EUR340,58
Therabody TheraFace Pro
TheraFace Pro – the facial massage gun
11/8/2023
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
The brand Therabody manufactures massage guns. I tried one for the face. By the end, my feeling of overwhelm – and an electric shock – turned into enthusiasm.
«From Therabody, the pioneer of percussive therapy, comes a revolutionary all-in-one device for the ultimate in facial care.» So says the description of the TheraFace Pro, which looks like a mini hair dryer, but is actually a facial massager. Since my colleague, beauty editor Natalie Hemengül, has already worked out her skincare routine, I’ll have to do as the tester of the «ultimate device for facial health».
Unboxing the TheraFace Pro, I’m initially amazed at how many accessories it comes with:
- 3 percussive attachments: Flat, Cone and Micropoint
- 1 Microcurrent Ring
- 1 Cleansing Ring
- 1 LED Ring: blue, red and infrared light
You can also buy the TheraFace Hot and Cold Rings separately to unlock even more possibilities.
What’s what?
With the plethora of attachments, I feel overwhelmed. I can’t tell what’s what. The user manual, which I have to consult often throughout my test, proves helpful. The small Flat attachment is for general use on the face, neck and chest. The Cone attachment is meant for localised treatment, for example of the eye area, wrinkles or pressure marks. The Micropoint attachment is designed to promote blood flow to larger areas, i.e. the forehead, cheeks or chest.
Source: Livia Gamper
The Microcurrent Ring is designed to firm and tighten the skin by means of a microcurrent. To use it, you need to apply a so-called conductive gel to your clean and dry face. The gel is included in the scope of delivery. According to the manufacturer, the microcurrent is designed to firm and tighten the face, creating more beautiful contours.
The function of the Cleansing Ring is obvious. Its many bristles are meant to cleanse your face. With this attachment, you can use cleansing products. The remaining attachments are used without product (aside from the gel with the Microcurrent Ring). However, the TheraFace Pro isn’t waterproof, so do be careful not to use too much cleansing oil or foam.
I’m the most sceptical of the LED Ring. The instruction manual states that the red light should help reduce wrinkles around the eyes; the blue light should help reduce mild to moderate acne; and the infrared light should help promote the natural healing process. Uh-huh.
All this is coupled with so-called percussive therapy. As in other massagers from Therabody, this is meant to relieve tension. It sounds strange, but feels very pleasant on the face.
Source: Livia Gamper
Application
I test my way through all the accessories. The three little ones range from feeling pleasant to quite strong, depending on the level. Once I find the happy medium, the massage is relaxing. With the LED Ring, the manual warns me not to shine the light in my eyes. It is blindingly bright. In addition, you’re not supposed to apply the light directly to your skin, but at a distance of 1.3 centimetres. Luckily, the TheraFace Pro has a distance sensor that works very accurately, with the light turning on only at the correct distance.
During the microcurrent treatment, I accidentally start on the highest of the three levels – which ends painfully for me. The tingling takes some getting used to, but I can withstand it with ease at the lowest level. You can give yourself these mini electric shocks every 24 hours for five to eight minutes. The Microcurrent Ring shouldn’t be used on the chest area.
The effectiveness
I used the TheraFace Pro every one or two days for three weeks. I don’t see any visible improvements in my skin. As I’ve always dealt with sudden outbreaks of blemishes on my face and chest area, I can’t say if the TheraFace Pro has brought about any improvement. My testing period was also too short for that.
Source: Livia Gamper
In the evening, I used the Cleansing Ring to wash my face. In contrast to simply using my hands, the pulsating ring makes it feel as if my skin care products are going deeper into my skin and hopefully working better. I also end up liking percussive therapy; it’s pleasant, and I could see it slightly reducing wrinkles or my double chin in the long run. But I’m not expecting any miracles. I also like using the TheraFace Pro to massage my neck and shoulders.
Therabody states that in a study with 35 test persons, after twelve weeks 80 per cent of the participants thought that their skin had become firmer – and as many as 91 per cent claim to have noticed an improvement in the general appearance of their skin.
The warnings
No health product comes without warnings. And the TheraFace Pro has a lot of them. They occupy a total of ten columns in the instruction manual. Conveniently, they’re listed per accessory. Very many contraindications and precautions are listed: the device must not be used on unhealed injuries or surgical wounds, or if microneedling, lasering or using chemical peels. Also not if you have herpes, heart disease, are pregnant, have a tumour or suffer from photosensitivity or severe acne. The list goes on forever. You can find the full list of warnings here. If you’re unsure, consult your doctor before use.
For beard sporters: the Microcurrent Ring can’t be used over facial hair, but can be used after shaving.
Source: Livia Gamper
Verdict: expensive, but nice
The TheraFace Pro is expensive. It comes with many accessories – eight in total – but it’s questionable whether you need all of them. This might be a case where less is more. Even so, I like the TheraFace Pro and will continue to use it after this test. You can store the TheraFace Pro in the included case with a couple of the accessories (though unfortunately not all of them). It takes up less space in the bathroom than I’d initially suspected. But if you’re only after the TheraFace Pro’s cleansing function or LED Ring, it’s too pricey. Not to mention, the effectiveness of all the therapies is questionable.
The many warnings put me off before my test. You need to be very careful when using the device – so, it’s quite a time-consuming process. And many people will find they’re not supposed to use the TheraFace Pro at all. Be sure to check out the warnings before purchase.
Header image: Livia Gamper
Testing devices and gadgets is my thing. Some experiments lead to interesting insights, others to demolished phones. I’m hooked on series and can’t imagine life without Netflix. In summer, you’ll find me soaking up the sun by the lake or at a music festival.