If there’s one thing I’m an absolute sucker for, it’s a face tool. Gua sha, microcurrent, my beloved ice roller—they’re all a part of my daily routine, and I’m not ashamed of it. To sit on my couch at night with a good ole’ face tool and work away while I’m reading a book is my bliss. So when I saw that Therabody came out with the TheraFace Pro last year (and then saw that it was being called the Dyson Airwrap of face tools on TikTok) I knew I had to give it a shot.
You might be familiar with the Theraface Pro after it went viral on social media late last year (and of course, subsequently sold out). I managed to get my hands on it and gave it a chance to work its magic on me and decide if it was really worth it or not. Here’s the low-down on all things TheraFace, including my unfiltered thoughts on whether or not you should place your order.
What is the TheraFace Pro?
You’re probably already familiar with the Theragun, the percussive massage device that’s become the gold standard for at-home massage treatments. With the same percussive massage technology, but designed for your face, the TheraFace Pro is a handheld facial device that combines eight different facial tools into an all-in-one device.
As a full package, the TheraFace Pro comes with a microcurrent attachment, percussive therapy attachments, a cleansing ring, and an LED light therapy attachment. For an additional $99, you can purchase a set of hot and cold rings as well. All of the device’s attachment heads are connected to the device magnetically, so they’re extremely easy to swap out.
The device is said to reduce tension and relax facial muscles through massage, tone with microcurrent technology, and rejuvenate with light therapy. Meant to be combined, the various technologies allow you to customize your TheraFace Pro routine to cater to your skin’s needs.
How to use the microcurrent attachment
Microcurrent devices have risen in popularity over the few years for their firming and tightening effects. Microcurrent works by delivering an electrical current to muscles and skin cells. In turn, this builds up muscles in the face and lifts and tightens the skin. We’ve all gotten TikToks of someone using microcurrent and watching their cheekbones appear like magic.
To use the microcurrent attachment, first you have to apply a conductive gel to your face (if you don’t, you can feel the zaps of the device). The Theraface Pro has a preset shut off time of eight minutes for the microcurrent setting, and you can do it once every 24 hours. It’s recommended to take slow, five-second swipes across the face, and repeat that motion about three times.
I’ve owned the NuFace mini for a couple of years, so I was already familiar with microcurrent technology. Off the bat, I noticed that the TheraFace’s microcurrent head is larger, and covered a larger portion of my face than my NuFace, which I really preferred. I also really prefer holding the Theraface to the NuFace; the handle of it is much more substantial and makes the process feel much easier.
Candidly, I don’t love the feeling of the microcurrent gel on my face, so I use the CosRx Snail Mucin that’s already a part of my skincare routine instead, and it provides the same viscous barrier that allows me to use the device comfortably.
If there’s one non-negotiable for me in my Theraface routine, it’s the microcurrent ring. I use it every single morning and notice an immediate, visible difference in my face. It instantly looks more lifted and awake, and I notice the difference throughout the day if I forgot to use it. My mom recently commented on my cheekbones (an area I’m greatly lacking in), and I credit it to Theraface’s microcurrent head.
How to use the cleansing attachment
Like a Clarisonic (remember those?) Theraface’s percussive-based cleansing ring enhances the removal of dirt, oil, dead skin, and other pore-blocking debris while you wash your face. It essentially is used to give your face a deep clean that your hands can’t achieve on their own. To use it, you work around your face section by section with your cleanser of choice (besides those with microbeads or harsh exfoliants in them).
I have very sensitive, very dry skin, which means I don’t particularly mesh with cleansing devices. They tend to irritate my perioral dermatitis, but I’ve used it occasionally on days I wore a lot of makeup to get an extra-deep clean. It definitely is the least harsh of the cleansing devices I’ve used, but you have to remember to be careful with it—if you let the head get dirty, it can spread bacteria and cause breakouts. Not only should you replace the cleansing attachment every 90 days, but you should wipe the attachment down with a towel or a wipe after you use it.
Despite not getting a ton of use out of this feature on the device, I still appreciate having the option to use it. Having one device dedicated to cleansing would be a waste for me, but it being one of eight options on the device is definitely worth having around.
How to use the percussive attachments
The TheraFace Pro comes with three different percussive attachments—a cone, a micro-point, and a flat—and can be used at three different speeds. Percussive therapy, which is a combination of rapid percussive movements and vibrations, is intended to relax facial muscles and reduce tension, so they’re particularly helpful for those who have a lot of jaw pain or TMJ.
The three different percussive attachments are each intended for different uses. The flat head is for tension relief in the entire face, chest, and neck; the micro-point head is for maximizing circulation in larger areas like the forehead and cheeks; and the cone head is for targeted treatment around the eyes and pressure points.
I don’t personally experience any jaw or facial pain, but I do love using the percussive treatments simply for how they feel—particularly the micro-point and cone heads. After I use the micro-point head, my face looks overall healthier and has a glow about it that I don’t often see in myself as a dry-skinned gal. I have a condition that causes my eyelids to get extremely puffy, and have found that the cone head is a godsend for it. It relieves the tension I often feel in my eyes in a matter of minutes, so it’s a feature I use every day.
How to use the light therapy attachments
The light therapy attachment for the TheraFace Pro has three different settings: red light for aging, blue light for acne, and the red-plus-infrared light, which specifically helps reduce wrinkles around the eyes.
While the red and red-plus infared lights can be used simultaneously with the percussive attachments, the blue light should not be, as it can promote the spread of bacteria. The Therabody website suggests using the light attachments by holding them to specific areas for 45 seconds at a time.
I’ve used the blue light when I’ve gotten breakouts here and there throughout the past five months, and I do feel that it’s made them vanish more quickly than they would have otherwise. Do I think it’s a miracle worker? No, but I do think it’s a nice addition to my trying-to-blast-a-pimple-off-my-face routine.
Obviously, since red light is used for anti-aging, it’s hard to say how well it’s worked for me. Have I aged less in the past five months than I would have otherwise? It’s not really possible to say. But, the reason I keep using it is because it’s so easy to use with the percussive treatments. It’s a two-for-one motion that feels extra worthwhile when combined, so if I’m using one, I always just use both.
How to use the hot and cold rings
The hot and cold rings are the only attachment you have to buy separately and will run you an additional $99. The hot ring has three settings: 95, 102, and 109 degrees Fahrenheit; the cold ring has three settings as well: 78, 71, and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The hot ring is meant to reduce tension, decrease pain, and increase blood flow to the face, and the cold ring is meant to decrease pain, inflammation, and muscle spasms. The cold ring can also be used simultaneously with the percussive attachments for a more customized experience.
Of the two, the hot ring is definitely the star of the show for me. It feels incredible and leaves me with the same glowy, flushed look that the percussive attachments do. It’s a unique experience due to the fact that I’ve never had another device that uses heat on my face. I like the cold attachment when I use it with the percussive attachments, but if not, I reach for my ice roller more frequently, as my ice roller is much colder. That being said, I think they’re a really unique, useful addition to the device, and if you’re like me, if you have them, you’ll find yourself reaching for them all the time.
Is the Theraface Pro worth it?
After five months of using the Theraface Pro every single day, I can confidently say that if something happened to mine, I would immediately re-purchase it—which is saying a lot. It’s absolutely my favorite part of my self-care routine and something that I look forward to every single day. If you’re someone who reaches for face tools and takes the time to use them, I think you would absolutely love the Theraface Pro. Having the functions of eight different facial tools in one is game-changing to me, especially given that it comes in a neoprene pouch that keeps it all condensed. It definitely is expensive, but when you use it, the quality definitely reflects the cost.
I also can honestly say that I’ve seen a visible difference in my face and skin. I feel my skin overall looks healthier and more glowing on a day-to-day basis, and think my face looks more lifted and sculpted. Given that I’ve seen results and that I actually enjoy using every one of the Theraface’s attachments, I think the Theraface Pro is very much worth the money.
