The terms ultrasound and ultrasonic are often used interchangeably and while they both refer to sound that is inaudible to human ears, they differ significantly in terms of frequency. Ultrasonic refers to low frequency ultrasound waves above 20 kHz. Ultrasound used for applications such as skin tightening, as seen in Ultherapy®, employs ultrasound waves between 4-10 MHz capable of delivering a thermal injury to induce collagen synthesis. For comparison, an Ultherapy® treatment is about 35,000% stronger than an ultrasonic skin scrubber. The lower strength of the ultrasonic skin scrubber allows for different applications of ultrasound energy such gentle exfoliation and enhanced penetration of topical products.

An ultrasonic skin scrubber employs low frequency ultrasound vibrations up to 28,000 Hz to quite literally “shake” impurities out of the skin and loosen dead skin cells on the surface for a gentle exfoliation and decongestion of the skin. The ultrasonic action improves microcirculation in the skin and promotes oxygenation of the cells resulting in increased cellular renewal, including collagen and elastin production.²

Performed correctly without harsh pressure against the skin, an ultrasonic skin scrubber should produce no side effects besides an initial light flushing of the skin. However, if a skin spatula is used before another exfoliation treatment, such as a chemical peel, it may intensify the treatment and cause a stronger reaction. Similarly, any products known to create some irritation in the skin may be heightened after use of a skin scrubber.

The ultrasonic skin scrubber should not cause any sensations of pain. It is important to not apply pressure as the blade glides along the skin as it can cause redness or leave marks on the skin. Keeping the skin wet when using the skin scrubber will help reduce friction and potential irritation as well.

An ultrasonic skin scrubber may feel like it’s not doing more than gently scraping the surface of the skin, but in fact the ultrasonic skin scrubber is exfoliating the skin as it gently removes dead skin cells, oil, dirt and cellular debris from the surface. For this reason, an ultrasonic skin scrubber should not be used more than 2-5 times a week depending on the integrity of the skin and whether or not the skin spatula is used in conjunction with other exfoliators such as scrubs, brushes or chemical acid peels.³

An ultrasonic skin scrubber may be beneficial in improving the appearance of wrinkles in two ways; the action of the ultrasonic sound waves gently increase oxygenation of the cells, supporting healthy collagen production and the other setting of the skin spatula increases the penetration of applied products increasing their efficacy and anti-aging properties.

The ultrasonic skin scrubber is a very safe way to use ultrasound waves in a professional treatment or as part of an at-home regimen. The low frequency ultrasonic waves are gentle enough for use on sensitive skin conditions such as rosacea, but should be avoided if there is increased irritation. Although the ultrasound waves in a skin scrubber are low frequency, a face spatula should not be used on anyone with an electrical implant such as a pacemaker, or anyone with heart conditions. It is also recommended to avoid ultrasonic skin scrubbers when pregnant out of an abundance of caution.

Consistent and proper use of a ultrasonic face spatula will improve various skin condition such as clogged pores (including blackheads and whiteheads), excess oil, dull skin tone, uneven texture and dry, flaky skin.

For a non-irritating and simple treatment, the ultrasonic skin scrubber offers many benefits. The ability of the face spatula to coax debris out of the pores will keep material from collecting in the follicles and stretching the pores, resulting in pores that appear smaller. The gentle exfoliation will brighten skin, even skin tone and improve the texture with consistent use, while collagen and elastin production will benefit from the internal oxygenation of the cells provided by the ultrasonic skin spatula.