Zap Your Spots With the ZIIP DOT
everything you need to know about ZIIP's newest device
Today’s post is sponsored by ZIIP! If you missed the first installment of our partnership, check it out here.
I am very outspoken about my love for the ZIIP HALO. One of my most popular posts ever delves into the science and explains how it differs from other devices on the market. The ZIIP HALO is the only device that uses both microcurrent and nanocurrent–two electrical currents that work with your body’s own electric charge to lift, sculpt, improve cellular communication, stimulate ATP production, boost collagen and elastin and more.
Up until recently, the ZIIP HALO was the only device sold by the company. The HALO replaced their original device and remains one of the most powerful examples of a brand using customer feedback to improve. They made it smaller, able to be used with or without an app, and, perhaps most remarkably, cheaper. I’ve long admired ZIIP’s decision to focus on its one exceptional product–outside of the gels used with it, they don’t sell multiple sizes, any attachments or other optional bells and whistles that make you question what to purchase. As a consumer, this simplicity puts me at ease. But as a consumer in the 21st century, I had to assume that eventually they would release something else and I’ve often wondered what that would be. How would they continue to differentiate? What could they possibly improve on? I could not have asked for a better answer to my questions. Today, I am so excited to introduce you to the new ZIIP DOT.
What is the ZIIP Dot? The ZIIP DOT is a new, first of its kind device for congested or breakout prone skin. Using electrical currents, it works to prevent, clear and heal breakouts by reducing inflammation, suppressing acne-causing bacteria and initiating skin cell renewal and repair. It was designed with convenience in mind–it’s small, portable and doesn’t require an app to connect. It’s honestly really cute and looks like a little neon-colored donut (it’s available in 4 colors). In clinical trials after 12 weeks, it was shown to reduce acne by 44%, inflamed spots by 62% and blackheads and whiteheads by 49%.
How does it work? Like the ZIIP HALO, the DOT is powered by both microcurrent and nanocurrent. It has just 2 treatment settings: a 90-second single area treatment and a 6 minute full-face treatment.
Both treatments start out with microcurrent, which treats the spot(s) by drawing out impurities, improving circulation, reducing inflammation and acne-causing bacteria. After the beep, the treatments then automatically switch to nanocurrent, which calms by kickstarting our body’s repair process, ATP production, encouraging cellular renewal and calming redness.
Ok, but how does it work? I get it. It sounds too good to be true. Let’s quickly review some electrochemistry (I promise you can handle it).
Electric currents are always flowing through our body at various strengths, shapes and frequencies, which are able to impact our muscles and cellular function. We can use skincare devices, like the HALO and DOT to stimulate these currents and create change. The current flows through two silver electrodes, which is why they need to both be in contact with your skin to work. In order for the charge to pass through your skin, you need to use a conductive gel (more on this later). Microcurrent is more intense than nanocurrent, so you are more likely to feel it (it doesn’t hurt!) while nanocurrent is much smaller, working on a deeper level, so you don’t feel it on your skin.
Bacteria emits a positive electrical charge, so the microcurrent emits negatively charged currents for an antibacterial effect. In addition to reducing acne-causing bacteria, both waveforms together are proven to boost cellular energy (ATP) to accelerate healing, increase blood flow and circulation, as well as calm redness and swelling.
In addition to treating inflamed acne, the DOT is also able to help clear blackheads and whiteheads by increasing circulation and balancing oil production to prevent buildup in the pores.
How do you use the ZIIP DOT?
First, you need to apply conductive gel to the area you’re treating, or your full face.
Press the power button (single press for single area treatment, hold down for full-face) and place both probes in full contact with your skin. If you’re targeting a specific blemish, make sure the probe behind the ZIIP logo is in contact with the spot. You will feel a tingle when its found one! (For a less intense treatment, you can position the spot in the center of the device.)
Twist the device clockwise and counterclockwise on the area while making full contact with the skin. If you’re treating the whole face, divide the face into 4 sections and twist the device for 1 minute for the microcurrent portion.
After the beep, hold the device still over the spot for the nanocurrent treatment. For the full-face treatment, gently move the device over each area you treated.
ZIIP has a few suggested protocols and can safely be used up to 4 days in a row, but like any other spot treatment, it’s best to give your skin a break to repair and recover to avoid overdoing it and stressing out the skin more. It’s best to start using as soon as you feel a spot forming.
The brand says a single spot will clear within one week. For the full-face or stubborn acne, there may be some purging at first, but will begin to clear and calm after 2 weeks. This is in line with my experience, which I go into detail about below.
What conductive gel do you use? Conductive gel is what allows the current to pass through your skin, as well as protects your skin by allowing the device to glide. You must use conductive gel in order for the treatment to work. The device works with any conductive gel, but it comes with ZIIP’s new Clear Gel, which was designed by chemists to maximize results. In addition to antibacterial mint, calming cucumber and redness reducing aloe, the featured ingredient is Dendriclear™ is a trademarked ingredient that’s proven to reduce inflammation by 87%. Additionally, the ZIIP DOT's electrical currents improve skincare absorption by up to 120%, so those acne-fighting ingredients are absorbed deeper during the treatment.
How does it compare to the Problem Solver setting on the ZIIP HALO? One of my favorite treatments on the ZIIP HALO app is the Problem Solver. It’s 4-minutes and as the name implies, it helps to treat problem areas, or breakouts, by using only microcurrent. I find that treatment to be extremely effective for reducing the size/healing time of inflamed acne and alerting me when something is brewing underneath the skin–I’ll feel a little tingle which tells me something is there and the HALO will either bring it to a head super quickly or suppress it all together.
The ZIIP DOT was inspired by the success of Problem Solver, but by contrast includes both microcurrent and nanocurrent. The result is a more comprehensive treatment that both treats and calms the area. Plus, it offers more versatility by not requiring an app to use and having a 90-second spot treatment option, in addition to the 6-minute full face option.
My Experience
I was so excited to try the DOT and wanted to really put it to the test. In order to do so, I had to make a sacrifice. You see, I am extremely acne-prone and everything I do (including the Problem Solver) is in an effort to prevent breakouts from forming. I’ve become quite successful at this, so I decided to stop using any of my acne-fighting tools (exfoliants, LED and HALO) for 3 weeks and use a sunscreen I know breaks me out. This effort was also a success. I do it all for you.
The DOT’s impact on my breakouts depended on what stage the breakout was in and what was brewing underneath. Here are the 3 scenarios I tracked:
When used on existing breakouts, it accelerated the healing timeline and if something more was still brewing underneath, cleared them out faster.
When used on a brand new breakout as soon as I saw it, it would clear them in 1-2 days.
If I moved the device around and felt a little tingle, this would alert me that something was brewing underneath, in which case it would bring it to a head almost immediately or suppress it entirely.
As I mentioned before, my efforts to induce breakouts went very well. My right cheek might say it went too well. Before I got my acne under control, my cheeks were notorious for these networks of underground pimples that would pop up whack-a-mole style in little painful inflamed clusters. As soon as one started healing, a new head would emerge right beside it. You can see that happening in the red circle below.
Following ZIIP’s instructions for stubborn breakouts, I used the DOT 4 days in a row, paused for 2 days, and resumed for 4 days. Over that 10 day period, the DOT brought the rest of the madness to the surface, significantly reduced the overall inflammation and got them all healing. The area started off pretty inflamed, with one visible angry zit and one just starting to appear. By Day 4, two of the spots had fully come to a head, with the third starting to emerge (the purge!) Everything peaked on Day 7 and subsequently started flattening out. At the same time this was all happening, a brand new pimple (black circle) appeared and went away very quickly. After 10 days, my skin overall looked calmer, clearer and brighter. A few days later, the spots are becoming distant memories.
That same Day 1, while doing the full face mode, I felt a strong tingle above my lip and stayed in that spot, watching it literally come out of nowhere in a matter of minutes. You can see in the photo above, there’s initially nothing above my lip. I took the photo below immediately after finishing the treatment because I was so stunned (I still have the gel on which is why my face looks greasy). The very next day, it was gone, along with some chin congestion. To me, there was no more convincing proof that it worked. I got a breakout in that same spot the week before my wedding and had to get a cortisone shot in order to get it to subside. Considering all of the time and money I’ve spent on spot treatments, being able to bring a spot to the surface and make it disappear after just a 90-second treatment was wild to see. Their website has even more insane before and afters.
The ZIIP DOT is $199 and comes with the Clear Gel. It’s available for purchase on ZIIP’s website and the gel will soon be available to buy individually. You can use JOLIEZIIP for 10% off the ZIIP DOT and ZIIP HALO.
For a limited time, you can also use JOLIEGEL for 20% off all gels (including bundles!) The codes can stack at checkout.
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions about the ZIIP DOT, ask in the comments. Have a great week!
xx,
Jolie
Do you know if they will add this treatment to the halo app? I’d obviously prefer not to buy another product but will send this to my niece who certainly doesn’t need the lifting features of the halo!
Also - I bought the halo recently based on your newsletters and while I loved the results I had a pretty immediate skin reaction which I think must be due to the gel…whatever came standard with the tool. I started and finished with Sofie Pavitt cleanser and used alcohol wipes to clean the halo after every use… am I missing a step? Do you think any of the gels would be better than others? Thank you!!!
If you don’t have an active breakout but have a known problem area that’s prone to them can the halo be used as prevention on a regular basis or is it more for if you start to feel or notice a breakout/ pimple coming?