What are Microcurrent Facials and Why are All the Insta-Celebs Doing It?

Microcurrent facials seem to be the next “it” non-surgical facelift. Here’s what you need to know about the electrifying therapy.
I follow DJ and HBFit founder Hannah Bronfman on Instagram because she has her finger on the pulse of the wellness world. Per her recommendations, I’m always being led to new skincare lines, wellness therapies, and fashion. But it’s hard to follow Hannah, and wellness IG superstars like her, without witnessing the microcurrent facial video selfie. After a while, I got curious. What’s so special about “microcurrent”, and is this miracle-seeming facial for me? Here’s what I learned.

What is a Microcurrent Facial?
A microcurrent facial involves two wands (probes), negative and positive, that are physically pushed against the face to move facial muscles into a desired position and then proceed to emit a low level of electricity that mirrors the body’s own natural electrical currents, triggering chemical reactions at a cellular level. This process is said to re-educate the muscles of the face.
As we age, we lose collagen and elastin in the skin cells, which lead to facial lines, wrinkles, and folds. Microcurrent essential “recharges” your skin back to a more youthful state, stimulating protein synthesis, promoting detoxification, and reconstituting collagen and elastin.
It is usually recommended to start indulging in microcurrent facials in your late 20s and to do so once per month.
Does it Work?
While the methodology appears sound, the real question remains: do microcurrent facials actually work? The answer: yes. According to numerous studies, microcurrent has been shown to significantly reduce facial wrinkles and promote cellular regeneration. Clinical studies also report that microcurrent increase blood circulation by 35%, the number of elastin fibers by 45%, the length of elastin fibers by 50%, glucose production by 40%, collagen by 14%, and lymphatic drainage by 28%.
The A-list fan-base of the treatment is telling enough. Jennifer Lopez, Oprah, Jennifer Aniston, Miranda Kerr, Charlize Theron, Sofia Coppola, and Madonna, among others, are all reportedly hooked.
The Setbacks
The only set back to microcurrent facials is that they are extraordinarily expensive. Their effects are cumulative, so they require regular indulgence. SB Skin, Ildi Pekar, and Joanna Vargas in NYC start at $225, $285, and $250 a pop, respectively.
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