Welcome to Beauty School, the corner of Dazed Beauty dedicated to learning. From guides to histories, this is where we shed light on past subcultural movements and educate our readers on current trends and various goings-on.

Discourse around new plastic surgery trends seems to circulate almost weekly online. From cheek-reducing buccal fat removal to eyelid surgery, undetectable facelifts and ever-shifting filler placements, it’s a revolving door of procedures and beauty ideals that we have to scramble to keep up with. The constant pressure to “optimise” our appearances can feel overwhelming, and with social media saturated by people pushing extreme surgical procedures and syringe-based tweaks as a homogenised solution, it can often feel like the only option. But for those of us who aren’t ready to divest from beauty entirely, there’s a growing wave of non-invasive treatments that sit in a kind of middle ground.

Clinics and at-home devices offer a stream of gadgets built around light, heat or electrical currents as a way to tighten and lift the skin. They’re a step up from mouth taping, mewing and peptide face masks, but not as drastic as surgical treatments, and unlike more invasive procedures, these treatments tend to work with the body’s existing processes, using different forms of energy to stimulate change at varying depths of the skin. 

As cosmetologist Shane Cooper explains, “For me, facial tech is where you can get really great results without needles or downtime, but only if you understand what each device is actually doing and how to layer them properly… it’s not a one-size-fits-all situation, so no two clients get the same treatment. I’m constantly combining technologies depending on what the client’s skin needs on the day. It’s a very intuitive process and the best outcomes come from choosing the right tools in real time rather than over-treating.”

Below, with the help of Cooper, we’ve sorted through the devices and the language around them to put together a guide to non-invasive beauty treatments.

MICROCURRENT TREATMENT

Microcurrent treatments can be done in clinic and are also available as at-home devices – think alien-esque, ball-pronged gadgets that people roll around their face with the same passion they once gave to gua-shaing. Electrical currents are delivered through the skin, which interact with the underlying facial muscles and soft tissue. These then cause a contraction which can create a temporary lifting effect, helping the face look more defined.

“It’s brilliant for waking up the face because it works on the muscular side of aging, not just the surface of the skin.” explains Cooper, who says microcurrent is one of his favourite technologies. “It can make the face look more defined and ‘alive’ very quickly, especially when it’s followed by the right calming or collagen-supporting modalities.”

RADIO FREQUENCY TREATMENT

Radio frequency treatments use electromagnetic energy to generate controlled heat in the deeper layers of the skin, while leaving the surface intact. That heat is delivered into the dermis, where it raises tissue temperature enough to trigger a repair response, making the cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin (fibroblasts) more active.

“It helps to stimulate collagen and strengthen the skin’s elasticity to improve the skin’s firmness and bounce over time,” explains Cooper. “It can give you that instant glow but also continues to work over time as it encourages the skin to regenerate.”

LASER LIPOLYSIS

Laser lipolysis is often grouped under “non-invasive” cosmetic treatments, but it works differently from the skin-focused technologies in this guide. Rather than targeting the surface of the skin or muscle activity, it uses controlled laser energy to heat fat cells beneath the skin. This thermal effect can damage the cells, triggering a gradual breakdown process (apoptosis), after which the body clears them through the lymphatic system over time.

HIGH-INTENSITY FOCUSED ULTRASOUND (HIFU)

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) uses targeted ultrasound energy to deliver heat into deeper structural layers of the face, including the SMAS [Superficial Musculo-Aponeurotic System] layer – the same foundational tissue layer addressed in surgical facelifts.

Rather than working at the level of the dermis like radio frequency treatments, HIFU focuses energy at specific depths beneath the skin, creating controlled thermal points that stimulate a wound-healing response. As Cooper explains further, “It infuses the products deeper into the skin layers and triggers collagen in a way that builds gradually, so you’re not necessarily getting that instant fix – you’re getting a progressive tightening effect as the skin remodels over the following weeks and months. It’s a great option for anyone who wants lift and definition without invasive treatments.”

LED LIGHT THERAPY

LED (light-emitting diode) therapy works through specific wavelengths of light that are absorbed by cells in the skin and interact with internal structures, particularly in the mitochondria. This interaction is thought to influence how cells produce energy, and how they regulate inflammation and repair processes. 

Different wavelengths are used for different concerns. Red and near-infrared light are most commonly associated with supporting skin healing and calming inflammation, while blue light interacts with a bacteria linked to acne. “LED therapy is amazing for calming inflammation, reducing redness, supporting healing and strengthening the skin’s ability to repair itself. It’s ideal for sensitive, reactive, post-breakout or post-treatment skin, and it’s one of the easiest ways to keep skin consistent if you’re prone to flare-ups,” explains Cooper.

ELECTROPORATION

Electroporation uses short electrical pulses to temporarily increase the permeability of the skin barrier, allowing active ingredients to pass through the surface layer more easily. Rather than stimulating muscle or generating heat within the skin, it focuses on enhancing the delivery of topical products. This can allow ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or peptides to reach deeper layers than they would through standard application alone.

The results depend largely on the formulations being used, as well as the consistency of treatment. It is often incorporated into multi-step facials rather than offered as a standalone procedure, typically alongside other technologies.