Love handles — those frustrating pockets of fat that sit above your hips — are notoriously hard to lose. That’s partially due to the efficiency of your diet and exercise methods, but it also comes down to your genes, which determine how your body stores and holds onto fat no matter how healthy your lifestyle is.
Don’t despair if you’ve been trying to get rid of pesky love handles for months or years with no success! There’s an effective treatment for this common problem, and it does not involve surgery.
Emsculpt NEO is a revolutionary treatment in body sculpting that can burn fat and build muscle in a single, 30-minute procedure. Using a combination of advanced technologies, Emsculpt NEO is more effective than some of its predecessors in the noninvasive body contouring category.
BTL Aesthetics, the company behind this treatment, launched their Edge Applicators last year to offer better treatment for those struggling with love handles. Thanks to this innovation, we can now target that pesky muffin top for good!
All About Emsculpt NEO
Emsculpt NEO is an innovative body sculpting device developed by BTL Aesthetics. Body sculpting, or body contouring, refers to a category of procedures that aim to reshape the body. These procedures can be surgical, like liposuction or a tummy tuck, or they can be nonsurgical, like fat freezing or Zimmer Shockwave Therapy for cellulite removal.
Many popular nonsurgical body sculpting procedures destroy fat cells with the help of cold temperatures or laser energy, but Emsculpt NEO is different. This treatment uses a combination of radiofrequency energy and high-intensity focused magnetic (HIFEM) technology to simultaneously destroy fat and build muscle. Here’s how that works:
Radiofrequency lipolysis
By delivering radiofrequency energy to the targeted treatment area, Emsculpt NEO triggers controlled heating of fat cells without impacting surrounding tissues (e.g. skin, nerves and blood vessels). Heating fat cells to a certain point destroys them for good, and the body gradually removes them over several weeks.
HIFEM muscle toning
This technological innovation uses magnetic stimulation to induce powerful muscle contractions — about 20.000 pulses in 30 minutes. The result is stronger and more toned muscles, worked to an extent that is difficult to achieve with regular exercise.
The combination of these two technologies delivers fast, effective and safe body sculpting like no other device currently available. In just 30 minutes, and with no post-treatment downtime, you can relax while the Emsculpt device works you closer to your ideal body shape. Nearly any area of the body can be treated with Emsculpt NEO’s selection of specially designed applicators.
How Do the Edge Applicators Work?
When it comes to treating love handles specifically, until recently, there were limits to what Emsculpt NEO could do. That is, until BTL introduced its Edge Applicators.
The two new paddles were designed specifically to make it easier to target fat deposits on the flanks or above the hip area. Their diamond-shaped design fits snugly over the hips, conforming perfectly to your body’s contours. Just like the device’s other applicators, they deliver radiofrequency and HIFEM to selectively melt fat while building muscle. The result is a visibly slimmer and more toned back and midsection.
These additions to the Emscult NEO system were FDA-cleared for use on the lateral abdomen. However, they have been successfully used on other curved areas, such as the lower back and inner and outer thighs.
A typical treatment session with this system using the Edge Applicators takes only 30 minutes. Most patients need about four treatments scheduled once or twice per week to achieve their desired results. The results become gradually more noticeable over several weeks and after each treatment, with most seeing the full effect of treatment after eight to 12 weeks.
Benefits of Using Emsculpt NEO for Love Handles
There are countless ways to get rid of love handles, from lifestyle changes and treating any underlying medical condition to surgery and noninvasive approaches. Most of these can lead to improvement or even help you get rid of love handles for good. So, why choose Emsculpt NEO among the rest?
Emsculpt NEO has several advantages that you may want to consider when trying to get rid of love handles:
Quick and convenient
It can take months to years before you’ll see improvement in your body shape after lifestyle changes. Similarly, surgical and some nonsurgical body sculpting treatments take quite a bit of preparation and downtime, which not everyone has. Treatment with Emsculpt NEO takes just 30 minutes to complete, with no preparation or downtime necessary. Plus, you’ll only need to undergo four to five treatments to enjoy your initial results.
Proven efficiency
Clinical studies have found that this treatment can lead to a 30% reduction in fat and a 25% increase in muscle thickness after three months. The fat reduction is permanent, especially when followed by healthy eating and regular exercise. Overall results last up to a year with good maintenance.
Minimal risks
A noninvasive and gentle procedure, treatment with the Emsculpt NEO system comes with very few risks. There is no need for the anesthesia and incisions required for surgery, and there is no swelling and numbness like after cryolipolysis. Most patients experience only mild soreness and redness for a couple of days.
The Emsculpt NEO Experience
If you’re seriously considering Emsculpt NEO to finally get rid of bothersome love handles, you’re probably curious to learn what the treatment is actually like. Here’s what you can expect if you decide to take the leap.
Preparation
There is no pre-treatment preparation with Emsculpt NEO other than to drink plenty of water on the day of your treatment. This device works almost like an intense workout, so staying well-hydrated before and after treatment is beneficial. Adequate fluid intake also seems to speed up recovery by promoting lymphatic drainage and lowering inflammation — which is important with any treatment where fat cells are destroyed.
Other than that, we suggest taking the following measures on the day of your treatment:
Do not drink alcohol to avoid dehydration and other risks
Wear comfortable and loose-fitting clothing for your appointment
Allow at least 15 minutes before your scheduled treatment to check in, fill in paperwork and ask any last-minute questions
Treatment
During the Emsculpt NEO treatment, you will be lying down on a padded table. Since patients rarely experience any discomfort, there is no need for anesthesia or numbing cream.
The Edge Applicators are then placed directly over the treatment area on bare skin. In this case, your provider will place the two applicators just above your hip bones. Once treatment begins, you will feel your muscles contract and may notice a heating sensation. Many compare this feeling to a hot stone massage. The entire treatment takes 30 minutes from start to finish.
For the best results, you will need to have a minimum of four treatments, spaced up to one week apart. However, some patients benefit from a longer series of initial treatments.
Results
After each Emsculpt NEO session, your flanks and abdomen may feel slightly sore, just like after an intense workout session. This is a direct result of the HIFEM technology, which causes the muscles to contract much like they do during crunches or planks. The treatment area may be slightly red and swollen, which are effects from the heat produced by the radiofrequency energy. These are all normal side effects and should subside within a couple of days to a week.
You may feel results shortly after your session, but it usually takes about three months to see the final results of treatment. These may include:
- A slimmer waistline and flatter abdomen
- Toned and well-defined muscles in the treatment area
- Improved muscle strength in the flanks and abdomen
- Tighter and smoother abdominal skin
Most patients enjoy their Emsculpt NEO results from six to 12 months. Once fat cells are destroyed with this treatment, they are gone for good. However, the remaining fat cells can still accumulate fat, which is why you need to avoid weight gain to keep your results longer.
The muscle-toning effects of this treatment wane after a while, but you can maintain them longer with regular exercise. Many patients find exercising easier after this treatment simply because it gives them a good foundation, i.e. strong muscles.
Should You Try Emsculpt NEO?
If you are near or at your ideal weight but have trouble getting rid of pesky love handles, then you may want to consider Emscult NEO with its Edge Applicators. This is one of the simplest, quickest and most effective treatments for stubborn fat pockets. Patients often turn to this treatment because it does not require preparation, downtime or surgery.
Even if you are not at your ideal body weight, you may still be a candidate for this treatment as it does not have a strict upper BMI limit. Because the Emsculpt system uses magnetic fields and radiofrequency energy, patients with metal implants near the treatment area, pacemakers, defibrillators and implanted neurostimulators may not be good candidates. Speak to your doctor before considering this treatment, as there may be other contraindications.
Learn More About Emsculpt NEO for Love Handles in San Jose
You deserve to feel healthy on the inside and outside. Our founder, Dr. Anjali Dhar, built Luminance Regenerative Beauty & Wellness on this principle and we work to bring it to life every day. We are passionate about using advanced technology to support your body’s inherent abilities to heal and rejuvenate, so that you reflect your best self.
For more information about Emsculpt NEO and the Edge Applicators, call 669-214-2967 or book a consultation today.