TheraFace Pro Review: Is It Worth All The TikTok Hype?

theraface pro review

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A facial that leaves your skin glowing usually requires a trip to the spa. But one popular device promises to deliver similar results right from home.

Said popular device is, of course, the TheraFace Pro. It’s everywhere on TikTok—a hashtag for the product has 21 million views—and it happens to be the most sought-after item in The Nessie’s Wellness Diaries series. This handheld tool claims deliver up to eight different treatments, including percussive therapy, three colors of LED treatments, deep cleansing, and microcurrent facials.

It’s also nearly $400. With that eyebrow-raising price tag, can it really be worth it? I tested it along with other red light therapy face devices. Its price kept it from making the top pick, but I was dazzled by the results. 

Here’s my honest review of the TheraFace Pro and why it’s worth the money. 

TheraFace Pro

  • Offers up to eight different facial treatments
  • Available in two colors
  • One-year warranty
  • FDA-cleared as a Class II medical device
$399 at Therabody
Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Built-in timer
  • Tons of functions
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Heavy
  • Limited warranty

What Is the TheraFace Pro?

theraface pro review | all theraface attachments laid out on table
The Nessie

Therabody’s TheraFace Pro is a handheld, pistol-shaped device that can provide up to eight different “facial health treatments.” If you’re already familiar with the brand’s popular massage gun (the Theragun Pro), it should come as no surprise that Therabody incorporated not just one, but three percussive therapy options into the TheraFace Pro.

What Does Theraface Pro Do?

theraface pro review
Therabody

The Theraface Pro doesn’t just knead your face. It comes with the following attachments and capabilities:

  • LED light therapy icon-trusted-source Cleveland Clinic “LED Light Therapy” View Source : A bulb that displays three different wavelengths of light to treat certain skin concerns, such as red light for wrinkles, “red-plus” light for wrinkles around the eyes, and blue light for moderate acne.
  • Microcurrent facial: Two spherical prongs that use low-voltage electricity to lift and tighten the face.
  • Deep cleansing: A vibrating brush head covered in soft, rubbery bristles.
  • Three rubber heads for percussive therapy: Flat (recommended for jaw pain and tension headaches), textured (for tension headaches and facial pain), and conical (for jaw pain).

You can also get hot and cold therapy rings—which, according to Therabody, can reduce pain and soothe puffiness—if you’re willing to pony up an extra $99 for those attachments.

Each attachment snaps onto the head of the device with a magnet. Three buttons on the grip of the TheraFace Pro allow you to turn it on and off, adjust the intensity, and toggle through other settings of the treatments. The product comes with a padded zip-up bag to store and protect the wireless device and its many treatment heads, along with a stand and a 1.7-ounce bottle of conductive gel required for the microcurrent treatment. The detailed product manual includes directions for every treatment you can give yourself with the TheraFace Pro.

Does the Theraface Pro Work for Acne?

Therabody says that its blue light head can help with “moderate” acne. This checks out. In a systematic review, researchers found that blue light icon-trusted-source Sensors “Effect of Blue Light on Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review” View Source can deliver “significant” improvements in the appearance of acne, though more study is needed to know how to best use it.

Does the Theraface Pro Work for TMJ?

Theraface claims that its percussive element helps with everything from relaxing facial muscles to improving the symptoms of TMJ disorder. The latter is up for debate—TMJ is complicated!—but facial massage can work as a self-soothing method to reduce tension in the jaw. This means a five-minute massage with one of the Theraface Pro’s rubber heads may help mitigate some TMJ symptoms.

What I Like About the TheraFace Pro

theraface pro review
The Nessie

I’ve tested a lot of facial devices in recent years, and no other product offers as many treatments in one gadget as the TheraFace Pro. The core product bundle comes with a whopping eight different heads. The sheer variety of therapies that come with the TheraFace Pro is so impressive, my other single- and duo-treatment devices—like my Foreo Luna Mini 2—have already started collecting dust. 

I wouldn’t mind if the TheraFace Pro was complicated to use. After all, it has a lot going on. But it’s a snap (literally) to get started, thanks to the impossible-to-mess-up magnetic head and simple three-button interface. After charging the device for about an hour, I found myself lying in bed and giving myself red light therapy and a relaxing facial massage without ever having read the instruction manual. I appreciated that the device has a built-in timer that emitted a beep every 15 seconds to help me track my treatment. I also loved that the LED light stayed relatively dim until I brought the device close to my face—no annoying glare in my eyes.

Using the cleansing, LED therapy, and massage heads proved totally intuitive. I opted to read the instruction manual to learn how to use the microcurrent head, though. (Its two round, shiny prongs and electricity-producing powers intimidated me!) Fortunately, the directions broke the treatment down into seven steps and I was able to give myself a comfortable, effective microcurrent facial at home in just a few minutes. I experimented with all the different treatments daily over the course of the week and didn’t even have to recharge the battery. 

The TheraFace Pro made me feel like I had an esthetician’s office in my home. And take it from me, those TheraFace Pro before and after photos you might have seen online aren’t the work of Photoshop. My skin was noticeably brighter after using the TheraFace Pro for just a week. I consistently looked (and felt) like I had come from a high-end spa. I can only imagine the results I might get after a month or more of use. 

Red light therapy is safe for most people. Still, it’s a good idea to chat with a dermatologist or physician—and let them know what medications you’re taking and if you have any skin conditions—before trying it.

What I Don’t Like About the TheraFace Pro

The TheraFace Pro has one glaring flaw: its steep price tag. Dropping $400 for a facial device is a big investment. At the very least, the TheraFace Pro should include the hot and cold therapy heads as part of its core bundle and step up its one-year limited warranty to something more substantial. 

Other than the price, the TheraFace Pro only has a few minor issues. I don’t love that its built-in timer is set at 15 seconds, with no way to change it. That duration felt right for timing a five-minute microcurrent facial, but an adjustable timer would be more convenient. 

The device also felt a little heavy to me. I needed to give my wrist short breaks after using it for several minutes at a time. Still, it’s light enough to pack in a bag if you want an on-the-go facial.

Finally, the TheraFace Pro has a subtle odor that lingered throughout the testing period. I got a whiff of rubber every time I used the percussive heads, and the LED ring and microcurrent head smelled suspiciously electrical. These scents didn’t make a big difference for me, but they could throw off your experience if you have a sensitive nose. 

How Often Should You Use The Theraface Pro?

theraface pro review | woman holding theraface pro on LED red light setting
The Nessie

Therabody says not to exceed the eight-minute mark with any of its facial therapies. You shouldn’t use the microcurrent feature more than once every 24 hours, either. Most professionals also recommend using LED light therapy three or four times a week icon-trusted-source Cleveland Clinic “Red Light Therapy” View Source . Other than that, you can use the Theraface Pro however works best for you.

Is the TheraFace Pro Any Good?

theraface pro review | theraface pro sitting on bathroom counter
The Nessie

The TheraFace Pro is worth it if you’re already a skincare enthusiast and you’re looking for ways to get spa-like therapies at home. The mirror doesn’t lie—this device delivers visible results after just a few uses. My face felt (and looked!) firm and glowy for a few days after my treatment. Plus, the TheraFace Pro’s many capabilities mean you can easily find new ways to use the device as your needs and routine change. TheraFace Pro reviews on Reddit show that other people have already begun using it for all kinds of concerns, including jaw pain and breakouts.

That said, dropping that kind of dough on a skincare device isn’t in the cards for everyone. If you’re looking for a TheraFace Pro dupe that has similar features at a lower price, you could try the Foreo UFO 2. It provides heating, cooling, massage, LED light therapy, and sheet mask application in one device. At full price, it costs $299 (and I’ve seen it go for 20% off regularly), offering some upfront savings over the TheraFace Pro. However, keep in mind that the device is designed to work exclusively with Foreo’s UFO Power Activated Masks ($20 for a pack of 6). This means you may end up spending more in the long run for a device that’s not nearly as good as the TheraFace Pro. 

Beyond that, you could also consider zeroing in on the one or two features in the TheraFace Pro that you’re most excited about and looking for them in a less expensive device. I think the LightStim for Wrinkles ($249) is actually better than the TheraFace Pro for red light treatments because it’s lighter and has a lot more LEDs. I’m also a big fan of the PMD Clean ProGold ($249) for cleansing, massage, and heat therapy. Considering they have fewer features, these devices aren’t an exact TheraFace Pro dupe, but they’re less expensive and offer some similar therapies. 

If you’ve never had a device like this, I recommend starting with something less expensive than the TheraFace Pro to see if you like using it. You might find that the gadget ends up collecting dust at the bottom of your vanity, so splurging on a high-end tool right off the bat could be a big waste of money. But if a skincare device does end up becoming part of your routine and you’re looking to upgrade to one of the sleekest, multi-dimensional tools out there, go for the TheraFace Pro. You won’t regret it.

Sources

  1. LED light therapy … uses different wavelengths of light to treat certain skin concerns: “LED Light Therapy,” Cleveland Clinic (December 2021)
  2. LED light therapy … is often given in 20-minute sessions: “Phototherapy with Light Emitting Diodes,” The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (February 2018).
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