Belly Fat Is Reduced and Muscle Increased With RF and HIFEM Treatment

According to a study, a radiofrequency heating and high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy combination delivers a single, noninvasive treatment for abdominal body shaping, reducing belly fat while simultaneously increasing abdominal muscle mass with no surgery.¹

The randomized trial of the radiofrequency heating and high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy combination procedure reports a significant abdominal fat reduction with an abdominal muscle thickness increase. These effects achieved are even greater compared to radiofrequency heating and high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy alone, and are maintained for about 6 months following treatment.

There is increasing interest in using nonsurgical solutions for body contouring, which includes radiofrequency heating and high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy. Radiofrequency energy is made use of for increasing fatty tissue temperature, resulting in fat cell damage induced by heat.

Supramaximal muscle contractions are activated by the application of high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy, resulting in muscle growth and strengthening. Made use of separately, radiofrequency heating energy works well in reducing abdominal fat while high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy works well in increasing muscle mass.

The technology used in the study combines these 2 methods, allowing radiofrequency heating and high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy to be simultaneously applied. The radiofrequency heating and high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy combination device has received FDA clearance for noninvasive abdominal fat breakdown.

The researchers carried out a randomized trial to assess the effects of the combined procedure. The study included 72 individuals with an average age of 45 years who were randomly allocated to receive radiofrequency heating plus high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy or an inactive “sham” procedure.

They participated in three 30-minute treatment sessions administered once each week for 3 weeks. Follow-up visits were at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months, which included ultrasound scans for measuring abdominal fat and muscle thickness changes.

At the 1 month mark, participants having radiofrequency heating plus high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy experienced an average reduction of 20.5% in abdominal fat with an increase of 21.5% in the thickness of the abdominal muscle. Three-month assessments revealed more improvement: a reduction of 28.3% in abdominal fat and an increase of 24.2% in muscle thickness.

In comparison, the group receiving sham treatment had no change in muscle thickness or abdominal fat. Six-month evaluation in individuals receiving radiofrequency heating plus high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy showed minor, non-significant declines in the effect of the treatment.

94% of individuals in the radiofrequency heating plus high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy group were satisfied with the results of their treatment as opposed to 40% of the group receiving the sham treatment. Side effects were mild, abdominal muscle soreness and temporary reddening of the skin, with no complications of significance.