High-frequency treatments are frequently used in facials to treat stubborn acne, calm inflammation, shrink pores, reduce the signs of aging, and so much more. I’ve had these treatments done during facials for years, but recently, I found out you can do it at home. And it’s a game-changer.

High-frequency treatments use electrical currents that are set at just the right frequency to benefit your skin without, well, electrocuting you. When the glass electrode (attached to the base of the machine) is applied to the skin, it generates oxygen which kills bacteria and calms inflammation. This glass electrode comes in a variety of shapes and sizes that address different concerns and areas of the face. The most common shapes are:

Dot-Point: targets pimples
Mushroom: treats broader areas of the face like the cheek and forehead
Tongue or spoon: treats contours of the face like around the nose

The idea that you can do high-frequency treatments at home came to me by way of Meg Young (of Meg Young Media). In an Instagram story, she mentioned it was recommended by the estheticians at Kate Somerville Skin Clinic and I immediately bought the kit she recommended.

Turns out, it’s super affordable and available on Amazon Prime! It’s the NuDerma Skin Therapy Wand ($38) and it comes with the electrodes listed above, plus a comb electrode that’s meant to stimulate hair growth.

It’s very simple to use. Here’s how:

Cleanse and exfoliate your skin. Exfoliating away dead skin cells will help the device work even better. I highly recommend Kate Somerville Exfolikate ($65) for all your exfoliating needs.
Apply a serum. I use REN Instant Firming Beauty Shot ($60) when I do this treatment.
Insert the electrode of choice in the the machine and turn it on. The NuDerma wand I used has a dial at the bottom to adjust the intensity. I prefer to use it on the lowest intensity, but I plan to increase it over time.
Glide the device over your skin. I have two important tips for this. One is to always maintain contact with the machine to avoid “shocking” yourself. To do this, touch the glass electrode with your finger as you apply it to your skin and then remove your finger once it’s in contact with your skin. My second tip is to use gauze in between your skin and the device. Estheticians typically do this during facial treatments and it makes it easier to glide the electrode around. In fact, it did not “glide” at all without the gauze and just stuck to my skin.
“Spark” your pimples. This is my favorite way to use high-frequency. Use the dot-point electrode to tap over any blemishes. You do not need to do the finger-contact-thing I mentioned above for this because you kind of want to “shock” the pimple.
Apply the rest of your skincare products.

After using high-frequency at home just once, I was hooked. I had a “blossoming” pimple on my chin that seemed to go down over night and I feel like I haven’t had as many breakouts as usual since I started using the device.

I’d highly recommend giving this a try. However, take note that it’s not recommended for those who are pregnant or have any heart issues. And if you’re prone to hyperpigmentation, you might want to ask your dermatologist or esthetician about it first because I’ve read that’s a potential side effect if it’s used incorrectly.

Check out my video below to watch me try it for the first time!