Body
What is Emsculpt Neo?
What is Emsculpt NEO? It combines electromagnetic muscle stimulation with radiofrequency heating in a noninvasive body-contouring treatment. Darren M. Smith, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City, explains how adding heat distinguishes NEO from original Emsculpt and why the combination interested him when it was introduced.
In this episode.
Episode summary
What is Emsculpt NEO? It combines electromagnetic muscle stimulation with radiofrequency heating in a noninvasive body-contouring treatment. Darren M. Smith, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City, explains how adding heat distinguishes NEO from original Emsculpt and why the combination interested him when it was introduced.
Originally published October 21, 2020. Performance figures, comparisons, treatment schedules and complimentary demonstration offers in the recording reflect its launch period.
Key takeaways
⚙️ Original Emsculpt and NEO
Original Emsculpt uses high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy to stimulate muscle contractions; NEO adds radiofrequency heating.
🎯 Muscle and fat goals
The recording describes the two components as addressing muscle stimulation and localized fat reduction within one treatment platform.
⚖️ Treatment comparisons
Dr. Smith compares this approach with cold-based fat reduction and other heat-based devices, drawing on early data and his personal experience.
📊 Historical study averages
The percentages cited in the audio are reported averages from that period, not promised changes in an individual's muscle or fat.
🗓️ Treatment course
The episode discusses a series of treatment sessions. Its description of one device should not be interpreted as a promise that one appointment delivers every stated result.
Questions this episode answers
How does NEO differ from original Emsculpt?
The central difference discussed is the addition of radiofrequency energy to electromagnetic stimulation. Dr. Smith describes heating the treatment area while the electromagnetic component stimulates muscle contractions.
How is that different from CoolSculpting?
The episode contrasts a combination of heating and muscle stimulation with cooling-based fat reduction. Its enthusiastic launch-era comparisons are not a current finding that one device is best for every person or treatment area.
Does the episode guarantee a specific percentage change?
No individual outcome can be inferred from the quoted averages. The recording's figures and comparisons need to be interpreted in the context of the studies, device and treatment protocol being discussed.
ℹ️ Current context and related information
Noninvasive body contouring is not weight-loss treatment. The FDA explains benefits, limitations and technology-specific risks. Ask which device, applicator and treatment area are proposed and whether the plan is appropriate for you.
Read current practice information about Emsculpt NEO and, as a separate surgical approach to fat removal, liposuction, or schedule a consultation.
Educational information, not individualized medical advice. Risks, comfort and results vary. Show notes updated September 30, 2026.
Original show notes
Emsculpt Neo is a true paradigm shift in noninvasive body contouring. Board certified NYC plastic surgeon Dr. Darren Smith explains.
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. What is Emsculpt NEO? Emsculpt NEO is arguably the most advanced non-invasive body contouring treatment available on the planet. I don't say that lightly. I'm very conservative when it comes to new technologies and I don't bring them into my practice until they've been thoroughly vetted. However, after looking at all the data, it becomes very clear that Emsculpt Neo is truly something very special.
[00:53] Emsculpt Neo takes its roots from its parent technology, Emsculpt. And as you might remember from earlier episodes, Emsculpt uses HIFEM or high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy to cause supermaximal muscle contractions, which build muscle. Specifically, the HIFEM energy can cause a muscle group to do about 20,000 contractions in 30 minutes. And the two most popular treatment areas for Emsculpt are the abdomen and the glutes. So this was a great way for people to define their six pack or to essentially get a non-surgical butt lift. Another happy side effect of Emsculpt was that it caused some fat reduction. So while on average Emsculpt increased muscle mass by 16%, it would also decrease fat volume by 19% on average. Emsculpt could also decrease the width of erectus diastasis or the separation between the six pack muscles by 11% on average and decrease waist circumference by four centimeters on average. So why is Emsculpt NEO so exciting? Looking at these same benchmarks, Emsculpt NEO can build muscle mass by 25% on average, decrease fatty volume by 30% on average, decrease the width of erectus diastasis by 19% on average, and reduce waist circumference by six centimeters on average. So what are the practical implications for you of all these technical advances? Well, the big one is that you're going to get more for less. So the first real mainstream kind of gold standard non-invasive body contouring treatment was CoolSculpting, which used cold induced fat cell death or cryolipolysis to decrease fat volume in a treatment area by approximately 23 or 22% on average. And now with M. Sculpt Neo, we're able to decrease fatty volume by an average of 30%. In addition, CoolSculpting does not do anything to tone muscle. Emsculpt Neo will actually tone and build muscle by 25% on average. Now, there are other muscle toning treatments out there, including classic Emsculpt and a competitor M-tone. And while Emsculpt builds muscle mass on average by 16%, and there's no published data that I'm aware of for the amount of increased muscle volume and tone can build.
[03:55] Emsculpt Neo is building muscle mass by 25% at the same time as it's reducing fat volume by 30%. So now, whereas in the past, you would have had to do two treatments to get some degree of fat burning, which would have been 22 or 23% on average with CoolSculpting. and 19% on average with Emsculpt. In addition to having to do an additional procedure like either M-tone with unpublished muscle increase volume or Emsculpt, with its 16% muscle increase volume, with Emsculpt Neo, in that same treatment as you're re-choosing fatty volume by 30%, you're able to increase muscle volume by 25%. So you don't have to do two treatments anymore to get these results, all with one treatment. You're able to burn fat by 30% and increase muscle mass by 25%. And for all of these devices, it's recommended that you have three to four sessions for optimal results. So to summarize, whereas now with Emsculpt Neo, with just one device, you can have an average increase in muscle mass of 25% and an average decrease in fatty volume of 30%. Whereas in the past, you would have had to realistically have had several treatments with two different devices to achieve muscle building and fat volume reduction. And neither of these devices in the past could either increase muscle mass as much or decrease fatty volume as much as Emsculpt Neo can do on its own. So you're essentially getting twice the treatment benefit at the price point of a single treatment. Whereas in the past, you would have had to pay for two completely different treatment modalities that independently weren't even capable of achieving the same results.
[05:54] that Emsculpt Neo can achieve on its own. So how is Emsculpt Neo achieving these incredible results? Well, Emsculpt Neo builds off the legacy of its predecessor, Emsculpt, which again, use that HIFEM, high intensity focused electromagnetic energy to cause supermaximal muscle contractions. But what Emsculpt Neo does is it adds radiofrequency energy to the mix. And the radiofrequency energy warms the fat and the muscle in the treatment area. And by warming the muscle, it really primes the muscle to get the maximal workout from the HIFEM energy. And at the same time, the heat generated by the radiofrequency energy causes the death and destruction of fat cells. We've discussed in previous episodes that existing methods of using heat to destroy fat cells such as that used in devices like True Sculpt ID or Sculpture tend to be less effective because the heat becomes intolerably painful in a lot of cases over time so that the treatment protocol can't be completed as intended to achieve the desired result.
[07:16] I've been fortunate to have the opportunity to try all of these technologies myself. And with the Emsculpt Neo, when it gets up to temperature, it really is not at all uncomfortable and it's very tolerable. And something that we're really excited to do as one of the first centers in New York City to offer this treatment is to provide complimentary demos for folks when they come in to try out the Emsculpt Neo device so that they can see for themselves that it really is quite comfortable and these treatments really do work very nicely. So we'll finish up with a few quick comparisons. How does Emsculpt Neo compare to Sculpture? Well, Emsculpt Neo uses heat generated by radiofrequency energy in addition to hyphen to simultaneously burn fat and build muscle. Sculpture, on the other hand, uses laser energy to generate heat and kill fat without building muscle at all. And Emsculpt Neo is going to reduce fatty volume by an average of 30%, whereas Sculpture is going to reduce fatty volume by an average of 22 to 23%. And it's not going to build muscle mass at all, whereas Emsculpt Neo is going to build muscle mass by approximately 25% at the same time as it's reducing fatty volume.
[08:44] Another common comparison, how does Emsculpt Neo compare to Coolsculpting? Well, Emsculpt Neo is going to be using a very comfortable form of heating energy with radiofrequency energy to destroy, again, on average 30% of fat in the treatment area, whereas Coolsculpting is using cryolipolysis to destroy on average 22 to 23% of fat in the treatment area. And again, Emsculpt Neo is going to be building muscle mass by about 25%, whereas CoolSculpting isn't going to build muscle mass at all. Another more subtle point of comparison between Emsculpt Neo and treatments like CoolSculpting is that CoolSculpting is going to use suction to draw a section of fat into the applicator, cool that fat off, and cause cryolipolysis.
[09:37] In contrast, Emsculpt NEO is delivering a very even natural heat profile to the treatment area with radiofrequency energy. And what this does is cause a very natural appearing and feathered reduction in fatty volume in comparison to CoolSculpting, which because it's focusing its treatment on a very small area that's drawn into the applicator has a much higher risk of issues like contour deformities that you're really not going to see with Emsculpt Neo. Another very important distinction between Emsculpt Neo and CoolSculpting is that the recovery after Emsculpt Neo is much easier where you may have some very limited soreness like you might have after a workout with the Emsculpt Neo.
[10:32] After CoolSculpting, there is often significant discomfort and also paresthesia or numbness from the cold causing inflammation of the nerves in the treatment area. And this is just something that isn't an issue with Emsculpt Neo. So to sum up, if you are interested in exploring non-invasive body contouring, there really is no longer any reason to look beyond Emsculpt Neo. So we invite you to get in touch with any questions or comments that you might have about this really revolutionary new non-invasive body contouring treatment. Thanks for listening and don't forget to subscribe, share the show, and head over to darrensmithmd.com for more real world plastic surgery talk.
Sources and context.
Original Captivate episode. Original release date: 2020-10-21. 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