It’s the new body treatment promising the development of firmer abs with no downtime – and you’ve probably seen the before and after shots while scrolling through Instagram – but what exactly is EMSculpt?
The treatment uses high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy to trigger what's called supramaximal contractions, the kind that cannot be achieved by voluntary muscle action.
Cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for the "improvement of abdominal tone, strengthening of the abdominal muscles, development of firmer abdomen, [and] strengthening, toning, firming of the buttocks,” it also has the added bonus of no downtime!
And though the treatment is intended to act as a supplement to active, healthy lifestyles, not a substitute for mindful eating or regular exercise, people are going bananas over the results, with a near 25 per cent increase in the last year alone according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
What sets EMSculpt apart from the pack is it not only implodes fat cells, for a 19 per cent loss after four treatments, but simultaneously builds muscle fibers, by roughly 16 per cent for more defined abs and a peachier looking bum.
"EMSculpt essentially causes 20,000 muscle contractions in 30 minutes, constricting the muscles beyond any sort of physiological norm, and targeting fat loss to the area of the muscle, something sit-ups alone could never accomplish," Board-certified dermatologist Arash Akhavan told allure.
Fat cells are then signaled in the area to break down their contents and release them as free fatty acids. The sheer abundance of fatty acids overwhelms the fat cells, causing them to malfunction and die, after which, they're metabolised by the body and released as waste. As for the muscles, they are said to undergo cellular changes, thickening and strengthening from rib cage to groin.
"It's a very rapid response compared to other fat-reduction tools where you're waiting months to see something happen," Akhavan said. "With this, even after a single visit, you'll notice the area looking better a day or two later."
Four sessions, spaced a few days apart, is the recommended dose, with wow-factor results two to four weeks after the final appointment.
"You essentially get the same look and feel that comes from exercising and dieting for six months," Akhavan adds.
Okay, where do we sign up?
