High-Frequency Facial- What Is It & What Are Its Benefits

High-frequency is one of the best and most underrated skincare treatment tools out there. I’ve been using it for 13 years because it helps my acne spots go away fast! But it also has other benefits. I have a full breakdown blog & video where I go into detail on everything high frequency does but in this post, I’ll mainly just answer the most common questions I get about high frequency.

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In this post about high-frequency facials we will cover:

• The benefits of high-frequency
• The risks or side effects of high-frequency
• How often you can do a high-frequency treatment 
• How long you can use the high-frequency treatment per session
• What high-frequency facial feels like
• How to attach the glass electrode 
• What type of high-frequency machines are available
• Do you need to use high frequency with gauze?
• Should you use a high-frequency wand on top of skincare?
• Can you use high frequency with Botox or fillers- 
• & more! 

What does High-frequency do?

When the glass tip of the facial wand is applied to the surface of the skin, a mild electrical current passes through the gas-filled glass high-frequency electrode causing it to submit a subtle glow and buzzing noise. The wand is filled with an inert gas which is either a neon red/orange light or violet/blue light. The color of the gas is somewhat targeted depending on your concern, but honestly, either one will work.

Benefits of High-Frequency Machines

High frequency is one of the best yet most underrated facial treatments out there.

• Helps a lot of acne problems. It dries up live acne quickly & makes pores appear smaller- It cleans out all the debris and toxins, controls sebum production, and eliminates blackheads. The high-frequency current produces a gentle spray of oxygen molecules that penetrate deep into the areas that are affected by bacteria and kill any acne-causing bacteria. It can help cystic acne heal much faster and prevent the onset of new acne when used regularly.
• Makes you glow- It causes an increase in hydration and nutrients so that the skin cells can cause more collagen production and elastin production, and help the overall skin condition and texture. It boosts cell renewal too. 
• Encourages lymphatic drainage- It boosts blood circulation, gently exfoliates the skin,  flushes toxins, and promotes healthy cells.
• Decongest puffy eyes and dark circles- Dark eye circles are often a result of red blood cells that have leaked out of broken capillaries under the eyes. The electrical current from a high-frequency treatment causes healthy blood circulation to rush in that area. 
• It reduces cellulite – lymphatic drainage helps with cellulite by flushing toxins and creating a space for healthy blood flow.
• Can restore hair loss – heat is sent to the targeted area so local blood circulation is improved and the hair follicles are stimulated.

Are There Any Risks with using High-frequency?

High-frequency is generally safe, but I suggest staying away from glycolic acid and AHA, when you’re using high-frequency machines, and when you are pregnant.

Add high-frequency to your beauty skincare routine to keep the skin glowing, clear, and younger-looking!

How often can you use high-frequency therapy?

Depending on why you’re using it, you can use it every day but you don’t have to. I mainly use mine when I feel a zit coming, or I have one I want to go away quickly. If you want to use it for anti-aging then you need to use it daily. You can use it morning or night or both. You may experience dryness if you use it regularly so be sure to use moisturizing products after.

How long do you use high-frequency per session? 

Use your high-frequency device for 15 seconds per area or 5 minutes max per face per session should be plenty. It really doesn’t take that long- I can treat my whole face in about 2 minutes.

What does high-frequency feel like and what level should I use?

High-frequency feels like a little electric shock- if you’ve ever licked a battery it’s similar to that but more zappy.

Use whatever level feels comfortable. Turning it up on full blast isn’t necessary- you want to feel the electricity but it doesn’t need to hurt to work. 

The small one tip that is used to treat specific acne spots is usually the zappiest so I keep it on a pretty low setting. 

How to attach the high-frequency wand: 

1. Plug your machine into the wall but don’t turn it on yet
2. Grab the wand you want to use and insert it straight into the machine. 
3. Don’t push too hard and make sure it’s STRAIGHT not at the slightest angle because these are glass and they can break if bent too hard.  
4. Push in, not too hard- you’ll feel it stop
5. Then turn on the device.

Which high-frequency device should I get? 

There are 2 types main types of inert gas used in High-frequency wands- Argon gas and Neon gas. That is where the glow comes from.

The argon gas is purple and is for acne, oily skin, ingrown hairs

The Neon is orange and it’s for building collagen and helping with wrinkles. 

Here’s the thing. They will both work. 

I used the neon orange one for years and it zaps my acne just fine. I purchased the argon one a few months ago because I wanted to test this theory and they honestly had the same results. I will say that I prefer my new one because the wands are easier to insert but it was also $10 more and the functionality is just as good as my older orange one. 

I want to highlight that YOU DO NOT NEED to purchase an expensive fancy one. They are the same device- I’ve seen many of these expensive brands using footage stolen from my video with my $60 Amazon one in their marketing! 

Do you need to use high frequency with gauze?

Using gauze with high frequency is something that is taught in esthetician school. They say gauze is important because it promotes oxygen flow and the thicker the layer of gauze between the wand and the skin, the more oxygen is circulating and the more efficient and effective the device is. 

I disagree. I’ve used my device without gauze for years and have had amazing results. BUT GAUZE DOES help with gliding. I’ve been testing it with gauze for the past few months and I will say I enjoy it more because of the glide but it truly isn’t necessary. 

This is how I use gauze with my device:

I use 2×2 Gauze squares that open to 4×4. 

Open them up and place it over the head of the high-frequency device.

Use a little rubber band- like the kind for braces or hair and wrap it not too tight bc you don’t want to break the glass.

Glide away!

Should you use a high-frequency wand on top of skincare?

You can but it’s not necessary. There is a myth that using this over skincare will help it absorb better and that’s just not true. 

I’m gonna get a little technical here but this will explain why:

High frequency utilizes oscillating current and the rate of speed is so high the device doesn’t have polarity so it’s not negative or positive this means that it can’t cause the chemical reaction that’s needed to “help products penetrate deeper”. This is why it doesn’t make a difference if you use it with products.

What does high frequency smell like?

When the device is working you’ll smell a very distinct metallic scent- this is called ozone. This means the device is working because the air around the tube becomes oxygenated. 

What does high frequency sound like?

The high-frequency machine makes an electrical-sounding hum. The higher it’s turned up the louder the sound is. This is normal! If you are using this on a client or a friend I suggest showing them what it sounds and feels like before you apply it directly to their skin.

Do you need to ground the high-frequency wand before applying it to the skin?

Grounding is when you turn on the device and apply your finger to the wand. Then apply to the skin and lift your finger off the glass. This is good of you or your client is timid because it slowly introduces them to the feeling but I have a hard time getting behind the other reasons they say grounding is necessary. 

Reason 1 is that applying directly to the skin will cause hyperpigmentation, especially without gauze. I am VERY prone to my skin pigmenting and after years of use without grounding or gauze, I can honestly say it makes no difference for me.

Reason 2 is you can use the wand to spark. 

Sparking the high-frequency device is when you hold the device close enough to the pimple but not directly on it to create an arc of electricity that zaps deeper into that direct spot. The way you do this is literally by pulling the device away from the skin for 2 seconds- you’ll feel the zap increase then put it back on. You can tap, which is what I prefer, or just hold it away. This is effective in treating acne spots really fast and it works. 

But if you ground your device you would never be creating that arc of electricity so I feel like people contradict themselves when they say that. 

Does high frequency remove dark spots or Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation? 

No, I have never noticed that it helps with my dark spots but it can prevent them from happening if you treat the acne spot before it causes scarring.

Can you use high frequency if you have piercings, braces, dental implants, or pacemakers? 

Yes to everything except pacemakers. I use this with earrings and have no issues. I also used to have a permanent retainer and it was never a problem. If it feels wrong though then stop haha. 

Will high frequency shrink your pores?

Nothing can make your pores smaller – pores don’t shrink, in fact, they get larger with age BUT you can make them appear smaller by keeping them cleared out from gunk

Things that can help with pore size would be regular exfoliation and adding retinol into your routine. 

I’ll link my videos where I share everything you need to know about keeping pores clear and another video with all of the details on retinol. 

Retinol is a game-changer in skincare and can help with acne breakouts, and wrinkles too!

What should you do after high frequency?

Your full routine- you don’t need to use specific or gentle products unless you’re super sensitive. Listen to your skin.

Can you use high frequency with Botox or fillers- 

Yes. I have Botox and filler and have never had any issues with it moving them or making the results go away faster. 

I would wait for at least 48 hours after filler and 72 hours after botox to use the device though.

Those are the most common questions I receive about the high-frequency device. As you can see, this facial machine has so many benefits! If you have any more questions about this essential skin device please leave them below in the comment section and I’ll answer them for you! 

Hope this helped clear up your common questions about the high-frequency Facial. If you have any others please leave them below in the comments.

I recommend purchasing this travel case for it too because the electrodes are glass and you want to keep it protected. 

xx,

Lauren

If you need more collagen-stimulating and anti-aging products in your routine, I highly recommend adding snail mucin. I have a blog post detailing everything you need to know, and my top 2 product recommendations. 

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