Ageing takes its toll on the body, but the secret to staying fit and active is core strength. Editor Trudi Brewer shares a doctor-approved exercise option for strength and balance.
Read on to learn more.

Beyond looking good, core strength leads to a better quality of life and improvement in everyday activities. Strength training can also protect your joints from injury; most importantly, building muscle ensures better balance and, as you age, a lower risk of falls. As an advocate for exercise (for me, it’s power walking and Pilates), the benefits extend not only to physical strength but also to improved mental health. Today, there are numerous options to enhance your body, one of which is receiving plenty of attention, EmSculpt Neo. Before I unpack this new body treatment, it's worth noting that body sculpting treatments have come and gone over the years, and many have faced considerable criticism. There is no quick fix for a better-looking body or improved fitness; it ultimately comes down to consistent exercise, a healthy and balanced diet, and strength training. However, staying strong, trim, and motivated to exercise is a constant battle as we age, which is where EmSculpt Neo could help.

Dr Joanna Romanaowska is a well-regarded, science-based physician with a focus on cosmetic medicine. She is passionate about positive ageing and excited to share a body treatment option that delivers.
While there are already body treatments that promise to reduce fat and firm the body, such as CoolSculpting (cryolipolysis), Trusculpt ID (radiofrequency), HIFU, laser lipolysis, and injection lipolysis, each has varying results, and none are on offer at Romanowska’s Auckland practice, Clinic 42. For Romanowska, EmSculpt Neo is impressive.

It’s a 30-minute non-surgical treatment where applicators are strapped to the body, claiming to strengthen muscles while reducing fat and tightening the skin. The brand claims it feels like you're doing crunches or squats nonstop, approximately 24,000 times for the entire length of the 30-minute treatment, while you lie down and relax.

After seeing some of the company’s body-beautiful advertising, I was sceptical. My first question to Romanowska was: Does it work?‘ She explains: “It is HIFEM (high-intensity focused electromagnetic technology), a focused electromagnetic field procedure, synchronised with radiofrequency energy. Providing non-invasive treatment that builds muscle using RF (radiofrequency) heating and HIFEM technology, without downtime.“ She also adds: “Electric and electromagnetic stimulation have been used for muscle training in physiotherapy for a long time. Unlike electric stimulation, electromagnetic stimulation is characterised by the absence of treatment pain or burns. The EmSculpt Neo utilises HIFEM to induce tonic muscle contractions. The results suggest that HIFEM treatment also affects fat metabolism.”

So, back to core strength, EmSculpt Neo targets the very areas on the body that weaken with age, such as the abdominal muscles, glutes, and thighs. So when your core is strong, your back is supported, and your posture is straight. Romanowska believes, “The EmSculpt Neo applicators create a strong magnetic field which can create targeted electrical impulses to select muscle groups, to stimulate supra-maximal contractions while also pre-heating the tissues for enhanced contractions and a fat-burning effect.” But for sceptics, who think it sounds too good to be true, Romanoskwa has done her research. “The effect of a course of treatments over a few weeks is significant muscle strengthening of those targeted muscles, which results in substantial functional and health benefits, for example, visceral (deep abdominal) fat reduction and muscle strength and mass are linked to longevity.”
Here, Dr Joanna Romanowska answers my questions and shares the research and benefits of EmSculpt Neo.

Who is the right client for this treatment?

That is difficult to answer, because many people can benefit from stronger muscles, especially those in the abdominal, buttock, and leg areas for core strength. Some may want the extra power in those muscles for a ski trip, while others may need it for an improved golf swing or water sports. For others, it may be transformative in a rehabilitation programme to regain lost strength and muscle mass following injury, illness or surgery. The applicators can be used unilaterally on the atrophied side to rebalance the muscles and normalise gait. Because there is minimal joint movement during muscle stimulation, it is comfortable even for individuals with arthritis or who have undergone surgery. Abdominal muscle strengthening helps to tighten the rectus abdominis muscles, which is beneficial for some women post-pregnancy who may have experienced a separation of these muscles. This separation occurs because the tissue, known as the linea alba, that connects the two muscles stretches or weakens during pregnancy as the uterus enlarges. Also, feeling stronger, more stable, and fitter can motivate increased physical activity, leading to associated improvements in health and well-being. Whether the goal is body shaping, muscle reeducation, or overall wellness, this procedure helps achieve the desired results.
*Clinical studies here

What areas of the body can be treated with EMSCULPT NEO?

Upper and lower leg muscles, buttocks and tummy muscles, upper arms and ‘love-handles’. Some of the advertising material looks too good to be true. Suggesting this is a quick fix for replacing a regular gym workout is not accurate. The advertising material focuses on appearance. As a doctor, I am more interested in the physiology of how treatments affect the entire body, not just the treated area, and their benefits for overall wellness. The treatments do not improve aerobic fitness, but rather focus on increasing muscle strength, with modest effects on reducing fat. Therefore, it is not a replacement for aerobic exercise, but it can easily and painlessly jump-start a strengthening program.
*Research on Radiofrequency (RF) and high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) technologies here. Further research on fat reduction here.

How long is each treatment?

Each area takes 30 minutes. We recommend treating several areas simultaneously, such as the tummy, buttocks, or upper and lower legs, to obtain optimal results.

What can you expect to feel during the EMSCULPT NEO treatment?

The treated area will feel warm, and the muscles will intensely tighten. One quickly becomes accustomed to the slightly strange sensation, and the intensity can gradually increase as tolerance builds.

Is this treatment invasive in any way? If so, what is the downtime?

It is not invasive; the magnetic stimulation passes through the skin without affecting it. There is no downtime, and interestingly, despite the intensity of the workout, there is no post-exercise pain in the days that follow.

How many treatments are needed to see results?

We recommend at least four sessions at roughly weekly intervals, although patients often observe improvements before completing the full course of treatments.

How long do the effects of EMSCULPT Neo last?

The effects continue to improve for up to a month after the procedure. They may begin to tail off after a couple of months, unless the patient remains physically active to maintain the effects, which is much easier to maintain than to achieve the initial results.