Here’s what we know about EmFace: It’s the hot new treatment everyone is talking about for facial rejuvenation and contouring. Celebs love it—we even did a roundup of famous early adopters—and it involves zero needles, threads or downtime. It uses a mix of radio-frequency energy and muscle stimulation that “works out” your facial muscles.
Because it is activating facial muscles, it begs the question if too much face flexing will wear out existing wrinkle-relaxer and filler injections. To find out more we asked three board-certified physicians familiar with the treatment: “What should come first, my EmFace or my injectables?”
How EmFace Works
According to New York plastic surgeon Jennifer Levine, MD, the muscles that are targeted are the ones that can give the face a lifted look. “It combines radio frequency energy with something called HIFES which stands for high intensity facial electromagnetic stimulation,” she explains. “It stimulates the frontalis muscles as well as the zygomaticus major and minor muscles as well as the risoris. These are the ‘elevator muscles’ of the face which can lift the brow and the corners of the mouth to give the face a V effect when strengthened.”
Does it affect injectable results?
“EmFace is placed over very specific facial muscles,” says Denver, CO dermatologist Joel Cohen, MD, who stresses you shouldn’t worry too much about injectables wearing out too quickly. “In the lower face, the applicator is placed over the zygomaticus minor, major and risoris muscles. These are not muscles that are treated with Botox.”
In the forehead, EmFace is placed over the frontalis muscle which elevates the brow. “The frontal has a fibrous septae over it and under it,” notes Dr. Cohen. “It works on that fibrous sheath above and below the muscle, as well as the muscle itself, to tighten elongated muscles and lax ligamentous connections.” At the same time, the radio frequency energy is heating up tissue to stimulate more collagen production.
Phoenix, AZ dermatologist Dr. Karan Lal says if you do have a concern about your injectables your physician can guide you on how to best schedule your next injectable treatments.
How long should you wait between treatments?
While there isn’t specific scientific data that supports when to space these treatments apart, Dr. Cohen shares that the answer really depends on the region that is injected. “If filler was placed in an area outside of where the applicator is placed, then I personally think that someone can have filler that same day.”
Just to be safe, Dr. Lal advises waiting three months after completing your EmFace treatment for injectables. “This is mainly because your anatomy may change and you may not need as much or even the same types of injectables after you begin seeing the effects,” he says.
