of rat skin. Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research 171, 264-272.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7140077
NuFace. Clinically tested.
https://www.mynuface.com/pages/clinically-tested-fda-cleared
2018. Accessed May 15, 2018.
Ohno Y, Fujiya H, Goto A, et al. Microcurrent Electrical Nerve Stimulation Facilitates Regrowth of Mouse Soleus Muscle. International Journal of Medical Sciences. 2013;10(10):1286-1294. doi:10.7150/ijms.5985.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3752717/
Zuim PRJ, Garcia AR, Turcio KHL, Hamata MM. EVALUATION OF MICROCURRENT ELECTRICAL NERVE STIMULATION (MENS) EFFECTIVENESS ON MUSCLE PAIN IN TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS PATIENTS. Journal of Applied Oral Science. 2006;14(1):61-66. doi:10.1590/S1678-77572006000100012.