Patients are encouraged to drink plenty of water before their body shaping sessions, as hydration will help with the lymphatic drainage process that is stimulated by the muscle stimulation therapy.

Before your procedure, you will have a consultation with the practitioner to determine your expectations, fitness level, and the appearance of the areas you wish to work on. The practitioner will advise on whether the procedure is right for you and come up with a personalized treatment plan.  Depending on the clinic, this consultation may take place before or on the day of the procedure itself.

During the actual body sculpting procedure, the technician will apply an adhesive gel to the areas of the body you will be targeting. They will then apply up to eight of the pads which will deliver the electric current onto the areas. You will be able to lie down and relax during the treatment session. As the procedure begins, you will feel a pulling or twisting sensation in the muscle in affected areas, similar to what you feel while exercising. This will gradually increase in intensity over the course of the session.  There is no aftercare required afterwards—once the electrodes have been removed you will be free to resume your daily routine with minimal disruption.

A single EMS sculpting session takes about 15 minutes, though this depends on the size of the area being treated. A standard treatment regimen takes place in four sessions done over the course of two weeks, with two to five days between sessions. However, depending on the treatment area, the desired result, and the patient, a practitioner may recommend more sessions.

An EMS body sculpting treatment goes through several stages, ramping up in intensity over time. An initial prep mode creates a twisting motion in the muscle, warming up the area and getting your body used to the sensation of EMS muscle contractions. After the area has been warmed up, muscles will be contracted to their fullest extent for several seconds at a time, then relaxed. This builds up strength and endurance in the area. Finally, contraction pulses will become faster and deeper, building up muscle mass in the area.

For beginners, the sensation of the galvanic muscle movement may feel strange or uncomfortable, but it will not be painful. It has been described as a “pulling” sensation, where the pulling is the feeling of muscles involuntary contracting. Some patients even report finding it relaxing.

EMS body sculpting is a non-invasive treatment with little to no recovery downtime. Patients can return to their everyday routine immediately afterwards. However, since EMS works by stimulating muscles to contract more powerfully than they would during even intense exercise, patients may feel some muscle soreness for a few days afterwards. This soreness should abate quickly and will not reach the intensity even of post-workout muscle soreness.

Electrical muscle stimulation is a non-invasive, non-surgical method of body sculpting, with no specific aftercare requirements. Immediately after the treatment, it is recommended that you drink plenty of water to enhance lymphatic drainage, flush fat and toxins from the body, and rehydrate after sweating during the treatment.  

You can return to your regular routines right after the treatment, including resuming a regular workout routine. However, you may experience some soreness and should exercise your best judgement to not overexert yourself post-treatment.

There are no safety-related restrictions post non-invasive EMS body sculpting.  However, there may be some lifestyle adjustments required for optimal results. For patients with previously inactive lifestyles, returning to a low-activity routine is not recommended, as this risks shortening the duration of treatment results and even prevent you from reaching the full potential of your body sculpting results. EMS sculpting cannot be used as a replacement for a healthy diet and exercise. 

Patients will begin to feel results soon after the first session, and may notice firmer, stronger muscles in the treatment area. Real, visible results will become apparent two to four weeks after the completion of the treatment program and will continue to improve for several weeks after that, with optimal results being seen 8-12 weeks after the final session.

The effects of the EMS sculpting regimen are expected to last anywhere between six months to a year without any maintenance treatments. However, how long the effects last is highly dependent on a patient’s lifestyle—patients with a healthy, active lifestyle in addition to EMS sculpting will be better able to maintain results for longer periods of time. For those looking to keep the dramatic muscle definition possible through EMS sculpting, annual maintenance treatments can help you maintain the exact look you desire.

Absolutely! The process of body sculpting through electrical stimulation of muscle groups is completely non-invasive, and the technology has been approved by both Health Canada and the FDA for use sculpting the body in a clinical setting.

While EMS sculpting is very safe and can be performed on the majority of people with no problems or side effects, there are a few conditions that can make you an unsuitable candidate for the procedure.

• EMS is not a good option for anyone who is pregnant or trying to get pregnant.
• Because this body sculpting technique uses electric current, it cannot be performed on anyone with:

o   Medical implants containing metal, including pacemakers and metal screws and plates

o   Copper IUD (intrauterine device)

Make sure to speak to your practitioner about any medical concerns you may have before the body sculpting treatment to make sure this procedure is right for you.