Body
How Can I Get Rid of Cellulite? Let's Talk About Emtone!
Current practice update: Dr. Smith's practice does not currently offer Emtone. The current Emtone information page provides educational context. This recording describes the treatment as it was discussed in 2020.
In this episode.
Episode summary
Current practice update: Dr. Smith's practice does not currently offer Emtone. The current Emtone information page provides educational context. This recording describes the treatment as it was discussed in 2020.
What is Emtone, and how was it intended to address cellulite? Darren M. Smith, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City, explains a combination of radiofrequency heating and pressure-wave treatment, and discusses why individual cellulite patterns matter when evaluating options.
Originally published October 28, 2020. Treatment availability, protocols, comparisons and invitations in the audio are historical.
Key takeaways
🧬 Cellulite texture and anatomy
The episode distinguishes dimpling and wavy skin texture and describes the role of skin, underlying fat and fibrous connective tissue.
⚙️ Radiofrequency and pressure
Emtone combines warming from radiofrequency energy with mechanical pressure or tapping.
🔎 Treatment complexity
Dr. Smith emphasizes that cellulite is difficult to treat and that different patterns may call for different approaches.
🗓️ Sessions and maintenance
The recording discusses a treatment series and possible maintenance, rather than a one-time permanent removal of cellulite.
🧩 Historical combination treatments
The historical discussion of combining treatments does not establish current availability or guarantee faster recovery from surgery.
Questions this episode answers
Does the episode describe permanent cellulite removal?
No. Dr. Smith discusses variable response and periodic maintenance. The audio's optimistic durability statements should not be taken as a guarantee that cellulite cannot return.
What does the treatment feel like?
The recording describes warmth and a tapping sensation from the external handpiece. Comfort varies, so this description is not a promise that treatment is painless.
Can I book Emtone at this practice now?
The practice's current page says it does not offer Emtone. A consultation can instead address the underlying concern and available options.
ℹ️ Current related information
See current information about Avéli cellulite treatment and BodyTite for skin laxity, or schedule a consultation. These are current related resources, not additions to the original recording.
Qwo, also mentioned in the audio, is historical context: Endo announced the end of Qwo production and sales in December 2022.
Educational information, not individualized medical advice. Treatment risks, suitability and results vary. Show notes updated September 30, 2026.
Original show notes
Cellulite is one of the toughest problems to treat in aesthetic medicine. Board certified NYC plastic surgeon Dr. Darren Smith discusses Emtone, a promising new treatment here.
Read the conversation.
[00:08] I'm board certified New York City plastic surgeon, Dr. Darren Smith, and this is plastic surgery before and after. Your source for the real deal about plastic surgery procedures, news about trends in aesthetic medicine, and candid sessions with industry insiders. We hope you enjoy today's episode. How can I get rid of cellulite? Let's talk about M-Tone. In an earlier episode, we talked about QWO. as an exciting new injectable treatment for cellulite dimples. This episode on cellulite is going to focus on Emtone, which is a new really awesome treatment for all kinds of cellulite, both dimpling and wavy. And since it's completely non-invasive with no downtime, it's ideal for many patients. So what does Emtone do?
[01:05] Emtone is a next generation non-invasive, no downtime cellulite treatment that's not like anything we've ever seen. Emtone treats cellulite by addressing its underlying causes. So as many of us are all too familiar with, cellulite has an appearance that resembles a puckered and dimpled and wavy surface on certain areas of the skin. This is especially common on the buttocks and the back of the thighs but can also occur elsewhere on the leg and on the arms and wherever it is it can be very difficult to treat. These waves dimples and puckers that collectively give us this appearance of cellulite are primarily caused by fat globules that get trapped under the skin between fibrous connective tissue that connects the skin to the deeper tissues of the body. What causes cellulite? Well the answer to this question isn't completely known. We do know that cellulite can be caused and exacerbated by sun damage over time, as well as gains in body fat and sometimes increases in skin laxity and a thinning of the skin and a loss of skin integrity. In general, anything that's bad for your skin quality can make cellulite worse. Smoking and vitamin and mineral deficiencies, for example, definitely aren't going to help when it comes to cellulite. How does M-Tone work?
[02:47] Emtone combines pressure wave therapy and radio frequency energy to treat cellulite at its source. While the radio frequency energy from Emtone warms the tissue in the treatment area, the simultaneous pressure wave therapy physically stimulates the region. Together, these therapies are greater than the sum of their parts and address a loss of skin elasticity, They improve blood flow to the region being treated. They disrupt the larger fat chambers between those fibrous septae that are causing the dimpling and wavy appearance of cellulite. They disrupt the collagen fibers that comprise those fibrous septae themselves. And they enhance lymphatic flow to help clear metabolic waste that's accumulated beneath the skin. How is M-Tone different from other cellulite treatments?
[03:44] Emtone is the only device on the market that combines radiofrequency energy and pressure wave therapy to yield synergistic results. Cellfina is backed by extensive clinical trials that together demonstrate greater than 90% patient satisfaction and 93% reduction in the appearance of cellulite. It's been shown to be 64% more effective than standalone treatments for building elastin. It's 59% more effective than standalone treatments for building collagen. And it's also proven itself to be excellent for both wavy and dimpling cellulite. Am I a good candidate for M-Tone? Cellulite remains one of the most difficult aesthetic issues to treat. in 2020 at the time that this episode was recorded. And there are a lot of different treatments available on the market. There is a great deal of subtlety that goes into assessing different kinds of cellulite and different treatments will be better for different kinds of cellulite in different patients. So it's very important to me with an experienced provider to make sure that you're getting the treatment that's best for you.
[05:01] In general though, M-Tone can be a very effective therapy for patients looking to treat most kinds of cellulite with a completely non-invasive method that requires no downtime. Whether you're better off with a treatment like Cellfina or Quo will depend on the results of an in-person consultation with an expert in cellulite treatment. How does an M-Tone treatment work? You'll be brought into an exam room. You'll change in to a robe. Photographs will be taken to monitor your progress and a soothing gel will be applied to the treatment area. When the treatment begins, you'll feel warmth and a tapping sensation that most people liken to a hot stone massage combined with a sometimes intense tapping feeling.
[05:54] There is no pain associated with an M-Tone therapy and the heat should just be comfortable. The length of an M-Tone treatment varies depending on the size of the treatment area, but usually falls somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes. When will I see the results of an M-Tone treatment? While some patients report seeing results right after the first treatment, these results usually improve after approximately two to four sessions. And we do recommend approximately four sessions over a two week period for maximal results. And the results continue to improve for two to three months after the treatment. And that's when you'll really look back at your before pictures and say, wow, this is pretty awesome. How long do M-tone results last?
[06:42] This varies from person to person, but we generally recommend a touch-up treatment every six to 12 months. So, is M-Tone permanent? Not quite, but it's unlikely that you'll ever revert back completely to your pretreatment appearance. What areas can be treated with M-Tone? Some of the most popular M-Tone treatment areas include the abdomen or the stomach, the love handles, the waist, the buttocks, the inner and outer thighs, the front and back of the thighs, the knees, and the arms. How else can M-Tone be used? Well, M-Tone is a very powerful standalone treatment. We often like to combine it with liposuction because it can actually help speed up your recovery by getting rid of swelling and in a lot of ways perform the same function as lymphatic massage and help your swelling resolve more quickly and help you get a nice smooth result right out of the gate.
[07:39] M-Tone treatments can also be very effectively combined with Emsculpt to tighten your skin while Emsculpt is building your muscle and reducing your fatty volume. So I hope this has been a helpful introduction to M-Tone which is a really exciting new technology and if you've tried it, we'd love to hear your experiences. A great way to do that is to join our Facebook group at www.askdrsmith.myc. Hope to see you there. Thanks for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, share the show, and head over to garonsmithmd.com for more real-world plastic surgery talk.
Sources and context.
Original Captivate episode. Original release date: 2020-10-28. The recording is the source for the transcript and episode discussion. Later context in the written summary is identified separately.
Behind the conversation.
Darren M. Smith, MD, FACS