Microcurrent

Firms up facial & neck skin; it does so with modulation of ATP production. This increases the energy levels for production of collagen.

Reduces lines & wrinkles; due to immediate & delayed collagen production.

Resets facial & neck muscles for improved contouring.

Improves facial circulation via stimulation of muscles. This reduces puffiness, upregulates ATP energy stores & reduces skin laxity. 

Provides immediate collagen tightening leading to increased firmness & elasticity.

These benefits have a cumulative effect. Facial improvements are more pronounced and longer-lasting with regular use. To maintain the anti-ageing benefits, microcurrent can be combined with appropriate skin care, peels & laser procedures.

There are two clinical timelines, namely immediate & delayed.

Immediate tightening can be felt in some, but not all people. This increase in firmness is due to muscle contractions, direct collagen tightening & improved blood flow.

Delayed tightening is due to modulation of muscle activity with increased collagen. This can be encountered at weeks 4-8.

Microcurrent can not remove pigmentation, sun damage, deep wrinkles & heavy jowling.

It is not a substitute for a face lift, or deep laser resurfacing. In theory microcurrent can however deliver better results from facelifts, deep peels & lasers.

The two main players in the microcurrent arena are Foreo Bear & the longer established

NuFace. We prefer the Bear over the NuFace because:

• It has better technology namely T-sonic pulsations to amplify the treatment.
• An anti-shock system ensures comfort levels. This increases compliance & hence results. 
• The Bear has a much shorter treatment time than NuFace. Again this increases treatment compliance, hence clinical outcomes. 
• Extended warranty of 2 yrs with the Foreo Bear compared to only 1 year with the NuFace.

My colleagues & I agree that microcurrent can or should be used in the late 20s to early 30s to prevent sagging & increase firmness. Results are better in the younger age group, in comparison to those in the 5th to 6th decade or older.

A simple skincare routine that won’t break the bank is as follows:

AM: Ferulic acid, ascorbic acid & tocopherol serum. High factor sunscreen on top.

PM: Retinol or retinoid.

Every 2 weeks: AHA + BHA serum to exfoliate. This also increases the potential for retinol to penetrate the skin.

Foreo Bear: daily for 4-6 weeks, tapering down to 3 times a week to maintain.

No. Microcurrent works on a cellular level to improve wrinkles via contraction of dermal collagen. The energy levels of microcurrent pass through the upper layers of skin, by passing the basal layer of skin. Unlike lasers, microcurrent does not produce heat, hence it will not flare up pigmentation.

Microcurrent is the ideal treatment for sensitive skin, placing this treatment ahead of chemical peeling, microneedling, RF microneedling & many ‘heat producing’ fractional lasers. 

Microcurrent does not have a 100% success rate, however results from the Foreo Bear are rated as 4.5 out of 5.0, making this one of the best reviewed home devices out there.

Microcurrent is unlikely to work if you:

• Have significant sun damage (broken collagen/elastolysis)
• Significant heaviness of the mid to lower face
• Less reactive collagen, meaning less contraction 
• Unrealistic expectations. Microcurrent is not a subsite for high-powered RF, HIFU, or surgical facelifts

Let’s get things clear. No microcurrent device will give you a face lift. Microcurrent will not:

• Treat pigmentation.
• Remove jowls & deep lines.
• Beat more invasive treatments such as HIFU, medical radiofrequency, deep lasers or peels. 

Microcurrent, including the Foreo Bear is aimed at synergistic outcomes, when paired with appropriate skincare.

No, in fact microcurrent devices such as the Bear augments injectables to synergistically improve fine lines, & wrinkles. 

Anti Wrinkle injections work to reduce contraction of tense muscles around the eyes & forehead. The Foreo Bear works in the opposite manner to stimulate & tighten collagen, improving laxity. This firms up the treated area.

Specialists can discuss non-surgical skin tightening as the next step up, prior to a face lift. Here is a short list of how we approach skin tightening & lifting-

• HIFU or Ultherapy; great for mild to moderate, especially lower face
• RF including Tempsure, Pelleve & NuEra- best for mild laxity
• CO2 lasers; best for sun damage & fragmented collagen
• Dermal fillers can replace volume loss
• Threads can provide limited collagen stimulation

The BEAR got an impressive average score of 4.5 out of 5 stars. I do think this is a realistic review based upon the science of a bell curve. It applies to every aesthetic treatment, including topicals, lasers, injectables & even surgery.

Those who lie to the absolute left of the bell curve will not experience any benefits in comparison to the mean & those who lie to the right. This can be due to a few factors including-

• Expectations: Microcurrent is not a face lifting device. 
• Compliance: You need to consistently use it. 
• Collagen reactivity: This is a factor of age & genetics.

First implemented 50 years ago, it was found that microcurrent increases the energy levels at the cellular level. This increase is due to adenosine triphosphate. Microcurrent also enhances immediate collagen contraction. This accounts for immediate tightening & firming up of tissue.