Will Electric Stimulation Machines Help Firm Facial Muscles?

Electrical stimulation devices claim to use low level "micro current" to stimulate facial tone and sculpt the face. While they may provide a very small benefit, they do not prevent or correct facial aging and cannot be used as an alternative to face lift. 
It is important to remember that aging is more than just "skin deep" and its not just about the muscle.. A lot of aging has to do with the deeper structures of the face. Specifically, we lose critical bone and fat from our face as we age. The bone and deep fat are structurally important and are needed to support and provide contour to the overlying skin. The skin itself also ages, becomes increasingly inelastic and can no longer hold its shape resulting in "static wrinkles" and pleats. Finally, the deep fibrous network that anchors our skin to the bone also weakens over time. All these age changes boost the effect of gravity resulting in sagging jowls and necks.
The more you understand about facial aging the clearer it becomes that there are no magic solutions or devices.

Electrical stimulation does show some potential for activating facial muscles and modestly improving muscle tone. This can contribute to a firmer appearance, but it does not reliably create true lifting, and it is certainly not a silver bullet. In the context of facial aging, the evidence is still evolving. Any benefits appear to be subtle at best, and proper technique is essential.
If it provides results, electrical stimulation is most effective as part of a comprehensive treatment plan rather than a stand-alone solution. A multimodal approach—pairing it with nonsurgical skin-tightening options such as microneedling, radiofrequency treatments, or volumizing procedures—tends to be more beneficial. It’s also important to recognize that these devices do not address the deeper structural laxity that naturally develops with age. This can only be addressed with a surgical intervention like a deep plane facelift and neck lift.
In terms of realistic expectations, you might notice some degree of improved tone after a few months, but the effect will not replicate the lift achieved through surgical intervention, like a facelift. Factors such as device quality, electrode placement, and regulatory oversight also play meaningful roles in outcomes. Ultimately, much more research is needed. Although both consumer and medical-grade facial electrical stimulation systems are available, the current body of evidence remains quite limited.

Great question!
I think the best comparison I can give is when people try to do lots of abdominal workouts to help lose abdominal fat. This unfortunately doesn't work, however once they lose some weight the abdominal muscles are much more well defined. Similarly in the face, working out these muscles may make them larger or more toned, but it may not ultimately show significantly given the overlying soft tissue/skin/parotid gland/etc. All that being said, it is unlikely to cause any issues and generally any type of exercise is good for the body as long as your electrical stimulation machine is safe and regulated.
Hope this helps!

This is a myth, to work on your facial muscles to get them firmer. It is nor correct to compare such procedures with procedures like facelifts that rejuvenate the face in a radical manner.
Hope this helps,
Ali Rıza Öreroğlu, MD FEBOPRASEuropean and Turkish Board Certified Aesthetic, Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeonIstanbul, Turkey

There are some studies showing improvements albeit mild on patients who do certain facial excercise over a long period of time.  Electrical stimulation may mimic such excercises by stimulating muscle contracture.  But it seems like a arduous way to seek very mild rejuvenative benefits, i.e. a long run for a short slide. 

A TENS unit or (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) machine may be good for chronic condition such as back pain or with help in facial nerve disorders after injury to the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII), however, to my knowledge, there has been no randomized controlled study to show any efficacy in tightening the muscles or skin of the face. The muscles and their covering the SMAS need lifting and repositioning. The overlying skin will need tailoring and any areas of excess fat will need to be sculpted. This is traditionally done, in my practice, through a high-lamellar or deep plane facelift whereby the retaining ligaments of the face are lysed and the mid face as well as lower face can be rejuvenated. Please consult only with board-certified facial plastic or plastic surgeons when having someone perform this operation. 

It would be best to save your money. Stimulating your face with a machine will not likely work. Thanks 

Electrical stimulation devices reportedly use micro current to stimulate facial muscles to achieve more resting tone, which in turn is supposed to result in a tighter more youthful appearance.  Like many other devices out there, they may have a subtle effect at best and in someone with significant excess skin laxity, their result is unlikely to be any near as effective as a traditional surgical facelift.  

The likelihood of achieving success with gadgets that promise rejuvenation is small.  Do the devices have FDA approval for efficacy or just for safety?  There is a big difference.  If you are to try such devices, make sure that there is a money back guarantee and a reasonable window in which to see if it really works.

Electrical Stimulation of facial muscles can provide mild improvement of underlying resting muscle tone. The amount of visible benefit will be determined  by the firmness of the overlying soft tissues. Surgery can correct all layers starting with the bone structure.  Augmentation with implants (whether solid or liquids) sets the foundation followed by contouring of the fat layer, tightening the muscles and finally improving  skin firmness and texture.   
Best to you,
Dr. Stephen Fink

Unfortunately, these devices generally are not effective. The changes associated with facial aging occur at multiple different levels, including skin, connective tissue, fat, muscle, and bone. All of these change over time as we age. The only thing that exercising the muscles is most likely to do is increase wrinkling on the face. We know that Botox works to relax the facial muscles and hence improve wrinkles. Over-exercising the muscles is likely to do the opposite.
Addressing the facial aging process with the help of an expert like a facial plastic surgeon or plastic surgeon specializing in facial aesthetics is a better way to go.
All the best,