CurrentBody Skin at-home Radio Frequency review

What is it?

This small, handheld device sends gentle electrical current at radio frequencies (1MHz) into your skin. It’s so fast you can’t feel it, as it travels from the electrodes down through your dermis layer and back. It’s painless, but resistance to the flow creates heat in your tissues. This heat is good because it tightens your collagen fibres and stimulates your fibroblast cells. These then build more, stronger collagen and elastin. Follow the start-up schedule to tighten and lift your skin, firm, smooth wrinkles, and perfect, plump and brighten too. Use it with the CurrentBody Skin RF prep gel.

Learn more about Radio Frequency here.

First impressions

The RF device comes in a clean white rectangular cardboard box with black CurrentBody Skin branding. It’s simple, but distinctive and sophisticated, with a hint of silver to match the shiny RF device smiling up at you through the clear cellophane window.

It’s mostly recyclable cardboard, excluding a little cellophane and some protective foam inside. It’s beautifully done and a real pleasure to open.

Slide off the lid to reveal the 2-tier white and silver box underneath. Inside is the RF device cradled in a cutout white foam bed. Use the finger grips either side of it to lift it out. Underneath that is the user guide, then a cardboard compartment with the rest of the kit.

What’s in the box? 

• RF device 
• User guide booklet 
• Storage pouch 
• Power cable 
• 4x plugs: UK, European, USA, Australia
• 100ml CurrentBody Skin RF prep gel

Quality & design

The compact CurrentBody Skin RF device is striking, with a mirrored silver surface, black trim and co-ordinated black mains cable. I like how it stands to attention balanced on its protective cap.

Rounded corners and gentle curves soften the tall rectangular shape. It’s smart, and expensive-looking, with a friendly “smiley-face” layout of the indicator lights on the front. The materials are quality and durable with close seams & joins. It comes with a 2-year warranty.

The treatment head tapers to a raised oval platform with large, rounded protruding silver electrodes arranged in a diamond shape. These send 1MHz Radio Frequency current into your skin.

Below the electrodes is the Skin Sense Technology™ safety system. Two sensors monitor the temperature of your skin every 0.004 seconds and adjust the RF output to keep your skin surface at the target 43℃ / 109℉. This is different and more effective compared to rival devices. Here’s how…

The effective range for at-home RF devices is 40℃ to 43℃. Anything above this is painful for our skin. Therefore, rival devices monitor your skin surface and when they sense their maximum temperature, they switch off the RF flow. When the skin temperature drops, the sensors switch the RF back on. So, your skin temperature fluctuates slightly throughout the session. But it’s not so with the CurrentBody Skin RF. 

The CurrentBody Skin RF can adjust the RF flow, up or down, as your skin needs it. This means it sends a constant RF flow, delivering just the right amount of energy to heat your skin at a constant 43℃. So, your skin stays at the maximum and most effective therapeutic temperature for longer than rival devices. Therefore, CurrentBody says it’s the most effective at-home RF device you can buy.

You must use the CurrentBody Skin RF device with the RF prep gel. You get a 100ml tube in the kit. It’s glycerin-based and provides excellent slip for the electrodes so they glide over your skin. It also protects your skin, so it doesn’t burn or overheat by keeping the outer layers cool. This gel is super value compared to most other brands, at £30 / $40 per 100ml tube.

Before you start

In the bottom layer of the box, you’ll find a small user guide booklet. It’s comprehensive and easy to read, with helpful diagrams and charts throughout. The information is in several languages with English over the first 12 pages. 

Along with how the device works it also covers cautions, warnings, contradictions, how to do a sensitivity test, how to use it, where to use it, after care, cleaning, storage, the possible side effects, troubleshooting, disposal, warranty, key specifications and device labelling.

Take a close look at the contraindications. You can’t use this RF device if you’re under 18 years old, pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a pacemaker or a heart disorder, an autoimmune disorder, diabetes, blood clotting disorders, collagen disorders, skin cancer or are taking blood thinning medication. And don’t use it over tattoos, metal implants or body piercings in the treatment area (excluding dental implants), or over areas with skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema or cold sores. 

If you’ve had Botox, fillers, plastic surgery, professional chemical peel or ablative laser treatments in the treatment area in the last 3 months, don’t use this RF device. 

See the full list of contraindications at CurrentBody.com (scroll down to the ‘More Information’ section) or learn more about RF contraindications here.

Do a skin sensitivity test too. Apply the gel to a small area on your neck and cheek, select your RF intensity and move the device slowly over your skin for 3 minutes. Wait 48 hours, and if you have no skin reactions, you can do your full RF treatment. 

Next, how to use the CB RF device…

The RF routine

I like to do my session as an evening wind-down whilst watching TV in bed. However, you can use it any time of the day and you can apply make-up straight afterwards too.

As well as the RF device, power cable and gel, you may need:  

• A mirror
• Mains extension cable  
• Small towel  
• Your phone or something you can use as a timer  
• The user guide, open at the treatment areas table

It’s very easy. You divide your face into 14 small sections and work on each one for 5-minutes at a time. This heats your skin at the target temperature of 43℃ / 109℉.

CurrentBody suggests you divide your face:

• Left side of neck
• Right side of neck
• Left jawline
• Right jawline
• Chin 
• Left cheek
• Right cheek
• Forehead

And with additional focus on these trouble spots too:

• 11s lines (between your brows)
• Left side crow’s feet 
• Right side crow’s feet 
• Left nasolabial smile fold & upper lip
• Right nasolabial smile fold & upper lip

It’s up to you where you start – you could go from your neck upwards, forehead downwards, or you could work on one half, then repeat on the other. Or do the mirroring treatment area on both sides of your face.

Here’s what you do… 

Step 1: Apply the gel to your face and neck. It’s best to use a foundation brush to keep your hands clean and get an even layer.

Step 2: Power on the device. Remove the cap and connect to the mains power. The indicator lights briefly show green and the device is in standby mode.

Step 3: Choose your RF intensity level. Press the button to cycle through the three levels. The level you choose shows green on the U-shaped indicator light.

Step 4: Choose an area to start. Place the electrodes firmly against your skin and slowly draw a small circle or back & forth swipe, then another next to it. Overlap is fine. 

Check the horizontal progress indicator light to see how warm your skin is.

The light flashes green when the RF is flowing. It goes solid green when your skin is at the target temperature. When you see the solid green light, move onto an adjacent patch of skin in the treatment area. Continue heating the entire small treatment area for 5 minutes.

Step 5: Orange light. The progress indicator shows a solid orange light when 5 minutes is up. Move on to the next treatment area and repeat step 4. The timer starts again.

Once you’re finished, rinse your face with water to remove the gel. It’s easy to remove, but a face cloth is helpful if you don’t want water dripping down your neck and chest! You can then apply your favourite hydrating serums and moisturisers.

What does it feel like?

Let’s start with the RF prep gel.

The clear gel has a subtle scent, and the consistency is sticky but easy to work with. It can vary slightly between tubes. Gently squeeze a small amount from the tube and apply it in sections to your forehead, chin, cheeks, and down your neck.

Apply it to all your treatment areas in one go. There’s a sickly sweet taste if it gets in your mouth but it doesn’t slide off or dry out and it gives excellent slip over your skin for the RF electrodes. It’s also easy to rinse or wash off. But I’d love to see it in more sustainable packaging.

Next, the RF device…

It’s comfy and intuitive to hold and move around your face because of the precise shape and width. One rounded edge fits perfectly in the nook behind your thumb whilst your fingers grip the other. And the gently curved lip above the treatment head gives a natural resting place for your thumb and fingers. So, the circling or back-and-forth motion is easy to do without straining your wrist. 

It’s also easy to see where the electrodes are and the cord doesn’t tangle and stays out of your way as you work. 

The progress indicator light is quick to understand. However, an improvement is to have this on both sides of the device. This way you can see the reflection in your mirror no matter which side faces forward. 

And I really appreciate the built-in timer, but again, there’s room for improvement. That’s because it’s easy to miss the solid orange light telling me that 5 minutes is up. Especially if I’m watching something engrossing on TV! Another subtle haptic, such as a gentle buzz (like with the NEWA RF device) would make it foolproof.

The RF gets to work fast too. The electrode nobbles are smooth, and I love how soothing they feel on my skin. I use the high RF intensity and it’s very pleasant indeed. The solid green light appears quickly, and it’s easy to keep it there. You can feel the heat level fluctuate as you repeat the movements over the treatment area, so keeping your skin at a constant temperature. I occasionally swipe over the previous treatment area to top-up the lush, soothing warmth again.

The lower RF intensity levels still feel warm, but they take a little longer to get your skin up to the target temperature.

It takes a little more concentration for me on my forehead. That’s because it’s not as fleshy, and the bumps and dips mean I sometimes lose full skin contact and can’t see any green light on the horizontal progress indicator. After a little trial and error, I find moving super slow with smaller movements and a little more pressure seems to do the trick.

I love the soothing warmth. It’s like a lush and warm little massage. A bit of pressure feels good and seems to warm the skin faster, too. I especially like the sensation around my cheeks. My skin goes pinky red from increased blood flow, but this fades quickly. It also feels beautifully plump and super-smooth for a day or so after each weekly session.

Schedule, effort & results

Use the RF device once weekly on each treatment area for 8 weeks.

You can treat just targeted problem areas such as 11’s lines, crow’s feet or smile folds. Or any combination you want, such as your chin, lower face and neck, to tighten loose skin and jowls. Or, as I do, do everything for a full face rejuvenation and tightening facial!

If you do the full neck and facial treatment, you’ll need a good unrushed 1 hour 10 mins. This is around twice as long as most other devices. It’s longer because it focuses more time and concentrated RF energy on smaller facial sections. Yes, it’s very time intensive, but you need only one session per week versus 3 to 5 sessions with rival at-home RF devices.

If you can make a regular weekly date with this intensive RF device, it’s a pleasant and pampering routine. You can do it as you listen to podcasts, music, or catch up on a TV box set.

After 8 weeks, you can swap to the top-up maintenance schedule. And it’s one of the lowest effort top-up schedules of all at home RF devices. Do one session every 4 to 8 weeks. Or you can do them more frequently, such as weekly, if you feel you need one. But don’t miss them! It’s easy to forget or skive off. If you do, your results will fade and you may need to repeat the 8-week startup again.

Advertised results  

✔️ Tightens & lifts sagging skin
✔️ Fades fine lines & wrinkles  
✔️ Smooths texture & refines large pores  
✔️ Plumps & firms 
✔️ Brighter, more radiant skin 

After each session, your skin feels beautifully soft, plump and super-smooth. Within a few weeks, you’ll notice a radiant glow, too. And these results get better and last longer in between sessions the more you’ve used it.

It’s after 8+ weeks, when your collagen and elastin is strong and fresh, that you’ll see your best results. Skin brightens and plumps, and feels meatier with bounce. Fine lines and wrinkles soften, your pores shrink, and loose skin lifts and tightens. Some people see subtle effects and others more dramatic. Your results depend on your age, genetics, lifestyle. Therefore, results vary in significance and by individual.

The negatives

There are a few cons with the CurrentBody Skin Radio Frequency device.

First, the progress indicator light is only on one side of the device. This means it’s easy to miss the solid orange light signalling your 5-minutes per treatment area is up. So, sessions can end up taking far longer than they should. I like to set another timer on my phone with a vibration and tone alarm to alert me when to move onto the next treatment area.

Second, the start-up stage is very time intensive. Each full face and neck session takes 1 hour and 10 minutes. If you’ll struggle to do this in one go, you may be better off with a rival device where you can spread the effort in multiple shorter sessions throughout the week. But the top-up schedule is much more manageable with just one session around every month or two to maintain your results.

Next, although I love this RF device for full face treatments, it’s not for use directly under your eyes. So, if you want something specifically for under eye wrinkles and rejuvenation, it may not be your perfect match.

Also, just a minor point, but the sliver-mirrored surface shows up all your grubby fingerprints from your session! So, don’t forget to give this little fella a buff up so he sparkles, ready for next time.

And if you live in the US, unfortunately this RF device is not yet available. But hold tight because it will be soon once the FDA clearance approval is complete.

Finally, I love a device with solid clinical evidence. And I’m curious and nerdy, so I asked CurrentBody for more detail on their clinical test data for the device. To date, I’ve received only data collated from subjective customer surveys. This simply isn’t the same as findings from a robust scientific trial designed to measure the results and assess the safety of using a device. I’ve asked for further information which I’ll share here once I have it.

From my experience using the device, I can report no side effects or safety concerns, and that it works just as well as the rival brands I’ve tested and reviewed. Plus, you get a reassuringly long 60-day money-back guarantee to try it and return it if it’s not for you.

CurrentBody Skin RF Review Summary

This is a quality, easy-to-use RF skin tightening device without fancy, expensive extra features. Use it on your face and neck. It heats your skin fast and thoroughly and feels lush while doing it. You’re all done and dusted in one intensive weekly session before switching to a very low effort top-up schedule. It’s expensive but you get a reassuringly long 60-day money-back guarantee, and you can save with my special discount code too.

Here’s a summary of my test scores, and pros and cons for CurrentBody Skin RF to help you decide:

Ease of use

👍👍👍👍

Easy but time intensive RF sessions. You must use the prep gel. Divide your face into 14 small areas and treat each one with slight movements for 5-minutes. It has a built-in timer, but it’s easy to miss. Feels lush and warm with no pain or irritation. Use it am or pm and you can apply make-up straight after. 

Effort

💧💧💧

Do 1 very time-intensive session per week for 8 weeks. Then, drop to a super low top-up schedule once every 4-8 weeks (more frequent is ok too). A full face & neck session takes approx. 1 hr 10 mins, or do shorter sessions focussing 5 mins each on targeted trouble spots such as crow’s feet, upper lip & smile folds. Comfy & easy, you can do it as you watch TV.

Results

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

See pink, flushed skin during & after your session. Skin feels plumped & smooth too. Results get better & last longer after each use. As your collagen and elastin rebuild, skin lifts & tightens, smooths, firms & brightens, maintained with regular top-ups as you need them.



Pros

• Heats your skin fast

• Compact, lightweight & comfy

• Easy to apply RF prep gel

• Intuitive progress feedback

• Painless & pleasant warming sensation

• Simple routine for full face & neck or just targeted areas

• One weekly session for start-up (but it’s a long one!)

• Very low effort maintenance schedule

• Affordable gel lasts ages

• Worldwide 60-day money-back guarantee

• CE & UKCA certified

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Cons

• Pricey
• Easy to miss the visual timer alert
• Can’t use it directly below your eyes
• Very time-intensive full face & neck sessions
• It’s unclear how robust the clinical data is
• Not yet FDA-cleared

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