Can EMSCULPT NEO® really give you abs without working out?

When it comes to my fitness journey, toning up and feeling strong has always been the goal.

The lean, mean, fighting-machine physiques of Professional Hot People™ like Emily Ratajkowski, Kendall Jenner, or the cast of Physical: Asia? That was a pipe dream — or rather, the result of hours (and years) of dedication I simply wasn’t willing to put in. Call me lazy, but my job didn’t call for it, and I wasn’t vain enough to chase it either.

So when I started proper strength training and overhauled my entire diet and lifestyle, imagine my surprise when baby abs started to pop — something I never thought possible. But now, a year in, with a more relaxed workout routine and diet, maintaining them has been harder than I expected.

So when I was approached to try EMSCULPT NEO®, a non-invasive body contouring treatment that promises to burn fat and build muscle, I said, “Sign me up.” I’d worked hard for these baby abs — I wasn’t about to give them up a year in! I booked myself four sessions at Radium Medical Aesthetics with Dr Siew Tuck Wah immediately.

Here’s what I learned from the experience (then scroll down to see if I did retain my abs!).

Meet the expert: Dr Siew Tuck Wah, Founder and Medical Director at Radium Medical Aesthetics

First up, what exactly is EMSCULPT NEO®, and how does it differ from traditional body-contouring treatments?

“EMSCULPT NEO® is the only U.S. FDA-cleared non-invasive body contouring treatment that simultaneously combines High Intensity Focused Electromagnetic Energy (HIFEM+®) and Synchronised Radiofrequency (RF) to build muscle and eliminate fat,” Dr Siew explains.

“EMSCULPT NEO® targets both muscle and fat in a single treatment, while traditional body-contouring treatments are single-modality procedures that focus only on fat reduction.”

In short, not only will you be burning fat, you’ll be building muscle as well. 

How does EMSCULPT NEO® work? And can it replace diet or exercise?

According to Dr Siew, EMSCULPT NEO® “delivers over 20,000 muscle contractions in a 30-minute session.” That’s comparable to doing 20,000 crunches and 12-16 weeks of resistance training, but achieved in 30-minute sessions – all whilst lying down, without actually breaking a sweat.

This means greater improvement to your existing muscle tone in a fraction of the time, and basically music to my ears (and my abs). Unlike other non-invasive treatments such as CoolSculpting or Laser Lipo (laser assisted liposuction) that only target fat, loss of fat via this treatment is more of an additional benefit from what the device is doing to your muscles.

While all this sounds great and a great alternative to getting toned, Dr Siew stresses that it is not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. “It is a great complement to diet and exercise by targeting areas resistant to change, accelerating results, and improving muscle tone beyond what’s possible with workouts alone.”

How does EMSCULPT NEO® target problem areas?

As I shared with Dr Siew that I was looking to tone up my abdomen, he shared that this treatment was also popular with new mums, as it was highly effective in helping to tone up the abdomen. Especially post-partum mums who have a combination of increased abdominal muscle laxity and loose skin, which may not be resolved by diet or exercise alone (or may take more time than a new mum can, or would want to spare).

Dr Siew shares, “The treatment tones the core abdominal muscles, which enhances posture and stability while visibly reducing the appearance of a ‘mum-tum’. The muscle contractions during treatment help tighten the abdominal muscles, resulting in a firmer and more sculpted midsection.”

Beyond muscle toning, it also benefits the skin. “The synchronised RF targets stubborn fat and helps tighten loose skin — another common post-pregnancy concern that contributes to the belly bulge,” he adds.

Who is EMSCULPT NEO® for?

Curious if EMSCULPT NEO® is for you? Dr Siew recommends the treatment for the following groups of people:

• Patients who are close to their ideal weight but wish to target stubborn fat resistant to diet and exercise
• New mothers looking to address post-pregnancy abdominal muscle laxity
• Individuals experiencing a fitness plateau who want to enhance their results
• Those unable to exercise due to injury or recovery

Though it is best used as a complement to a weight loss programme for individuals with a BMI of up to 35.

My review

With the device strapped over my abdomen, I braced myself. I knew from my prior experience with EMFace it would be relatively painless, but there will still be a weird, involuntarily tugging sensation to get used to.

As the first contraction begins, it’s predictably a weird sensation. Imagine a really strong and intense vibration trying to penetrate your abdomen. It takes some getting used to, but it is uncomfortable at best.

To ease you into the treatment, the practitioner starts at a lower power setting of around 80 before gradually increasing it to 100. This step is important – starting too strong could risk causing a hernia. Eventually I settle into it, and it starts to feel quite relaxing. I use this time to lazily catch up on emails.

At its highest intensity, it feels like someone is forcing me to clench my entire body against my will. The contractions come a few seconds apart, and after several rounds, the machine produces a tapping motion to help break down the lactic acid your body produces. It also gives you a brief break – which I appreciated, since I was starting to sweat around my abdomen at this point. According to the practitioner, that’s a good sign; people who exercise regularly tend to sweat a bit during the procedure.

The results

I woke up feeling a little sore — and slightly regretful that I’d squeezed in a workout before my first session. Now, I was feeling double the effects. Still, I took that as a sign the magic was working.

I went back for another three sessions, as it’s recommended to complete four to six sessions, each spaced about a week apart, to start seeing results. While some people reported feeling stronger in their core during workouts, I didn’t notice much of a difference.

Then, in an unfortunate turn of events, I sustained a nasty bout of tendonitis from a particularly heavy lifting session. It affected the mobility of my wrist, forcing me to take a six- to eight-week break from all strenuous activity. Add a stressful work season on top of that, and my usual fitness routine had to come to a hard stop.

Realistically, I knew I wasn’t going to “balloon” overnight just because I was on a fitness hiatus, but it still made me uneasy not being able to work out — especially since it had become such a big part of my life over the past couple of years and a great way to manage anxiety. The dream of maintaining my baby abs also felt like it was slipping away.

But then, as I was getting dressed the other day, I caught myself thinking — wait, does my abdomen look… trimmer? It had been about two months since my last EMSCULPT NEO® session, and surprisingly, my body was looking good — baby abs and all. I was genuinely perplexed that my abdomen looked the most toned it had in a while, even without consistent exercise. 

According to a rep for the treatment, optimal results are seen two to four months after your series of sessions is complete.

How much does it cost?

Treatment prices vary from clinic to clinic, but prices start from $450 at Radium Medical Aesthetics when a treatment package is purchased. To see results, you need at least four to six sessions, followed by maintenance sessions every three to six months.

Final Thoughts

What I immediately liked about EMSCULPT NEO® is that it doesn’t just burn fat — it builds muscle too. I’ve always been sceptical of body-contouring or slimming treatments in general, as they often seem to target only water weight or fat. That usually means you might lose a few inches right after a session, but unless you commit to multiple treatments, the results rarely last. They also tend to give the body a “softer” look, whereas I’ve always preferred a more toned physique. I didn’t want to just look thin, I wanted to look strong.

Dr Siew even shared a story about a new mum who was struggling with the separation of her abdominal muscles post-pregnancy. After just three EMSCULPT NEO® sessions, she noticed a significant improvement in muscle tightness and core strength.

While EMSCULPT NEO® isn’t a replacement for diet and exercise, it gave me the results I wanted — especially during my downtime. So if rock-hard abs are something you’ve been striving for but need a little extra help to get there, this might just be the treatment for you.