Body
September 3, 2024

Comparison: Emsculpt vs. Vacuum Therapy for Buttocks

Emsculpt and vacuum therapy are both non-surgical buttock treatments, but they do different things. Emsculpt uses electromagnetic energy to contract and build the gluteal muscles, and the FDA has cleared it for strengthening, toning and firming the buttocks. Vacuum therapy uses suction cups to lift the skin and tissue for a short time. We found no published clinical study showing that it lifts or enlarges the buttocks.

This comparison sets out how each one works, what the evidence shows and how to choose.

Emsculpt vs vacuum therapy at a glance

	Emsculpt	Vacuum therapy
How it works	Electromagnetic energy makes the gluteal muscles contract	Suction cups pull the skin and tissue upwards
Effect on muscle	Muscle volume increased in an imaging study	None
Effect on buttock fat	Not significant in the studies	None shown
Published evidence	Several small studies	None found for buttock lifting

Emsculpt

Purpose

Emsculpt is designed to build and tone muscle. The FDA’s clearance record for the device lists “strengthening, toning and firming of buttocks, thighs and calves” among its uses. It is cleared as a muscle stimulator. Fat reduction is not one of the uses the FDA cleared it for.

How it works

An applicator placed over each buttock delivers high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) energy. This triggers strong, rapid contractions of the gluteal muscles. Our Emsculpt page explains how a session is carried out.

Impact on muscles

A 2021 study in Dermatologic Surgery used MRI scans to measure the gluteal muscles of seven people before and after four 30-minute sessions. Muscle volume rose by about 11% at one month and 13% at three months, with more change in the upper buttock. The fat over the muscles was not significantly affected.

An earlier study of 75 patients measured satisfaction, not muscle. After four sessions, patients scored the appearance of their buttocks higher, and the improvement was maintained a month later. Their weight did not change and no adverse events were reported.

Duration of results

The buttock studies followed patients for one to three months, so that is as far as the published evidence for this area goes. A one-year follow-up exists for the abdomen only. Ask your provider what maintenance they suggest and what that advice is based on.

Downtime

The buttock studies reported no adverse events, and patients rated the sessions as comfortable. The sensation is one of strong muscle contractions.

Frequency of treatment

The studies used four 30-minute sessions. A 2024 review of the published research found that the typical course is four treatments over two to four weeks.

Vacuum therapy

Purpose

Vacuum therapy, sometimes called a vacuum butt lift or cupping, is offered at spas as a way to make the buttocks look fuller and more lifted. It does not work on the muscle.

How it works

Suction cups are placed on the buttocks and a machine draws the skin and the tissue beneath it up into the cups. Providers say the area looks fuller and more lifted afterwards.

What the evidence shows

We searched PubMed in October 2026 and found no clinical study testing suction-cup vacuum therapy for lifting or enlarging the buttocks. Claims about how well it works, and how long the effect lasts, come from the businesses that offer it.

The nearest evidence is for a related treatment used on cellulite. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) reviews endermologie, a device that massages the skin while lifting it with a vacuum-like tool. It says study results vary: some found no difference, others found a noticeable reduction in cellulite that was temporary. Cellulite tends to return within a month of stopping treatment. The AAD adds that the FDA has not said that it works.

Impact on muscles

None. Suction acts on the skin and the tissue under it. It does not make the gluteal muscles contract or grow.

Downtime

Suction can leave bruises. In one study of a cellulite device that combined suction with radiofrequency and light, 2 of 20 patients bruised after their first sessions.

Frequency of treatment

It is usually sold as a series of repeated sessions. We found no published protocol to cite.

Summary of differences

Emsculpt builds the gluteal muscles. It has FDA clearance for toning and firming the buttocks and small published studies behind it. It did not significantly change buttock fat in the studies.
Vacuum therapy gives a temporary change in how the buttocks look. It has no effect on muscle, and we found no published study supporting it for buttock lifting.

The evidence for Emsculpt also has limits. A 2022 critical review in Dermatologic Surgery rated most of the studies as low or moderate quality and concluded that larger, controlled studies are needed for the buttocks, thighs, arms and calves.

Choosing the right treatment

If you want firmer, more toned buttocks and are willing to have a course of sessions, Emsculpt is the option with published evidence.
If you want a clearly larger buttock, neither treatment is designed for that. Read our guide to hip dips for what does and does not change shape.
If cellulite is your main concern, see how to get rid of cellulite, which covers the treatments the AAD rates as most effective.

A newer device, Emsculpt NEO, adds radiofrequency heat. In a 2023 study of the buttocks, it increased gluteal muscle thickness by about 25% at three months, compared with 16% for Emsculpt alone. See Emsculpt vs Emsculpt NEO.

Frequently asked questions

Does Emsculpt work for the buttocks?

Small studies show an increase in gluteal muscle volume and higher patient satisfaction after four sessions. The studies are small and short, so expect toning and some lift, not a large change in size.