Does microcurrent cause acne? Breaking out badly!
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Tue Oct 25, 2022 12:03 am

Since getting the Pico Toner, and using it for three weeks, I have broken out like crazy. I stopped using it for a week and a half, and a bunch of new pimples have popped up. I currently have almost a dozen JUST on my nose. Note that I do have reactive, somewhat acne-prone skin (mostly hormonal) but I RARELY break out on my nose. Plus the amount of acne I currently have is unheard of for me. Nothing I'm using should be causing it. My diet hasn't changed either.

I read that microcurrent is good for acne (though can cause purging) which is part of the reason I got it. But now I've read that is ISN'T good for people with highly metabolically active skin.

"If you have lots of active breakouts (red, inflamed acne), you may want to skip the microcurrent for now. Microcurrent is a very “active” treatment in that it stimulates your skin’s metabolism. While this is great for anti-aging purposes, acne is a sign that someone’s skin is already very metabolically active. Adding in more stimulation could potentially backfire, making the situation worse. If you get breakouts only occasionally you should be fine to use microcurrent, just avoid using the device directly on active blemishes. (Read about how an overly stimulating professional treatment"
Reneerouleau/at-home-microcurrent-facial-toning-device/

I am very confused now and wondering if people here any insight into this?

free skin care · Thu Nov 17, 2022 9:44 am

You are not mentioning which gel you are using and how often you used it?

Typically microcurrent gels contain salt and that provokes the skin to breakout like crazy.

I have Nuface and started with Nuface gel and binned it fairly soon. I found some microcurrent gels on Amazon, but because of price moved to ultrasound gels which are quite cheap and my skin doesn't break out when I use them.

All this being said, if you have a breakout, skip microcurrents until it clears or it will really be ouchy. If you have 1 or 2 pimples, just cover them with a bit of Vaseline and use the non irritating gel elsewhere.

Hope this helps.

Tue Nov 22, 2022 3:39 pm

Thanks for the response. Apparently, the notification for it went into my junk mail so I am just seeing this now.

The Pico Toner comes with a salt water spray. It was suggested by Tony (the owner) that I discontinue its use and after my skin healed I try again with JUST water. He also suggested that it was my skincare but it's definitely not as I've used these products (from Garden of Wisdom and Geek and Gorgeous) for a good while without any issues. He said it pushes products into your skin so even if they seem fine before deeper penetration can lead to breakouts. I told him that I apply my skincare AFTER, not before, microcurrent treatment. He told me that in their research and testing they didn't see acne as a side effect, though I don't know the age groups of the people they tested on. I am under 40.

I have tried again, three sessions this week, and have stopped using it for the past two days as my skin is breaking out again. I know some of it is hormonal but I have a large painful nodule forming on my nose which is not. Although I am somewhat acne prone with very mild acne and I'll get a few more pimples than usual around my period, I almost NEVER get acne on my nose, and certainly not nodular acne.

I am going to see if my skin gets worse in the next week like it did the last time I used the toner. I am also wondering if tap water is causing an issue as the water is moderately hard here.

free skin care · Wed Nov 23, 2022 2:51 am

I am so sorry Sad

You are still breaking out even when moved to water? I really wouldn't blame tap water, we are using it all the time and you would have noticed sensitivity by now...

I have to say I am near 50s so not your age but I do have occasional breakouts so I am not completely free from acne. That being said we all have different skin regardless of age...

You mention that you don't usually get acne on nose but you do get them with pico toner. Do you use microcurrents on your nose? I can only think that my nuface is touching a bit my nostril when I push up my naso labial line but apart from that not really any nose contact. Maybe when this clears stay clear of your nose/reduce strength of microcurrent?

Sometimes, some products just don't work for somebody although a lot of people like them. If you don't manage to make it work hopefully you can return it.

Thu Nov 24, 2022 12:56 am

I wrote a pretty long response but lost it because of a connection issue so this will be shorter and less detailed as I'm tired now lol.

I've had issues with breaking out due to very hard well water so I know my skin doesn't like hard water very much. I'm on city water currently which is rated as being "moderately hard" in my area. I've broken out less than at my old place, but perhaps the pico toner is pushing it deeper into my skin and causing an issue. That's just my thoughts.

I do use the pico toner on my nose. I've read that microcurrent can cause purging. I don't know if it would cause more severe purging though when I've purged before (like from an acid) it was just small pimples or whiteheads, not any deep under-the-skin ones. I'll probably try again after some time, but avoiding my nose.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'll be breaking out until I'm 100. That is if I live that long haha. I was thinking maybe the people they tested on didn't normally experience breakouts (which tends to be less common in older groups, but your right, everyone is different) or they didn't have reactive skin. Though I can't find any information on this.

Unfortunately, it's past the return date. I'm hoping I can make it work but if not I'll look into selling it.

free skin care · Fri Nov 25, 2022 2:23 am

I think you are on to something, that is likely the reason why there are no reports about microcurrents and breakouts.

If breakouts are the problem, I can recommend Blue LED light and High Frequency Therapy. 1st requires much more time and effort and relatively high cost, but HF gadgets are on the cheaper side (for example D'arsonval there are a lot of them on both amazon and ebay) and the effort is really a couple of minutes a day over skin covered with oil cream or just oil, perhaps jojoba since it doesn't cause breakout?

Sun Jul 21, 2024 11:05 am

I understand your confusion. I had a similar experience when I started using a microcurrent device that I bought from GMA My skin broke out more than usual, especially on my nose, even though I rarely get acne there. After doing some research, I learned that microcurrent treatments might not be ideal for everyone, particularly those with reactive or highly metabolically active skin.It might be best to pause the treatment and consult a dermatologist. Has anyone else had similar issues with microcurrent devices?

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