Short answer: microcurrent is a weak electrical current, under one milliampere, that engages your facial muscles the way exercise trains the rest of your body. A microcurrent facelift device therefore does not work on your skin, but on the muscle layer underneath, the layer that defines your jawline and cheeks. EMS makes muscles contract visibly, LED stimulates collagen in the skin. Below you read what each does, what to expect and who should not use it.
What is microcurrent?
After 35 your skin makes less collagen and the muscles under your skin weaken. That muscle layer defines your contour: your jawline, your cheeks, the lift in your face. Everything rests on that layer.
A cream works on the surface and simply never gets there. That is why you feel hydration but see no real firming. Your jawline is defined by the muscle layer, and a muscle can be trained.
Microcurrent does exactly that. Gentle electrical impulses of under 1 milliampere, the same level as a salon treatment, activate your facial muscles. You feel almost nothing, at most a slightly tighter feeling. The muscles become stronger and more defined, and your skin follows.
Microcurrent, EMS, LED or HIFU: what is the difference?
The names get mixed up, but they are four different things.
| Microcurrent | EMS | Red LED light | HIFU | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Activates the facial muscles with a weak current (under 1 mA) | Makes the deeper muscle layer contract with a stronger current | Penetrates 8 to 10 mm into the dermis and stimulates the cells that make collagen | Focused ultrasound that heats connective tissue; clinic only |
| What you feel | Almost nothing, a slightly tight feeling | Clear muscle twitches | Nothing, painless | Heat to pain, with downtime |
| What for | Jawline, cheeks, contour | Slackening along the jawline, body (stomach, legs, buttocks) | Firmness, fine lines | Deeper slackening |
| How often at home | 10 minutes, 3 to 5 times a week | As the device prescribes | Often combined with microcurrent | Not at home |
| Cost | Salon 80 to 150 euros per session; at home a one-off device | At home a one-off device | Built into many devices | Hundreds to thousands of euros per treatment |
In short: microcurrent is training, EMS is contraction, LED is collagen, HIFU is the clinic. A good home device combines the first three. The MicroLift Pro does that with three modes: LIFT (microcurrent trains up to 43 facial muscles), TIGHTEN (microcurrent with red LED light for collagen production) and INFUSE (negative ions let your serum absorb up to three times deeper).
Does an at-home facelift device really work?
This is what you can expect from microcurrent, exactly as reported by the women who use the MicroLift Pro three times a week:
Session 1: you immediately feel a slightly tighter feeling. Your muscles are activated.
Week 1 to 2: the skin feels firmer. Puffiness decreases.
Week 3: the jawline is visibly sharper.
Week 8: 95% saw a sharper, clearly defined jawline, 95% saw fewer fine lines and wrinkles, and 95% saw less puffiness under the eyes.
What it does not do: replace surgery for strong slackening, or keep working after you stop. Results are cumulative, just like exercise. If you stop, the muscles weaken again. Stay consistent and you keep seeing results.
How do you use a microcurrent device and with which serum?
Three steps, ten minutes:
1. Cleanse your face thoroughly.
2. Apply a generous layer of serum, gel or day cream to the head of the device. This is not an extra but a necessity: the product conducts the current. Without enough product the microcurrent does not work. You do not need a separate, expensive gel; your own serum or day cream is enough.
3. Choose your mode and move the device over your skin in slow, upward strokes.
How often? Ten minutes per session, three to five times a week. The MicroLift Pro switches off automatically after ten minutes and has adjustable intensity.
Is microcurrent safe, and who should not use it?
Yes. The microcurrent stays under one milliampere, the same level as professional salon treatments. It is painless and non-invasive.
Do not use during pregnancy, with epilepsy or with a pacemaker. If you have another medical condition, implants or recently had botox or fillers, consult your doctor or practitioner first. When in doubt: ask first, then start.
How do you get a firmer jawline without surgery?
Three things help, and they do not exclude each other.
Facial exercises train the same muscle layer, but require discipline and give slow results.
Microcurrent trains those muscles in a targeted way, ten minutes at a time, with red LED light for the skin itself. This is the home route.
Fillers and a lift give the fastest and strongest effect, at the price and downtime of a clinic. With strong slackening that is the honest route.
If you would rather have one device for your whole routine, with EMS and LED for lines around the eyes and mouth as well, look at the GlowBoost V2, which combines six techniques in five minutes every morning. For stomach, legs and buttocks there is the DermaSculpt with EMS, cupping and LED.
Frequently asked questions about microcurrent and facelift devices
What is microcurrent?
A weak electrical current of under 1 milliampere that activates your facial muscles, the way exercise trains the rest of your body.
Does a facelift device work?
Yes, with consistent use. After three weeks the jawline is visibly sharper; after eight weeks at three times a week, 95% saw a sharper jawline.
What is the difference between microcurrent and EMS?
Microcurrent is weak and barely felt; it trains the muscles. EMS is stronger and makes the muscles contract visibly.
How often should you use microcurrent on your face?
Ten minutes per session, three to five times a week.
Which serum do you use with a microcurrent device?
Your own serum, gel or day cream, generously applied to the head of the device. A separate gel is not needed.
Can you use microcurrent during pregnancy, with a pacemaker or epilepsy?
No. If in doubt about another condition or implant: ask your doctor first.
How long before your jawline is firmer?
After the first session you feel a tighter feeling; around week three you see a sharper jawline; after eight weeks the effect is clearest.
More questions about shipping, returns or the guarantee? See our frequently asked questions.
Want to try it yourself? The MicroLift Pro by ElleCera is dermatologically tested, works with your own serum, charges via USB-C and you have 30 days to try it, or your money back.
