Body
July 20, 2023

Emsculpt NEO Treatment Areas: What Each One Is Cleared For

Emsculpt NEO treatment areas are the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, calves, arms and flanks. What the device is cleared to do differs by area. It is indicated for muscle toning in the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, calves and arms, and for fat reduction in the abdomen, thighs, flanks and upper arms. It is not indicated for reducing fat in the buttocks or calves.

This guide goes through each area: what the manufacturer’s indications cover and what the published studies found.

Emsculpt NEO treatment areas at a glance

Area	Muscle toning	Fat reduction
Abdomen	Yes	Yes
Buttocks	Yes	No
Thighs	Yes	Yes
Calves	Yes	No
Arms	Yes	Upper arms, with limits by skin type and body mass index
Flanks	Not listed	Yes, with limits by skin type

The table follows the indications for use published by the manufacturer, BTL Industries. The FDA’s first clearance of the device, in December 2019, covered fat breakdown and circumference reduction in the abdomen only. The other areas were added later.

How Emsculpt NEO works

The applicator delivers two kinds of energy at once. High-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) energy makes the muscle contract strongly, and radiofrequency heats the fat layer. The manufacturer describes the feeling as intense muscle contractions with warmth “comparable to a hot stone massage.”

For how this differs from the original device, see Emsculpt vs Emsculpt NEO.

Abdomen

The abdomen is the most studied area. A 2024 systematic review in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery pooled the published studies of Emsculpt and Emsculpt NEO. On imaging, abdominal fat thickness fell by an average of 5.5 mm and muscle thickness rose by 2 mm. Two of the studies reported marginal or no benefit.

The indications cover improving abdominal tone, strengthening the abdominal muscles, breaking down fat and reducing the circumference of the abdomen.

Buttocks

Here the device is indicated for strengthening, toning and firming, not for fat reduction. The studies match that. A 2023 study of 67 people compared Emsculpt NEO with the original Emsculpt on the buttocks. At three months, gluteal muscle thickness had increased by about 25% with Emsculpt NEO and 16% with Emsculpt.

A separate small trial that scanned the buttocks found the change in fat there was negligible. Expect toning and some lift, not a large change in size. Our comparison of Emsculpt and vacuum therapy looks at the buttocks in more detail.

Thighs

The indications cover both muscle toning and fat reduction in the thighs. A 2022 study treated the inner thighs of 16 women with four 30-minute sessions, a week apart. Three months later, MRI scans showed fat thickness down by about 27% and muscle thickness up by about 23%. Thigh circumference fell by an average of 1.5 cm.

Arms and calves

For the arms, the indications cover muscle tone and firmness. Fat reduction in the upper arms is limited to skin types II and III and to people with a body mass index of 30 or under. For the calves, the indication is strengthening, toning and firming only.

The main published study of these areas used the original Emsculpt, which has no radiofrequency. In 20 people, ultrasound showed more muscle in the biceps, triceps and calf, with the largest change in the biceps, about 16% at three months. Results peaked at three months and held, with a slight decline, to six months.

Flanks

The flanks are the sides of the waist. The indication here is fat breakdown, limited to skin types I to IV. We did not find a published study of the flanks alone to summarise.

How strong is the evidence?

It is strongest for the abdomen and thinner elsewhere. A 2022 critical review in Dermatologic Surgery looked at 20 studies of electromagnetic muscle stimulation covering 521 patients. Of those, 378 were treated on the abdomen, 156 on the buttocks, 22 on the arms and 15 on the calves. The reviewers rated most studies as low or moderate quality and called for larger, controlled studies for the buttocks, thighs, arms and calves.

Many of the studies are small. The author of one full-body trial disclosed being a medical advisor to BTL Industries.

Can several areas be treated together?

The manufacturer makes applicators in different sizes: a large one for the abdomen, buttocks and thighs, and smaller ones for the arms, legs and sides. One small trial treated the abdomen, thighs and buttocks of three women on the same day and reported no side effects. Three people is too few to draw conclusions from, so ask your provider how they would schedule more than one area.

Sessions and what to expect

The manufacturer’s protocol is four 30-minute sessions, 5 to 10 days apart. It states that you can return to your routine straight afterwards, and that the treatment is for patients with a body mass index of up to 35 and aged 18 or older.

Emsculpt NEO is not a weight-loss treatment. The studies measured fat and muscle thickness in the treated area, and none reported weight change.

Frequently asked questions

Does Emsculpt NEO work on thighs?

The thighs are indicated for both muscle toning and fat reduction, and one small MRI study of the inner thighs found changes in both at three months.

Is Emsculpt NEO effective on arms?

It is indicated for muscle tone in the arms. Fat reduction in the upper arms carries limits by skin type and body mass index. The published arm study used the original Emsculpt.