You may have noticed that there’s a new body contouring technology in Nova Scotia called Emsculpt Neo. Located in downtown Halifax, Body Works Med Spa & Wellness is the go-to provider of this innovative product. And while there’s a great deal of hype around Emsculpt Neo, there’s also some controversy.

Clinical studies say that with a series of four treatments, subjects see an average of 30% fat loss and 25% more muscle in the treated area. In the abdomen, the average circumference reduction is 5.9 cm. The natural question is, how does a machine do that? And how does it do that in four 30-minute treatments with no downtime?

Everyone wants to know. This includes women going through menopause who no longer respond to diet and exercise like they used to, people with a stubborn area that detracts from their self-confidence, people who want to maintain fitness while ageing, folks who’d benefit from a kickstart to a healthier lifestyle, and everyone in between.

Well, here’s the answer.

Once we’re about 20 years old, our bodies have a set number of fat cells. When we gain weight, the fat cells expand. When we lose weight, the fat cells shrink. With surgical liposuction, a surgeon removes fat cells from the body. Once those fat cells are gone, they’re gone for good and the result is a new body contour. If the patient’s weight fluctuates in the future, their existing fat cells will either expand or shrink and their body contour will adjust accordingly.

Fat reduction with Emsculpt Neo works based on the same premise. When the technology is applied to the body, its energies work together to damage fat cells in the treatment area. In other words, Emsculpt Neo triggers fat apoptosis, a natural process of programmed cell death. Over the course of about three months, the body flushes out the damaged fat cells through regular metabolic processes and those fat cells don’t come back. Once again, the result is an improved body contour but, in this case, it’s without surgery and downtime. If the client’s weight fluctuates in the future, their existing fat cells will either expand or shrink to adjust their body contour.

But how does Emsculpt Neo non-invasively damage fat cells? And what about the muscle-building part?

Emsculpt Neo has two forces at work. One of them is a trademarked energy called high intensity-focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) energy. HIFEM energy creates targeted supramaximal contractions that engage muscles in the treatment area to their fullest. In other words, an involuntary supramaximal muscle contraction engages a muscle 90% to 100% of its capacity. By contrast, a voluntary muscle contraction generally engages a muscle to about 40% of its capacity.

During voluntary contractions, there’s an exchange of fatty acids between the blood flow to the muscles and nearby fat cells. The muscles get stronger and there may be some resulting fat loss. But during supramaximal contractions, the additional stress on the muscle sends the exchange of fatty acids into overdrive, damaging many of the nearby fat cells. Over time, the body flushes out the cellular waste to reveal an improved body contour. Also, the supramaximal contractions strengthen existing muscles faster than you could achieve on your own, as well as generate new muscle fibers. 

It’s worth noting that HIFEM energy is not the same as electrical stimulation, which only engages the surface of a muscle rather than the full muscle. HIFEM energy can penetrate up to 7 cm in depth, depending on the thickness of the fat layer, and one Emscupt Neo treatment is equivalent to 20,000 regular muscle contractions.

The second force at work in Emsculpt Neo is radiofrequency (RF) heat. This heat plays the role of warming up the muscles and damaging additional fat cells. It raises the temperature of fat between 43 and 45 degrees celsius, at which point fat cells die. In other words, there’s additional apoptosis. Again, the body flushes out the cellular waste through natural processes. 

So that’s how Emsculpt Neo reduces fat by 30%, builds 25% more muscle, and reduces circumference by 5.9 cm in the abdomen – and all without downtime! 

It’s worth noting that Emsculpt Neo comes with other benefits, too. Here are a few:

• Emsculpt Neo treats both subcutaneous and visceral fat. For visceral fat alone, which is the deeper and more stubborn abdominal fat that poses a greater health risk, studies show a 19% reduction. Even liposuction cannot address visceral fat. 
• Emsculpt Neo reduces diastasis recti, separation of the abdominal muscles, by an average of 19%. This can be the difference between needing to roll out of bed and sitting up out of bed. 
• Emsculpt Neo can tighten skin in the treatment area because the RF heat triggers new collagen and elastin production in the skin. 
• There are many health benefits associated with increased muscle mass, including an increased metabolism and improved body function. 

While copycat devices are popping up across the globe, none are as well studied or effective as Emsculpt Neo. Further, Body Works Med Spa & Wellness is the only provider that backs up its device with a results-based promise: if you don’t get a visible change in your body contour, they’ll treat you again for free!

For more information, Body Works Med Spa & Wellness offers free consultations. Click here for their online booking platform or call the clinic at 902-405-0858 during open hours. Their friendly team is happy to help.