There are two types of topical direct electrical field generating devices for the skin: galvanic and micro-current.

These devices are excellent for biologically aged skin that is unresponsive to topically applied chemicals, also known as, skincare products. The tone and tightening are unmistakable with these devices.

Some respond more than others, though, so visiting a skin esthetician who uses these devices is worth it to evaluate how well you respond. If it is a “meh” then you have saved yourself an investment in a home-care device.

The difference in the two devices is found in the probes. With micro-current the two probes are immediately next to one another. In galvanic there are two separate probes. One probe is anchored, say, at the corner of your mouth, another is just in front of your ear. The current travels down one probe and ‘finds’ the other to complete the circuit. This will find your skin muscles jumping like a frog leg in a high school biology class.

A micro-current device however completes the circuit often in less than 3/8” and the muscles do not visibly jump as they do with galvanic devices.

There are two types of muscles associated with the skin and the job of these devices is to simulate them. Pilli muscles are contained within the skin itself and give rise to things like ‘goose bumps’ which usually will not occur on the face for reasons the Skin Dork is too lazy to go into here today.

The other muscles are below the skin and are connected to the skin by a series of insertion points. When you are younger the insertion points, the connectivity, of the skin to the underlying muscles that allow you to smile, frown and grit your teeth, are extensive. As we age, the connectivity is not as intact and our skin sags.

In fact, stretch marks happen primarily to skin that is biologically young, so the women who have babies at a younger age tend to have more stretch mark problems because the insertion points ‘rip out’ across a wide area.

You can recover from these maternal stretch rips and in fact avoid many of them ahead of time by application of warm unprocessed avocado oil stirred with warm water applied daily. Wash the area with REVIVE, rinse and pat dry. The unrefined or unprocessed (do not use refined) avocado oil stains. But it is unequaled in its ability to recover stretch marks. See 302 Skincare for this AVO product available later in 2023.

Anyway, these electrical devices stimulate muscles and this gives the skin (usually on the face) a lift, a tightening as the muscles contract. This can be dramatic and also easily overdone creating bunched hard muscles in the face. Not a good look.

A micro-current device that is battery operated is more than adequate and spending more than $150 is just throwing money away. Use for 15 minutes at a time around the face while watching kickboxing and you may not notice the zzzzz-ing sensation and occasional shocking stray current. Most devices come with a grounding wristlet to reduce this sensation.

Any number of topical products claim to increase the effectiveness of the micro-current devices and place all manner of importance to their magic juice to be spread on the skin while dong the zap.

It will not matter if you use oil or water or nothing. The Skin Dork finds that any high chlorophyll product (contains magnesium), like spirulina in water can be helpful in evening out the electrical charge to avoid stray zaps. Of course you then look like a green Martian and can (surprise advertisement) use REVIVE to cleanse and moisturize after your electrical stimulation. ULTRA ION GEL from 302 Skincare is high in chlorophyll and end users tell me it is quite effective.

It is useful to have an instrument whose output power can be adjusted up or down.

Galvanic instruments are very difficult to find, though there is a fine one on Amazon.com but it is pricey ($1300) which if you are a skincare professional would be worth the purchase. They are a true face lift instrument and should be applied by a professional.

Last, and the Skin Dork hesitates to mention this because it only encourages the class clowns, but YES, you can use an electric toothbrush or a vibrator to stimulate your facial muscles but it operates more on the principle of a massage than direct muscle stimulation with electrical current.