Three is the minimum, and four is what we plan. The sham-controlled trial (one group had the real treatment, the other a dummy one) of EMsculpt NEO used three weekly sessions and the manufacturer's study for the US abdomen clearance used three sessions; the flank, arm and buttock studies used four; and BTL, the manufacturer, describes four 30-minute sessions five to ten days apart. A course at Chelsea Clinic is four sessions about a week apart. A single session shows you what the treatment feels like; in our experience the result comes from the course and shows over the three months after it.
Why repetition
EMsculpt NEO makes a muscle contract with HIFEM, electromagnetic pulses that drive contractions you cannot reach by effort. At the same time synchronised radiofrequency heats the fat over it to the temperature at which fat cells break down. The muscle grows with repetition, like training, and the fat cells cleared by the heat are removed by the body over the following weeks. Three or four sessions close together are what the studies measured; the result is read at three months.
What the studies measured after three or four sessions
- Abdomen, three sessions: in a sham-controlled trial of 72 patients, the fat layer was 28% thinner and the muscle 24% thicker on ultrasound at three months, holding at six months. In the manufacturer's study of 42 patients the waist was 3.2 cm smaller on average and 88% lost at least 1.5 cm.
- Flanks, four sessions: fat 29% thinner, the oblique muscles 27% thicker on MRI.
- Upper arms, four sessions: fat 25% thinner, the triceps 24% thicker in the 25 people scanned at three months.
- Buttocks, four sessions: muscle about 25% thicker with the combined energies against 16% with the muscle energy alone.
The course, step by step
| Feature | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Sessions | 4, about a week apart (3 is the minimum the studies used) |
| Session length | 30 minutes; two areas such as both flanks in the same 30 minutes |
| During a session | Strong muscle contractions and a warmth like a hot stone massage |
| After a session | Pink and warm for an hour or so; muscle soreness for 24 to 48 hours, as after heavy exercise |
| First change | In our experience, two to four weeks after the last session |
| Main result | Measured at three months |
| Maintenance | No published schedule; in our experience a single session every 3 to 6 months |
More than four
Some people treat a second area in the same course, and a further course after three months where the clinician and you agree there is more to gain. It is decided together at the three-month review. The full EMsculpt NEO guide covers the whole treatment, and the cost page how a course is priced.
Plan your course
Book a free consultation at Chelsea Clinic on 0207 043 1107 or through the form below. The clinician confirms the areas and the four dates and gives you the course price in writing, from £100 per session, with a price match and finance available.
