Myostimulation for weight loss: features and effectiveness

Do you urgently need to lose extra pounds and make your figure more sculpted, but you don’t have enough time for the gym or even home workouts? In this case, beauty salons offer to sign up for myostimulation, promising not only to get rid of fat deposits in problem areas, but also to pump up different muscle groups. This is the so-called “gymnastics for the lazy” using hardware cosmetology.

Let's try to find out how effective myostimulation is for weight loss and whether it really allows you to create an ideal figure, like that of a real athlete.

What is this procedure

Myostimulation (electrical or neuromyostimulation) is the effect of electrical impulses on a certain area of ​​the body. They are produced by a special device - a myostimulator (electric myostimulator). The conductors are electrodes attached to the patient's skin. Under the influence of current, the muscles actively contract, similar to what happens during training.

Initially, the myostimulation procedure was used exclusively for medical purposes - for the treatment of internal organs. Then they decided to use it to restore the performance of damaged and atrophied muscles. Gradually, the functionality expanded: microcurrents began to strengthen muscles and build muscle mass - they turned into a “lazy” alternative to training.

Over the past few years, neuromyostimulation has been actively advertised as an effective and safe procedure for rapid weight loss, body shaping and cellulite elimination. It is available in the price lists of many beauty salons and aesthetic medicine centers. Portable muscle stimulators for home use have even appeared on the market.

Moreover, you can selectively pump up any muscle group, as well as lose weight in any part of the body. This depends on where exactly the electrodes will be attached and which area will receive microcurrent stimulation. To eliminate subcutaneous fat deposits, work is most often carried out on problem areas such as the stomach and sides, buttocks and thighs. The arms, back and chest are treated less frequently.

Home analogues

For home use, there are many devices that operate on batteries or rechargeable batteries and do not require special skills to use. Their current strength is much lower - from 2 to 10 mA (in stationary ones - up to 30 mA), so they cannot cause significant harm to the consumer even if used incorrectly.

The most common models for home use are butterflies and belts. Butterflies are usually attached to the arms, chest or chin and can only stimulate a small area.

A belt is more suitable for working out the abdomen, thighs and buttocks. It has from 2 to 8 stimulation points and allows you to create a fairly intense load on large muscle groups.

Benefit

Manufacturers of myostimulators and salons that actively use them give this procedure a versatility that is amazing. It is good for health, promotes weight loss, and pumps up muscles. The only question is how true all this is and what effect the patient receives as a result.

For good health

Electromyostimulation was originally intended to improve well-being and have a beneficial effect on various body systems. It is actively used in hospitals, physiotherapy rooms, and sanatoriums. Therefore, there is no doubt about its health benefits if the process is led by a specialist with a medical education (note: not just a cosmetologist!). Claimed benefits:

• has a positive effect on the musculoskeletal system, central nervous system, pelvic organs, gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system;
• increases flexibility and mobility of joints, accelerates the healing of injuries, improves posture;
• has an anti-inflammatory effect;
• has a calming and relaxing effect, relieves stress, relaxes;
• eliminates functional disorders in the intestines;
• strengthens the heart muscle, normalizes blood pressure;
• shortens the rehabilitation period after surgical interventions;
• has analgesic properties.

Myostimulation, indeed, has a general strengthening and healing effect on many organs and systems of the body. However, the benefits of it become noticeable only if certain conditions are met. The procedure should be carried out only in a specially equipped room and by a specialist exclusively with a medical education.

For athletes

Electrical impulses cause muscles to actively contract. After several sessions this leads to certain results:

• the synthesis of nitric oxide is activated, which is involved in the formation of muscle definition;
• blood flow increases, which provides the muscles with normal nutrition;
• protein synthesis increases, a building material without which it is impossible to build muscle mass;
• muscle fibers, contracting, receive a load, as during training;
• they are strengthening.

Myostimulator for abdominal muscles Beauty body Mobile Gym
But do not delude yourself that after the procedure your figure will be a mountain of steel muscles, like a real bodybuilder. There will be a certain effect, but it is not a complete and equivalent replacement for sports activities.

This is interesting. On average, in 10 minutes of myostimulation, muscles manage to contract up to 500 times.

For weight loss

The main function of the procedure is muscle stimulation. This triggers a number of processes in the body that contribute to the burning of subcutaneous fat in the treated area and weight loss:

• lymph flow is activated;
• Toxins and excess fluid are removed from the body;
• swelling is eliminated;
• by accelerating blood circulation, tissues receive an additional portion of oxygen, known for its fat-burning properties;
• metabolism accelerates, lipolysis is activated;
• the volume of fat deposits is reduced.

As with muscles, you shouldn't expect to lose a significant amount of weight right away. It has a local effect, i.e. it works with a specific area of ​​the body. Therefore, it is he who receives correction as a result: reduction in volume, elimination of fat and cellulite, appearance of muscle relief, elasticity and firmness of the skin. These pleasant changes will have a slight effect on your overall weight.

For 1 course of 10 sessions, you can hope to lose 3-4 kg. Rarely does anyone manage to increase this level. Most often it is much lower than the indicated figures.

Criticism. Many experts dispute the fat-burning effect of this procedure. Minor weight loss is caused by slight stimulation of the muscles, which begin to appear more prominently, and the lymphatic drainage effect, due to which toxins and excess fluid are removed from the body.

The essence of the myostimulation method

Under the influence of electric current, the muscles contract, while beginning to actively consume nutrients from nearby tissues.
In this way, you can use those muscles and muscle groups that are not worked during physical exercise. However, the point of the procedure is not to replace physical education without making any effort. As a result of muscle contractions, blood and lymphatic vessels are stimulated, which entails a profound therapeutic effect. Thanks to this kind of vascular massage, tissue circulation of fluids improves, lymph outflow increases, and blood supply to tissues improves not only in the area of ​​influence, but throughout the body. As a result, metabolism increases, adipose tissue is broken down, swelling goes away, muscles and skin acquire elasticity and tone after the first procedure. Moreover, the effects stimulated by the procedure continue to develop for a long time after it.

One of the indications for myostimulation is the need to strengthen the muscular corset of the back.

However, this does not mean that myostimulation can be carried out in long courses. With each procedure, the body's tolerance to electric current increases, therefore, in order to obtain the desired effect, with each subsequent time it is necessary to increase the voltage in the device settings. This can, of course, not be done indefinitely, because electric shock does not benefit anyone - this is a completely different “procedure”.

Indications

Myostimulation is used as an auxiliary part of complex therapy for many diseases. You need to understand that without a basic course of treatment, it will not get rid of health problems - only in combination with medications and other methods.

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system, injuries:

• arthritis;
• arthrosis;
• Bekhterev's disease;
• bursitis;
• myositis;
• osteoarthritis;
• osteoporosis;
• periarthrosis;
• flat feet;
• gout;
• scoliosis;
• spondylosis;
• bruises, sprains, fractures;
• traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries;
• epicondylitis.

Nervous system diseases:

• angiotrophoneurosis;
• migraine;
• neuralgia;
• neuritis;
• neuropathy;
• neuromyositis;
• osteochondrosis;
• plexitis;
• multiple sclerosis;
• rheumatism.

Diseases of the pelvic organs:

• inflammatory diseases of female organs;
• haemorrhoids;
• overactive bladder;
• prostatitis;
• cystitis.

Gastrointestinal diseases:

• gastritis;
• constipation;
• colitis;
• cholecystitis;
• ulcer.

CVD diseases:

• arterial hypertension;
• arterial and venous insufficiency of the lower extremities;
• hypertension;
• impaired peripheral circulation;
• obliterating vascular diseases.

Rehabilitation period after surgery:

• bedsores;
• scarring;
• adhesions.

Cosmetology:

• alopecia;
• small breast size in women;
• wrinkles;
• underdeveloped muscles;
• overweight, obesity;
• cellulite.

And other indications:

• blepharoptosis;
• joint contracture;
• strabismus;
• neuroallergodermatosis;
• anesthesia;
• muscle and general fatigue;
• periostitis;
• diabetes.

As part of rehabilitation measures, electromyostimulation is used as electrogymnastics and electromassage. The procedure for medicinal purposes is prescribed by the attending physician.

Debunking myths

One of the most common myths is that such devices do not work at all.

In reality this is far from the case. The method of electrical stimulation of muscles, under the influence of which they contract, was invented more than a century ago and has been actively used in practical medicine for several decades.

Contact myostimulators-simulators operate on the same principle, but their use is focused on restoring the muscular system after injury.

It is also possible for the average person to increase muscle tone with their help, but with one caveat - the classes must be comprehensive, that is, in addition to myostimulation, regular training must be carried out.

The second myth is exactly the opposite - myostimulants allow you to quickly lose weight.

And this is again not true. Weight loss can only be achieved with an integrated approach - you need to change your diet and constantly devote time to training. Electrical stimulation of the body, subject to these conditions, improves the overall result.

The third misconception is that muscles cannot grow when using myostimulators.

An increase in muscle mass in volume depends primarily on the regimen. At a high level of load, microtrauma occurs in the muscles, after which they begin to recover and grow. This effect is evidenced by the appearance of pain after the session.

To avoid severe discomfort, it is necessary to choose the intensity of the regimens based on individual physical fitness.

Therefore, the best results in improving body contour appear if the load is selected by a coach or sports doctor who knows the specifics of how myostimulators work.

Contraindications

Electric current, even of minimal strength and in small quantities, can be unsafe for health in the presence of certain diseases. Therefore, when deciding to lose weight using myostimulation, you should strictly follow the contraindications:

• pregnancy;
• inflammatory processes with the release of pus in the acute stage;
• dermatitis;
• stones in the kidneys, gallstones, ureter;
• any failure: renal, hepatic, cardiovascular;
• presence of a pacemaker;
• violation of the integrity of the skin in the treated area;
• tumors of any origin - malignant and benign;
• mental disorders, epilepsy;
• thrombophlebitis, varicose veins, phlebitis, hypertension, vascular crises, angiomatosis, atrial fibrillation and other heart rhythm disorders;
• tuberculosis in open form, not only of the lungs, but also of other organs.

To eliminate risks, you should undergo a medical examination before losing weight.

Advantages over manual

Hardware massage not only costs less than manual massage, but also has several serious advantages:

• the body has a general effect, not a targeted one, and therefore both the superficial and deep layers of the skin are worked on;
• the procedure is absolutely safe, since there is no risk of mechanical damage to small vessels and epidermis;
• Errors in the influence are not allowed, since the devices are programmed.

In addition, the duration of the manual and hardware massage procedures also differs: in the first case, the patient is forced to spend at least 40 minutes of his time, in the second - only 15. And to obtain positive results when using specific equipment, only 6 sessions will be needed, while manual massage requires completion of a course of at least 10.

Some experts claim that under the influence of various stimulating processes, cells begin to intensively produce collagen, a substance that helps increase the elasticity of the skin. There is no official confirmation of this, but a similar effect in almost every case is achieved by hardware massage for weight loss.

Restrictions

Diabetes

When taking glucose-lowering drugs orally, a doctor's permission to perform myostimulation is not required. If you have to give insulin injections, it is better to consult a specialist on this issue.

Taking medications

When taking any medications on a regular basis, you must inform the specialist who will perform myostimulation about this. He needs to know the exact name of the medications, dosages, frequency of use and diagnosis. Not only the final result will depend on this, but also the risk of developing side effects and undesirable consequences.

For example, it is known that when taking steroids, tranquilizers, sleeping pills and hormonal drugs, the effect of weight loss from myostimulation will be significantly slowed down. Therefore, you will have to increase the number of sessions to achieve noticeable results.

Potent analgesics weaken sensitivity to myostimulation, so with them there is a risk of not feeling any effect from the procedure at all, wasting time and money.

How to use

What do muscle stimulators for weight loss look like and how easy are they to use? Reviews, photos and videos give a fairly clear idea of ​​this. Exercise belts have modest dimensions, light weight and a comfortable design. These devices are powered by standard batteries, so they can be used freely anytime, anywhere.

The intensity of the load on the myosimulator simulator is easy to regulate. Also, its owners are given the opportunity to create all kinds of individual exercise programs for themselves. Many models of muscle stimulators have a timer that allows you to set the desired training time.

Side effects

Myostimulation cannot be called a gentle and 100% safe procedure. It has a fairly powerful systemic effect on the entire body and individual organs. Especially those located near the treated area. Therefore, if contraindications are not followed or settings are set incorrectly, there may be health risks:

• exacerbation of existing pathologies;
• malfunction of some organs;
• discomfort;
• allergic reactions to conductive gel or electrode material.

Experts warn that setting too much current can lead to cardiac arrest and be fatal. With frequent and prolonged exposure to the same point, a skin burn may occur.

During the procedure, many experience unpleasant sensations: tingling, itching, excessive heat, dizziness, headache. After myostimulation, you feel weak and lethargic. There are complaints that the next day rashes form on the skin, it “burns” and itches, even in the absence of a tendency to allergies.

When exposed to the abdomen, side effects may occur: epigastric discomfort and heartburn.

Patients' opinions

According to many patients, myostimulation works the muscles of the body well. Regularity is what is important when using it. Myostulation has gained the trust of many patients. It is characterized as an effective and efficient method.

Many men and women have achieved the desired results in improving their shape and internal health. Many positive reviews can also be found about home devices - myostimulators, which are effective when there is not enough time to bring your figure and body weight back to normal.

Article design: Olga Pankevich

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• there is no need for grueling workouts to lose weight (as the manufacturers of myostimulants claim);
• individual approach: choice of current strength and frequency of procedures depending on the initial indicators (weight, age, presence of problem areas);
• working out muscles even in the most inaccessible places;
• multifunctionality of the procedure;
• general health effect;
• selective impact on a specific area of ​​the body;
• relaxing effect: improves mood, relieves stress, improves well-being.

Flaws:

• myostimulation cannot be a complete replacement for physical activity;
• weight loss results are quite modest;
• short-term effect;
• the high cost of a full course of losing weight even in one area, not to mention correction of the entire body;
• presence of contraindications and side effects;
• in the absence of experience and medical education, the one who performs it may have a negative effect on the body.

Before performing myostimulation, the specialist must inform the patient about all possible risks.

Efficiency

Myostimulation has the following effects:

• strengthens all muscles of the body;
• improves blood circulation;
• waste and toxins are removed;
• fat deposits are broken down;
• provides lymphatic drainage;
• stimulates the outflow of venous blood (venous drainage);
• increases skin elasticity;
• increases the elasticity of the skin;
• eliminates inflammation of subcutaneous tissue (cellulite);
• relieves pain and relaxes muscles.

In cosmetology, myostimulation is combined with the application of masks to problem areas of the body, scrubs and oils.

Devices

Salon

Professional myostimulators are used in salons:

• Vipline (Italy);
• Galatea (Russia);
• Radium (China);
• ESMA (Russia);
• Maya Beauty Engineering (Italy) and others.

Professional myostimulators
The cost of the salon procedure depends on what device is used. You can calculate it yourself: on average, one weight loss course (meaning for one area of ​​the body) involves 10 procedures. If you have your waist corrected using Italian Vipline equipment ($40 for 1 treated area), you will have to pay about $400 for the entire course. And if at the same time you still need to remove cellulite on the hips and buttocks, it is not difficult to conclude that the process will be very expensive.

If a domestic or Chinese-made device is used, 1 session will cost $25-30.

Homemade

To perform myostimulation at home, you can purchase portable devices:

• classic device with suction cup electrodes (ESMA 12.08 Assol, Beurer EM 41);
• a myostimulator belt, on the inner surface of which there are electrical sensors - most often used for losing weight in the abdomen (Sanitas SEM30, AbTronic X2, Ab Gymnic);
• corset-myostimulator;
• shorts (often with a sauna effect) to work on several problem areas at once - the abdomen, buttocks and thighs (Slendertone Bottom, Sauna pants);
• Butterflies are compact mini-myostimulators with an additional massage function, 3-4 pieces are put on at once under clothing on different parts of the body (Butterfly Massager).

Portable home myostimulators
The cost of compact myostimulators for home use ranges from $10 (for a mini butterfly) to $450 (for a fairly powerful ESMA device).

To clearly see the difference between home and professional myostimulators, just look at their technical characteristics.

How effective is it?

How tangible results do muscle stimulants for weight loss really produce? Feedback from women in this regard deserves special attention, because their so-called problem areas - the muscles of the thighs, buttocks and abdomen - require especially effective training. In view of this, it is noteworthy that most women consider exercise belts to be a real godsend for themselves. However, manufacturers often emphasize that the effectiveness of muscle stimulators increases significantly if their use is combined with traditional sports activities.

Stages of implementation

Salon procedure

Preparatory stage

1. Choosing a salon or clinic, as well as a specialist. Studying ratings and reviews. Familiarization with certificates.
2. Preliminary interview. The patient expresses his wishes and expectations.
3. A general medical examination is carried out to determine the presence of contraindications.
4. The specialist examines the patient's medical history card.

If there are no contraindications for the procedure, the following points are discussed:

• what part of the body needs to be lost;
• sensitivity threshold so that the current supply mode is selected correctly;
• number of sessions required;
• price;
• frequency and timing;
• sensations during the procedure, possible side effects and risks.

You should immediately tune in to the fact that losing weight in one part of the body using myostimulation requires about 10 sessions. They are carried out after 1-2 days, since the muscles need to be given rest to recover, like after training. After all these nuances are clarified, the time for the first session is set.

Before you go for the procedure, you must:

• ensure that there is no hair on the treated area - perform depilation;
• ensure that it is clean so that there is no dirt, sweat or cosmetics on it - take a shower or bath, after which you wipe dry;
• wear clean, light clothes made from natural fabrics (so that the skin can breathe while you are walking/driving to the procedure).

If this is abdominal myostimulation, it is advisable not to eat anything 1.5 hours before the procedure. If the buttocks and thighs - first empty the intestines and bladder.

Procedure protocol

1. The patient lies down on the couch.
2. The boundaries of the treated area are clarified once again.
3. It is lubricated with electrically conductive gel.
4. Electrodes are attached. A professional does this in such a way that alternate muscle contractions occur.
5. The sensors are fixed to the body with elastic straps.
6. The device turns on. The mode is adjusted so that the force of the impulse is sufficiently intense, but does not cause pain.
7. On average, the procedure lasts up to 10 to 30 minutes. This depends on the patient’s weight, age, area of ​​the treated area and other individual characteristics.
8. The device is turned off, the electrodes are detached, and the gel is washed off.
9. A soothing cream is applied to the skin.

When you get home, you can take a shower.

You should know that with each subsequent session the specialist will increase the current strength. This is the only way to achieve maximum muscle development.

Home procedure

If you decide to carry out myostimulation at home, you need to be aware of the following points. Firstly, you will have to take responsibility for the results (meaning side effects). Electric current, even weak, is always fraught with unpredictability and danger. You should be extremely careful with him. Secondly, the weight loss effect and benefits in general will be much less pronounced than after a salon procedure performed by a professional. Therefore, you should think carefully before deciding to take such a step.

To reduce risks, it is advisable to consult a doctor before undergoing the procedure.

Stages of home myostimulation:

1. Select and purchase a myostimulator.
2. Read the instructions.
3. According to it, set the necessary settings.
4. Apply electrically conductive gel to the desired area of ​​the body.
5. Attach the electrodes.
6. Myostimulation of one zone can last from 5 to 25 minutes.
7. It is allowed to treat only 2 zones per day.
8. During the procedure, you are allowed to lie down, read, and watch TV.
9. A slight tingling sensation is normal and should not be alarmed.
10. Remove the electrodes and remove the gel with a napkin.

Many people are interested in how often they can do myostimulation at home. Portable devices are not very powerful. Therefore, with normal tolerance, the procedure can be performed at least every day. At the same time, you should not get carried away, since the negative effects of electric current on the body have not yet been fully elucidated. But it definitely exists.

If side effects occur or your health worsens, you should stop using the device and be sure to consult a doctor.

Average prices in showrooms

The price of a package of ten procedures ranges from 5 to 30 thousand rubles . Elite metropolitan cosmetology centers offer more “daring” prices - about 4.5-5 thousand rubles per procedure.

The average price of a course of ten sessions of body myostimulation is 7-12 thousand rubles.

In any city you can find a clinic where one procedure will cost less than 1000 rubles, but whether it’s worth saving is a big question. If a decrease in price means a decrease in quality, it is better to abandon the procedure altogether.

What is local cryotherapy? This is the effect of cold on certain parts of the body, which you can learn about from our article. Here is a video of the RF facial lifting procedure. During the session, high-frequency current stimulates collagen production in the deep layers of the skin.

The plasmolifting procedure is the intramuscular injection of a person’s own blood plasma. The method is used in medicine. Find out more about this.

Additional recommendations

Losing weight with the help of myostimulation can be completely ineffective if you do not simultaneously limit the number of calories consumed. And playing sports (at least light jogging in the morning and walking in the evening) will reduce the risk of disappointment with the procedure. After all, as we found out, it is not a complete replacement for training.

If the question arises about what is better for losing weight: myostimulation or pressotherapy, it is decided on an individual basis. As experts note, these are two completely different procedures that cannot be considered identical.

The choice must be made taking into account the goal being pursued. If you need to reduce the volume of your body as a whole, pressotherapy is better. If you want to make your figure more prominent, use myostimulation. To achieve maximum results and radically transform the body, it is not forbidden to use both procedures at the same time - they complement each other perfectly.

Issues regarding other similar procedures (lymphatic drainage massage, cavitation, cryotherapy) are resolved in the same way.

Judging by the reviews, body myostimulation is more of a tonic and relaxing procedure. In terms of pumping muscles and losing weight, only a few are satisfied with it. Therefore, initially consider whether you are ready to spend such a considerable amount of money and then be disappointed with the result.

What does it combine with?

Myostimulation of the skin and facial muscles can be combined with other anti-aging techniques:

• biorevitalization;
• mesotherapy;
• non-injection mesotherapy;
• bioreparation;
• Botox injections...

From cosmetic procedures:

• lymphatic drainage;
• massage;
• wrap;

• ultrasonic cavitation;
• RF body lifting;
• ultraphonophoresis