What is Microcurrent?

I use the CACI Signature Non-Surgical Facial Toning Machine in my treatments. CACI’s Signature Non-Surgical Facial Toning is an advanced non-invasive facial, with twenty years medical research behind it. Microcurrent impulses will lift and tone the facial muscles and the neck area, whilst improving skin elasticity and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This gives a more youthful, fresh appearance and glow.

Microcurrent stimulation delivers tiny electrical impulses that mirror the body’s own natural bio electrical field. In most cases, treatment is virtually sub-sensory, with just a slight electrical tingling sensation.

Originally developed for treating facial palsy microcurrent therapy is now also used widely in physiotherapy for pain control and in hospitals for wound healing. As an aesthetic treatment microcurrent stimulation has been shown to have a number of other cosmetic benefits:

Microcurrent in aesthetics is commonly described as “facial toning or non surgical face lifting” due to the dramatic lifting effect that microcurrent has on facial muscles and facial contours.

True microcurrent uses a current with an intensity of less than one millionth of an amp (< 1mA) and because of it’s low intensity it does not cause a physical or visual contraction of the muscle, instead, microcurrent stimulation works by a process called muscle re-education.

In the 1960s Drs S. Baker and S.Doyle demonstrated that effective and long term muscle re-education could only be achieved using microcurrent if ultra low frequencies (less than 1 Hertz) were used.

In his book, The Body Electric Dr Robert O. Becker, indicates that to be effective microcurrent impulses need to be delivered using a modified waveform that is able to overcome the body’s natural resistance to current (Ohms law) without causing client discomfort.

Combining ultra low frequencies with a modified waveform enables the microcurrent to recharge the electrical potential of the muscle by stimulating the spindle cell fibers that run the length of the muscle and attach to the golgi tendon organ in the belly of the muscle. This golgi tendon organ (GTO) simulation technique was developed by Dr George Goodheart in the late 60’s.

During treatment all 32 facial muscles are physically manipulated using soft cotton tipped wands (probes) or other attachments that transmit the microcurrent impulses.

Working a muscle from belly outward will have a lengthening/relaxing effect that is necessary on muscles that have become contracted over years of facial expression (eg frown lines). Working a muscle from the origin and insertion point inward will have a shortening effect that is necessary for the majority of the muscles that have become elongated over time due to age and gravity.

Although a remarkable difference is seen after the first treatment, the benefits of microcurrent are cumulative and typically a course of 12 treatments will be required for optimum results.