CACI Facial - Non Surgical Facelift Review
As I wrote in my article on the amazing Omnilux non-surgical face lift, I tried the CACI electronic facelifting system in my forties, and didn't see much in the way of results. However, I'm now in my late fifties and the sag is advancing - so when I saw a beauty salon offering a CACI/Omnilux package deal, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to give it a second chance.
Don't get me wrong - I'm still very happy with my regular red light phototherapy treatments. These days I have wrinkles around my eyes but nowhere else - but although phototherapy does plump up the skin, it can't stop the underlying muscles sagging. So, I decided it was time to try adding another weapon to my anti-aging arsenal.
 | Amazon Price: $232.99 List Price: $459.18 |
What is CACI?
A CACI therapist uses hand-held wands to transmit microcurrents through your skin and facial muscles.
CACI isn't the only non-surgical facelift system that works by electrical impulses, but other systems generally operate at mill amperage current, which is more powerful - you'll feel your face twitching.
You can't feel CACI's subtle microcurrents working, but the makers claim that makes them more effective, not less, because they work at a much deeper level in the skin.
Does CACI Work?
There is clinical evidence CACI works. A study at the University of Washington showed microcurrents can increase elastin by 45%, collagen by 10% and the number of blood vessels by 35%. Elastin and collagen are what keep your skin plump and firm, and good blood flow will give you a glow.
The trouble is, those aren't the results I'm looking for! I thought CACI could lift sagging facial muscles - and based on my research, many beauty therapists think so too. But CACI is not designed to do that.
 | Amazon Price: $27.25 List Price: $51.57 |
 | Amazon Price: $1,184.19 List Price: $1,285.00 |
Facelift or Anti-Aging?
My misunderstanding of the CACI facelift was based on my knowledge of the EMS (TENS) machine. It's used in physiotherapy to strengthen injured muscles quickly. Pads are placed either side of the muscle, the current is turned on and the muscle contracts and relaxs hundreds of times a minute.
It's like condensing hours of exercise into minutes, and like any exercise it tones and shapes as well as strengthening. You'll find it in some weight loss salons used as a toning system, and there are at-home versions as well.
However, CACI is not the equivalent of a TENS machine for the face. The microcurrents of CACI are too weak to cause meaningful contractions in the muscles. For that, you need a Faradic facial - and few beauty salons offer them these days.
 | Amazon Price: $319.34 List Price: $299.00 |
 | Amazon Price: $7.00 List Price: $29.99 |
That doesn't mean CACI isn't a useful tool to keep you looking young. Recently, a major study proved that just having an even skin tone can take 12 years off your perceived age, despite any other signs of aging on your face.
However, my regular Omnilux treatments have already improved my skin tone and diminished my wrinkles - and now I've bought my own Skin Physics Photon, I can do my own maintenance. So for me, CACI can't offer any further benefits.
In fact, I find it hard to understand why anyone would use CACI these days, now that Omnilux and Rejuvalight Lumiere facials are so widely available. As far as I can see, the benefits of both microcurrent and phototherapy facials are identical, and the phototherapy facial is far more comfortable and pleasurable than CACI.
I'm still hoping to find something that will tone my saggy jawline - the next option is to find an effective way to do some real exercise and see if that works. Thanks to Rope for alerting me to the neck slimmer - I'm off to buy one!
*
All text copyright Marisa Wright
Photo by helgasms!
Comments
You are so right here Marisa:
"...muscles on your face are no different from muscles on your butt or your belly - if you exercise them, they'll get toned."
Marisa, this was awesome, truly. I certainly learned a lot and now have a bunch of ideas rolling round in my head. Your always an inspiration
Thank you
Kimberly
Hi, Marisa, I was just looking around for the caci face lift and I found you had written it. The reason is, that I am having it done tomorrow, wednesday, and I was a bit nervous! I have had the home one for ages, and it was quite disconcerting seeing my face jerk about! ha ha, but you have put my mind at rest. I am also having microdermabrasion done, so hopefully I will look fantastic!! yeah right!! thanks for your help with this hub. cheers nell
Hi
Im a beauty therapist trained in giving Caci Ultimate facials. We offer these treatments where I work and I wanted to just say that I have not seen a difference on any of my clients. Me and my collegues believe its a rip off and a waste of money. We are told to tell clients they look great to not disapoint them!I think the only opions worth trying are chemical peelS or surgery
Alexandra,thank you for your honest comment. Like I said, I've tried CACI twice and been disappointed. The results are subtle - a healthy glow, softer wrinkles and plumper skin - whereas most people here that word "facelift" and think it's going to get rid of the sag.
The results do also depend on the skill of the operator.
Would like to try it. Thanks for your information.
Wow. This is a new kind of treatment I know so little about. Thanks for a very informative hub! It's non-invasive, so it is more appealing to people. Cheers!
Very informative hub Marissa. Would you consider doing the at home version? How does the cost compare to the salon?
@Skin Care Beauty, there would be no point in doing the "at home" version of CACI since it has the same benefits as the Omnilux treatments I already have. However I have bought an "at home" version of the Omnilux which is great and only cost me the equivalent of three salon sessions:
Alexandra's comment is the right one,sorry!I did 75 (seventy five!!!) treatment over 7 months on some doctor,just to proof for our self that CACI or similar units with the same parameters ( for unhealthy muscles)will
never work for clents who visited beauty salons and have healthy muscles...Stop treat us therapist and clients like a idiots. Thanks god some of us have more knowledge and we have proper machine for our clentele. Regards
Maria, if you read the Hub again, you'll see that I say there IS clinical evidence CACI has benefits - but it doesn't "lift" your face, which is what most clients and therapists expect.
Personally, I can't see why anyone would put up with the discomfort and expense of CACI, when the Omnilux treatment has exactly the same effect, is completely painless and you can even do it yourself at home.
Marisa - you might want to look into Flexeffect. It resculpts your entire face and neck by tightening and building lost muscle tone - the founder who's now 61 or 62 looks amazing and so does many of the fellow 'Flexers'...I'm turning 35 myself but because my face is so build, I actually look like I'm in my early to mid 20s.
Thanks for the tip, Hamelin.
I just did some Googling and found this interesting discussion on facial exercises:
Holy cow! You are brave....I would probably get the treatment where it went haywire and actually shot my face full of needles or something. I'm glad it worked though - do they have treatments for other parts that need lifting - like your rear end? Or how about boobs that used to be 38 and are now 38 longs? Good grief! Why is it so much fun to grow older? I guess it beats the alternative though....
Hi,Thank's for the sharing it's really helpful and I'm going to look more into it I will google it later on today thank you so MUCH!
Never heard about CACI, I just read about it here. To me it seems a poor version of phototherapy facial. On the other hand, as said by the poster Hamelin, Flexeffect looks quite an helpful treatment
Hello, I'm a licensed esthetician trained to do CACI facial treatments and I get excellent results for my clients. I take before and after photos of each treatment and at the end of the protocol I have achieved undeniable results for my clients. I do think having photos is very important.
I am a beauty therapist & having worked with different CACI therapists it really comes doen to the individual carrying out the treatment. I love CACI as do all my clients but I have definately worked with therapists that were simply disinterested & in turn have a crap CACI the key is to get a certified CACI therapist not someone trained in house who is going to carry out a weak treatment!! THE DIFFERENCE in a rubbish CACI & an absolutly CACI is the therapist providing the treatment!!
@Betty, I agree with you. During my course of CACI treatment, I had another therapist for a couple of treatments because the first one got sick. I noticed a difference in the style of the treatment and the results for those two treatments compared to the others!
I had a course of 12 CACI treatments, and noticed no difference. Waste of money.
I have been carring out caci treatments for 12 years & have good results with the machine, also can depend on the client themselves like everything not one thing is suitable for everyone! I offer half face trials to show people what to expect from the course & how it feels. The machine was originally designed for stroke victims to help correct their face if one side had dropped to help lift the muscles back.
I am a beauty salon owner in Surrey and have had a trial session of the caci facial demonstrated in my salon with superb results.I had a thorough facial in Le Sport in St.Lucia with amazing results.Trying to get consistency in these facials is impossible.CACI should monitor closely salons providing their treatments.Prices also vary wildly.
@Jolie, it's interesting the machine's original purpose to help stimulate the facial muscles of stroke victims. I was hoping for exactly that benefit, because the Omnilux did great things for my skin, but couldn't correct the sagging. I didn't see any improvement, and I note that the modern research into CACI didn't find any benefit to muscles, only to the skin.
@Ursulall, maybe consistency of treatment was part of the problem in my case. The Omnilux requires no skill - the client just sits under it. CACI does require a lot of skill. As I mentioned earlier, I did notice a better outcome when I had a couple of treatments with a different operator.
Wow, so much misinformation in this "article" and the comments. CACI is actyually the only non-invasive treatment that can work on the underlying muscle structures. I have done two courses of CACI treatments, (5 years apart) and it worked wonders for me. I'm not one to consider surgery (only in my early 40's) and Omnilux is a complete rip off based on my experiences. Do you know that even Omnilux state you don't see the results with the infrared light until 12 weeks after you have finished the course? And that's a only wavelength that works on collagen? The blue does have anti-bacterial properties so great for chronic acne but that's all, and the red light "promotes healing". It didn't promote anything apart from a flushed red face for an hour or so afterwards and my loss of money. One thing I will say is that CACI treatments are incredibly provider specific - the Esthetician really needs to know the muscles and structures of the skin and have great technique to yield great results. Give it someone who is a just collecting a paycheck (too many therapists like this out there) and you'll get zero results. They have to be a pro and ever since I found my girl, it's the only treatment I'll do regularl
@Spa Barbie, I've been looking for evidence that 'CACI works on the underlying muscle structures" and haven't been able to find any.
In the research studies I could find, the Faraday treatment was the only one which worked on muscles. Microcurrent treatments (like CACI) had measurable benefits on elastin, collagen and circulation (similar to those claimed by Omnilux) - not muscles. If you can point me to studies showing otherwise, I'd be genuinely interested - and would be more inclined to give CACI another try.
You're the third or fourth commenter who's said that everything depends on the operator, so it sounds like that's vitally important. The challenge is how to know whether you've got a good one - I went to a clinic that did CACI and nothing else, so you'd think their operators would be well-trained. Clearly not!
The Rope 2 years ago
:) Marisa, let me know if you try that new spring thing that has just been put on the market for double chins. I'd love to hear your take on how it works.