EMFACE and EXION are both made by BTL, both are needle-free, and both usually go ahead without numbing cream, so people often ask which is which. They do different jobs. EMFACE pairs radiofrequency with muscle stimulation and works on the skin and the forehead and cheek muscles at the same time. EXION Face pairs radiofrequency with ultrasound, focuses on the dermis, and aims to prompt the skin to make more of its own hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin. Put simply, one leans towards support and contour, the other towards hydration and skin quality. Which matches your concern is decided at a physician assessment.
Are EMFACE and EXION the same kind of device?
Only in the sense of coming from the same maker. Both are non-invasive energy treatments, but they work on different layers. EMFACE heats the skin while making facial muscles contract repeatedly. EXION Face does not stimulate muscle; it concentrates radiofrequency and ultrasound in the dermis to target hyaluronic acid and collagen production.
The EXION platform has other applicators as well. This article only covers EXION Face.
How does EMFACE work?
EMFACE applicators sit on the forehead and both cheeks and deliver two energies at once. Radiofrequency heats the dermis to stimulate collagen and elastin. HIFES, high-intensity facial electrical stimulation, causes repeated contractions of the forehead and cheek muscles, a form of training for the muscles that hold the face up. The aim is better skin quality and better muscular support together.
You feel warmth plus rhythmic twitching and tightening of the muscles, which most people tolerate well; intensity can be adjusted. Skin Art MD's EMFACE page lists a typical course of four sessions a week apart, with change developing over roughly three months as collagen builds, and maintenance considered afterwards depending on your skin.
How does EXION Face work?
EXION Face delivers radiofrequency and targeted ultrasound to the reticular dermis. The radiofrequency creates even warmth, while the ultrasound focuses on the fibroblasts that produce hyaluronic acid, and the applicator monitors impedance and temperature to adjust energy automatically. BTL reports a clinical study (Duncan) in which skin measured after four treatments showed +224% hyaluronic acid, +47% collagen and +50% elastin. Those are manufacturer-reported figures, and individual results vary.
The sensation is mild warmth and numbing is not usually needed. Skin Art MD's EXION page lists a typical course of four sessions one to two weeks apart, each about 10 to 30 minutes, with change developing for up to about three months after the last session.
What are the practical differences?
- What is treated. EMFACE works on skin and facial muscle; EXION Face works on skin only, in the dermis.
- Energy combination. EMFACE is radiofrequency plus muscle stimulation; EXION Face is radiofrequency plus ultrasound.
- Typical concerns. EMFACE is usually discussed for forehead lines, brow and cheek support and early laxity; EXION Face for dryness, fine lines, rough texture and dull-looking skin.
- How it feels. EMFACE involves noticeable muscle contractions; EXION Face is mostly gentle warmth.
- Course rhythm. Both are commonly around four sessions; EMFACE is listed at weekly intervals and EXION Face at one to two weeks apart.
Neither is "stronger". If your main concern is looking looser or heavier, the logic sits closer to EMFACE. If it is skin that looks dry, thin, lined and lacking glow, it sits closer to EXION Face. Plenty of people have a bit of both, which is why a physician sometimes plans the two together or in sequence.
How do they compare with filler and wrinkle-relaxing injections?
Hyaluronic acid filler is injected and adds volume immediately. EXION Face injects nothing and encourages the skin to produce its own hyaluronic acid over time. Wrinkle-relaxing injections soften dynamic lines by relaxing muscle; EMFACE does the opposite, working muscle to strengthen support. If you already have filler or injections, tell the clinic where and when so timing can be planned.
Who should not have EMFACE or EXION?
Neither is generally done during pregnancy, with a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device, with metal implants in the treatment area, or over open wounds, infection or active skin disease. A recent energy treatment or injectable in the same area that has not settled needs discussion first.
Because EMFACE stimulates muscle, any history of facial nerve or muscle problems, such as facial palsy, should be raised beforehand. Bleeding disorders and medications that affect healing should also be mentioned at the consultation.
What happens afterwards, and can I go back to work?
Both involve little recovery. After EXION Face, mild pinkness or warmth usually fades within a few hours. After EMFACE, brief redness is possible and some people notice mild muscle achiness. Most people return to work or carry on with their day. Use sunscreen, skip saunas, hot yoga and intense heat for 24 hours, and keep to the course schedule.
Can the two be combined?
It can be discussed, but whether to combine, which comes first and how far apart is the physician's call, based on your skin and goals. The usual starting point is to decide what the main concern is, support and contour or hydration and texture, and then decide whether the other device adds anything. Stacking several energy treatments on the same day on your own is not recommended.
How should I prepare for the consultation?
- Arrive without makeup so texture, lines and facial support are easy to assess.
- List medications, implants (especially pacemakers and metal implants) and aesthetic treatments from the past year.
- Decide whether your main concern is "looser" or "drier, thinner, duller"; it shapes the choice.
- Check your calendar so you can complete a course of around four sessions at the right spacing.
Where is Skin Art MD?
Skin Art MD is in Burnaby's Metrotown neighbourhood at #101 – 4378 Beresford St, near Metrotown SkyTrain Station on the Expo Line. The clinic is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00, and closed on Mondays. Whether EMFACE, EXION Face or a combination suits you is decided at a physician assessment. This article is general information and not individual medical advice.
