I Microcurrent Facials – All You Need to Know
What Exactly Is A Microcurrent Facial?
Although there are evidences that microcurrent technology is being used for over a century to treat medical conditions related to muscle and tissue loss, its utility in facials was recently discovered. In 1980s, it was first approved by FDA to be used for treating Bell’s palsy, which is a medical condition that causes one side of the patient’s facial muscles to loosen and sag.
The electrical currents were found to have amazing effects in reviving and revitalizing the facial muscles. Hence, this results in an accidental discovery of the microcurrent facial technique as an anti-ageing and beautification treatment.
How Does It Work?
A microcurrent facial emits extremely low-voltage electricity through two hand held prongs. Sounds shocking but the intensity is so slight that mimics your body’s natural current. Don’t be afraid as almost one million microcurrent machines will be required to light up a single 40 watt bulb!
The dosage is precisely worked out by the specialist based on the condition of your facial skin. The two handheld prongs that emit this current are used to send it to your dead facial cells to rejuvenate them by increasing cellular activity. The microcurrent enhances Adenosine Tri-phosphate (ATP) and collagen production through stimulation, thereby energizing and retraining the facial muscles to remove wrinkles.
Who’s A Good Candidate For Microcurrent Facials?
The procedure is noninvasive, injection-free and painless. This makes it a good facial treatment option for just about anyone. However, if you fall under any of the following categories, it’s recommended to consult your physician before using it:
- People with metal implants or pacemakers.
- People having any open cut or lesion.
- People with botox or face fillers.
- People who are pregnant in their first trimester or breastfeeding.
Advantages of Microcurrent Facials
The painless and comfortable procedure gives instant results without leaving any scars. It’s extremely efficient in enhancing your appearance, which boosts your self-confidence almost immediately. Some of the distinct benefits that microcurrent facial offers are:
- No need for any surgery and hence no recovery time is required. You can resume your normal life straightaway.
- It’s totally safe and effective and targets specific areas of the face that need rejuvenation.
- The conductive gel applied on the face before the procedure gives a cool refreshing feeling.
- It doesn’t involve any pain or discomfort.
- The treatment doesn’t require any scalpels or needles and provides immediate results.
II Radiofrequency Facial (RF)
What’s A Radiofrequency Facial?
Referred to as the “Contour Refiner” in the cosmetic treatment parlance, a Radiofrequency facial is one of the most widely used facial techniques used by numerous famous celebrities across the world. It’s been in use in cosmetic surgeries for treating loose and sagging facial skin since 2001. The technique uses waves that are towards the slow end RF range, which is the lowest on the electromagnetic spectrum and thus are fairly safe for use on the skin. Like any other wave, these carry energy, which is used to heat the facial cells to energize them giving a glowing and lively skin.
How Does It Work?
Based on the number of poles (or electrodes) that the RF device is equipped with, the delivery of RF is categorized as Unipolar (sometimes called monopolar) and Bipolar. Essentially, both the types of RF waves heat the cells to about 38-40 ℃ . The heat is only as much as a normal hot-stone massage but is adequate to boost the production of elastin and collagen in the skin’s deeper layers. Unlike the high frequency light waves used in laser treatment, which mostly work on the surface of the skin, these waves have lower frequencies and therefore are capable of penetrating deep into the skin.
Who Should Consider Taking A RF Facial?
The treatment uses safe RF waves that are fairly safe. Hence the technique can be safely used by almost anyone who needs to tighten and firm up the facial skin. However, following are a few conditions in which you should avoid undergoing the RF facial:
- If you’ve got rosacea, which is an inflammatory, chronic skin condition.
- If there’s a chance of having some damaged capillaries or blood vessels.
- Mothers who’re breastfeeding and pregnant women.
- Women during their menstrual periods.
- If you’ve a pacemaker, dental plates, heart valves, metal implants or any other electrical devices inside your body.
Benefits of RF Facials
Using energy to heat the skin sounds thrilling. But if you are not in the cases mentioned above, as well as the correct performance under a licensed aesthetician, it’s a highly effective procedure that has proven providing glowing skin almost instantly. It has following prominent benefits to offer:
- The time taken for a session is only 20-45 minutes, which is really a “lunchtime”refiner
- The results are almost immediately seen as the skin gets toned up and elasticity is improved.
- There are no chances of permanent discoloration and hence the technique can be safely used for all types of skin tones.
- There are no major side-effects. Some redness on the skin may be likely, which can be easily removed by application of ice cubes.
- The system is versatile and can be used on other parts of the body too. It’s typically useful for abs, upper arms and thighs. The RF technology has shown amazing results in removing the cellulite and stretch marks.
Conclusion
Both Microcurrent and Radiofrequency are new-age facial techniques which are used to improve the skin appearance and fight ageing signs. These are not only safe and convenient, but also offer quick noticeable results. However, you must consider the following points before deciding to use one of these cosmetic skin improvement techniques:
- The initial results are rather fleeting and vanish in a week or two, which require a course of several sessions to sustain the best results.
- On an average, one session can cost somewhere in the range of $200-$600. Complete treatment may require around 6-15 sessions depending upon your skin’s condition. So, you must work out the economics of the treatment before commencing.
- There may be some swelling, redness, tingling, bumps and blisters on or around the treated area post-procedure. But they are typically minimal and short-lived, limited to mild and temporary symptoms, which will disappear in a few days or weeks.
- RF carries a risk for burns and even sunken appearance attributing to the overheating of underlying tissue. It is imperative to make sure that your cosmetic surgeon who has in-depth knowledge and extensive experience to perform the treatment.
- There are many types of at-home devices in the market. But these devices aren’t as powerful as the professional grade machines and may not provide noticeable results on first use. It is advised to pair professional machines with at-home tools for maximum results.
