Emsculpt vs Emsculpt Neo: Which is Better?

A lot of patients have been asking if they should get Emsculpt or Emsculpt Neo. The answer is… that it depends.

Dr. Anita helps her patients understand the technology behind both devices, along with weighing the costs and benefits of each. It is a uniquely personal decision based on each individual’s current situation, goals, and needs. Ultimately, most patients choose to receive treatment with Dr. Anita because they want the tailored, non-invasive, holistic approach to long lasting results with an experienced medical doctor. Her muscle building, fat burning, and skin tightening devices combined with personalized programs keep the body in optimal nutritional and hormonal balance — the true key to lifelong vitality.

What is Emsculpt, and what is Emsculpt Neo?

EMSCULPT uses High Intensity Focused ElectroMagnetic (HIFEM) technology to strengthen muscles, as well as grow new muscle fibers. The non-invasive muscle contractions induced by the device are not achievable through voluntary contractions. The muscle tissue is forced to adapt to such extreme condition. It responds with a deep remodeling of its inner structure that results in muscle building and sculpting your body. Dr. Anita explains everything you would ever want to know about Classic Emsculpt here.

EMSCULPT NEO combines the effectiveness of EMSCULPT’s HIFEM technology with the established technology of Radio Frequency (RF) to heat the targeted area for fat loss. This unique blend induces greater fat reduction during the muscle stimulation process.

Non-surgical benefits of Emsculpt and Emsculpt Neo

Both treatments are widely praised and adopted because of their completely non-surgical approach. Patients achieve significant results without downtime, without surgery, and without anesthesia.

What areas of the body can EMSculpt and EMSculpt Neo treat?

Both treatments build muscle and reduce fat across 5 different areas of the body:

What is the difference between EMSculpt vs EMSculpt Neo?

The key difference between EmSculpt and EmSculpt Neo is that the Emsculpt Neo has heat built into the device via radio frequency, and so is designed for patients with greater fat reducing needs. Emsculpt Neo treatments tend to be upwards of 50% more expensive than regular Emsculpt. Some also report greater discomfort with the heating element of the Emsculpt Neo when combined with the intensity of the HIFEM muscle contractions.

Who is more suitable for an EMSculpt Neo treatment?

EMSculpt Neo’s ability to burn through fat in the targeted area makes it an ideal choice for patients with greater body fat in the exact area where the applicators are placed.

For example, if there is a substantial layer of fat over the front abdomen, then the large applicator placed over the abdomen will strengthen those muscles and burn fat in that specific area.

However, most individuals have specific trouble spots that lie outside of the areas where the Emsculpt Neo is applied. If the targeted fat loss areas are outside the affecting radius of the Emsculpt Neo, then additional treatments with different fat burning devices may be necessary. An example of this would be if you want a smaller waistline but also want to remove the fat on the sides of the waistline, the “love handles” or “muffin top”, then the Emsculpt Neo is less equipped to address these areas.

This is similar to some of the challenges of Coolsculpt, which is well known in the aesthetics industry to freeze fat. Many patients have come to Dr. Anita after receiving Coolsculpt treatments, noting “lumpiness” due to fat being frozen only in the Coolsculpt applicator’s contact point. Freezing fat cells also sometimes changes the structure of that layer subcutaneous fat, leaving a jagged surface. Most individuals want even, smooth definition in their treatment areas.

In summary, the Emsculpt Neo will perform well with building muscle and melting and tightening, but only in the area of the applicator’s contact point.

Emsculpt + Exilis for targeted fat loss and better results

Many of Dr. Anita’s patients come to her with a specific “trouble spot”. Not only do they want a smaller, tighter waistline or rounder, leaner booty, but they also want to get rid of the fat on the sides of their abs that hangs over the top of their pants, or remove the banana roll fat that sits underneath the buttocks. The Exilis Ultra 360 is a handheld medical device that uses the same Radio Frequency (RF) technology that the Emsculpt Neo has, but it will get into the “nooks and crannies” for fat loss in specific areas where the Neo cannot reach. At the same time, it can tighten the skin in these areas in a more even way than the Emsculpt Neo ever could.

Dr. Anita’s protocol for patients who want to tighten their abs, booty, arms, and legs AND get rid of trouble spots: use Emsculpt to melt the internal visceral fat between the muscle fibers and create a strong structure by which the skin rests, then use Exilis to melt the outer layer of fat, reduce cellulite, lose inches immediately, and tighten up loose skin. This Exilis device is also her secret to a younger and sharper jawline.

This leads many to wonder, why add Emsculpt Classic at all if the Exilis will get rid of the fat? We all know that fat has no active purpose than to store energy, but building muscle actually helps the body burn fat and perform other essential functions more efficiently and effectively. Because of these reasons, Emsculpt does promote better overall health, better sleep, better mood, and reduce diabetes and cardiovascular risk, on top of creating definition, improving strength and and increasing tone without creating unsightly bulk. 

Save time and money with Emsculpt + Exilis

For those with busy schedules and time constraints, one might believe that the Emsculpt Neo is the ideal solution for fewer trips to the office. However, Dr. Anita often performs Emsculpt and Exilis treatments back to back in one trip to the office. The typical Emsculpt program is 4 treatments twice a week for 2 weeks, and Exilis is done once a week for 4 weeks. That is a total 6 office visits if you receive two of the Exilis treatments following the Emsculpt treatment. In total, it takes 30 minutes for each treatment, or an hour in total for a custom treatment in the areas each unique patient wants to address.

Dr. Anita also encourages her patients to share before and after photos for an extra complimentary Emsculpt treatment, because just like exercise, muscles depend on activity to maintain strength and size.

The bottom line: instead of combining RF technology with HIFEM technology in the Emsculpt Neo, Dr. Anita believes that keeping these devices separate yields far better results.

Who is more suited to an EMSculpt treatment?

Even though EMSculpt Neo brings higher muscle-building and fat-removal benefits to most patients, it does come at a cost. In addition to being the less expensive option, classic EMSculpt is a better treatment for those with a less severe fat reduction need or fat loss in other areas not with the contact points of the Emsculpt applicator. Patients who have pinchable areas of excess fat on their love handles for example, or a thinner layer of fat obstructing their six-pack would be much better suited to the standard EMSculpt treatment. For individuals who want a boost to their physique with a more sculpted and defined appearance, then classic EMSculpt may be a better alternative.

For individuals with a BMI less than 30, then the standard EMSculpt treatment is the more appropriate option over EMSculpt Neo.

Choosing the best treatment

Muscles comprise 35% of your body and allow for movement, balance, physical strength, organ function, skin integrity, immunity and wound healing. Whether for achieving our best body shape or for overall health, focusing on our muscle strength is key to wellness, longevity and vitality.

The best way to decide whether EMSculpt or EMSculpt Neo is right for your own body-contouring needs is to book a consultation with Dr. Anita. During the consultation, she can assess the areas you would like to treat while listening to your body goals and evaluating your lifestyle habits. Contact Dr. Anita today.