High-Frequency Wand vs EMS: How the Two Face Tools Differ
A high frequency wand glows and releases ozone on the skin's surface, while EMS contracts facial muscles. EMS has a 12-week trial; wands have mostly lab data.
Key takeaways
- A high frequency wand lights a gas-filled glass electrode whose glow releases ozone and reactive molecules at the skin's surface.
- In lab tests, the wand's glow produced no measurable heat and cut bacterial growth on agar plates; those tests were not done on skin.
- EMS works below the skin: its pulses make the facial muscles contract, which you feel as a rhythmic pulse.
- Facial EMS has a 12-week randomized trial; the only facial wand study we found had 26 participants and no control group.
- GlowLift™ Infinity's high-frequency vibration is a motion, not a wand; its toning step comes from EMS inside a warm-to-cold routine.
In this guide
A high frequency wand and an EMS device both run on electricity but work on different layers of the face. The wand's gas-filled glass electrode glows and releases a little ozone at the skin's surface, while EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) makes facial muscles contract. Facial EMS has a 12-week randomized trial (Kavanagh et al., 2012), the wand mostly lab studies.
Our GlowLift™ Infinity face sculpting device lists "high-frequency vibration," but it is not a high frequency wand.
What is a high frequency wand?
A high frequency wand is a handheld device that sends a high frequency current into a glass electrode filled with a low-pressure gas. The gas glows when the device is switched on. Researchers describe the glow as cold atmospheric pressure plasma, which releases ozone and other reactive molecules onto the surface of the skin.
High frequency therapy dates to the 19th century and was used in the early 1900s for skin infections, eczema and wounds. Today's home versions are often called violet wands (Frommherz et al., 2022).
A review of plasma in dermatology lists what this kind of glow contains: reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, UV photons and electromagnetic emission (Tan et al., 2022).
What does a high frequency facial do to skin?
A high frequency facial mainly works on the skin's surface. In lab tests, the wand's glow produced no measurable heat, released ozone and cut the number of bacteria growing in a dish. Sellers claim it helps with blemishes, wrinkles and lymph drainage, but human trials are few and small.
In the Munich lab study, a thermal camera showed no temperature rise after up to four minutes of use. In a closed room of about 10.5 cubic meters, ozone reached 0.015 ppm after 10 minutes at full power and 0.090 ppm after 50 minutes. The authors think ozone explains most of the effect on microbes (Frommherz et al., 2022).
On agar plates, one minute of treatment cut P. acnes colonies from about 7,288 to 30 per plate. In a Brazilian lab study, Staphylococcus aureus growth was inhibited after 30 seconds at 8 and 10 mA (Wietzikoski Lovato et al., 2018). Neither study tested whether skin looks any different afterward.
How is EMS different from a high frequency wand?
EMS and a high frequency wand differ in where they work. EMS pulses reach the motor nerves below the skin and make the facial muscles tighten and release, which you feel as a rhythmic pulse. A high frequency wand works on top of the skin through its glow and ozone, and it can leave a faint ozone smell.
In research, EMS is called neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES).
| Feature | High frequency wand | EMS device |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Current lights a gas-filled glass electrode; the glow (cold plasma) releases ozone and reactive molecules | Pulses reach the motor nerves and contract the muscle beneath the skin |
| Works on | The skin's surface | The facial muscles |
| Heat | None measured in a lab test of 1–4 minutes (Frommherz et al., 2022) | None from the EMS itself; some multi-mode devices add a warm mode |
| Usually chosen for | Blemish-prone skin and a clarified look | A toned, more defined-looking jaw and cheek contour |
What have wand and EMS studies measured?
The research is far thinner for high frequency wands than for EMS. Most wand studies are lab tests on bacteria, plus one small facial study without a control group. Facial EMS has a randomized controlled trial in which an assessor who did not know the groups measured thicker cheek muscles by ultrasound after 12 weeks.
| Study | Tool | Design | What was measured | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dos Santos et al., 2024 | High frequency generator | 26 participants aged 50–60, 8 weeks, no control group | Wrinkle scores fell, e.g. right nasolabial fold 1.48 to 0.87 (modified Fitzpatrick scale) | No control; rated from photos and scales |
| Frommherz et al., 2022 | Home high frequency device | Lab study on bacteria and fungi | Fewer colonies of almost every species tested; ozone rose over time | In vitro only |
| Kavanagh et al., 2012 | Facial EMS device | Randomized controlled, 108 women, 12 weeks, 20 min/day, 5 days/week | Cheek-muscle thickness up 18.6% vs baseline, no rise in controls; at least 80% of users vs under 5% of controls reported better firmness and tone | One device, longer sessions; appearance self-reported |
The Munich team wrote that high frequency therapy "claims antimicrobial effects on acne skin, but solid data on its efficacy and mechanism of action is lacking" (Frommherz et al., 2022).
We found no study comparing a wand with EMS, and none tested GlowLift™ Infinity. The EMS trial used a different device in 20-minute sessions, so read it as evidence for the technique, not for any single product.
Is GlowLift™'s high-frequency vibration a wand?
No: GlowLift™ Infinity's high-frequency vibration is a fast micro-vibration you feel in the head of the device as it glides over your serum. It is a motion, not a high frequency current, and GlowLift™ has no gas-filled glass electrode. Its toning step comes from EMS, which engages the facial muscles.
GlowLift™ Infinity is our product, and it has limits. Its EMS pulse is a tingle you can feel, so start each mode on Level 1 of its three. It does nothing comparable to a wand's ozone, and there is no published trial of GlowLift™ itself.
If you are weighing EMS against another current, our guide to EMS vs microcurrent covers that comparison.
Which tool fits your goal, and how do you use it?
Choose EMS for a more toned, defined-looking jaw and cheek contour, as the last step of a five-to-seven-minute warm, cold and EMS routine. A high frequency wand suits people who want a surface step for blemish-prone skin and accept thin evidence. We suggest one electrical tool per session, following each device's manual.
- Cleanse, then apply your serum. For texture and the look of pores, press in Texture Refining Treatment 10% niacinamide serum. GlowLift™ glides over serum, facial oil or cream.
- Warm up for 2–3 minutes. With GlowLift™ in warm mode, glide upward along the jawline, cheekbones and neck.
- Cool down for 1–2 minutes. In cold mode, sweep outward under the eyes and over puffy areas for a refreshed, de-puffed look.
- Finish with EMS for 2–3 minutes. On Level 1, trace upward and outward along the jaw, under the cheekbones and up the neck, off the eyelids. Raise the level only when the pulse feels comfortable.
- Repeat five to seven days a week. In the morning, follow with moisturizer and sunscreen.
Do not use an EMS device if you are pregnant or have a pacemaker, implanted defibrillator or other active electronic implant, or on broken, irritated or infected skin. If you have epilepsy or a diagnosed skin condition, check with your doctor first.
If you own a wand, give it its own session on clean, dry skin, follow its manual and wipe the glass electrode after each use. For a jaw-focused EMS routine, see how to get rid of jowls at home, or browse our at-home skincare and beauty devices.
Does a high frequency wand's ozone pose a risk?
A high frequency wand gives off only a little ozone in a short session. Ozone is a lung irritant, though, and in one lab test its level kept rising the longer a wand ran in a closed room. Keep sessions brief, use the wand in a ventilated room and avoid it if you have asthma.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns that "when inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs" and that it "may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma" (US EPA). The Munich authors judged the dose from a short treatment too small to cause serious harm (Frommherz et al., 2022).
In the 18 home-device studies reviewed in 2024, which did not single out wands, the only reported side effects were short-lived redness and swelling (Bu et al., 2024).
When is a wand or EMS device the wrong choice?
A high frequency wand or EMS device is the wrong first step if you have persistent or painful breakouts, a diagnosed skin condition, epilepsy or an implanted device. See a board-certified dermatologist first. At-home tools are cosmetic and cannot diagnose or treat a skin condition.
Sudden drooping or weakness on one side of the face needs prompt medical care. After injectables, a peel or another procedure, ask your provider when to restart any facial device. For GlowLift™ questions, use our contact form.
The bottom line
A high frequency wand works on the skin's surface with a glow that releases ozone, and its support comes mostly from lab studies and one small uncontrolled trial. EMS works the facial muscles underneath, and a 12-week randomized trial backs it.
Pick the tool that matches the layer you care about. If a toned, defined-looking contour is your goal, start with a five-to-seven-minute warm, cold and EMS routine with GlowLift™ Infinity.
Sources
- Kavanagh S, Newell J, Hennessy M, Sadick N. Use of a neuromuscular electrical stimulation device for facial muscle toning: a randomized, controlled trial. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2012;11(4):261–266. PubMed 23174048 · doi:10.1111/jocd.12007
- Frommherz L, Reinholz M, Gürtler A, Stadler PC, Kaemmerer T, French L, Clanner-Engelshofen BM. High-frequency devices effect in vitro: promissing approach in the treatment of acne vulgaris? An Bras Dermatol. 2022;97(6):729–734. PubMed 36109271 · doi:10.1016/j.abd.2021.09.015
- Tan F, Wang Y, Zhang S, Shui R, Chen J. Plasma dermatology: skin therapy using cold atmospheric plasma. Front Oncol. 2022;12:918484. PubMed 35903680 · doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.918484
- Wietzikoski Lovato EC, Gurgel Velasquez PA, Dos Santos Oliveira C, et al. High frequency equipment promotes antibacterial effects dependent on intensity and exposure time. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2018;11:131–135. PubMed 29606883 · doi:10.2147/CCID.S156282
- Dos Santos AKF, Martignago CCS, de Andrade ALM, et al. A clinical study on the efficacy of high frequency therapy on nasolabial and periorbital wrinkles. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2024;26(5–8):114–121. PubMed 39542028 · doi:10.1080/14764172.2024.2427018
- Bu P, Duan R, Luo J, Yang T, Liu N, Wen C. Development of home beauty devices for facial rejuvenation: establishment of efficacy evaluation system. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2024;17:553–563. PubMed 38476342 · doi:10.2147/CCID.S449599
- US Environmental Protection Agency. Ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners. epa.gov (accessed 2026-10-27)
Frequently asked questions
Featured in this guide
Shop the guide
This guide is for general education and isn't medical advice. If you have a skin condition or a health question, please speak with a dermatologist or your doctor.
