Short and mild, in the published studies and in our clinic. The skin is pink under the applicators for ten to twenty minutes, the face feels as if it has exercised for a few hours, and occasionally there is a mild headache on the day of a forehead session. The studies behind the US clearances recorded no adverse events in 42 and 56 patients, and the published pilot of ten recorded none either. The consent forms list rarer risks, temporary crusting, blistering and burns, and we have not seen a serious one at EMface Clinic, 8 Devonshire Place. Tell the clinician if the heat feels too strong at any point; the energy comes down immediately.
The common effects
- Pink skin under the applicators, for ten to twenty minutes after they come off. Make-up and work are fine straight away.
- A worked-out face. EMface contracts the lifting muscles with HIFES, high intensity facial electrical stimulation, in pulses for twenty minutes, and the muscles feel it for a few hours the way legs feel a run. Skip a hard gym session that evening; nothing to avoid the next day.
- A mild headache, occasionally, on the day of a forehead session.
- Muscle soreness or a brief spasm, listed as common on the consent forms, and in our experience brief.
The rarer risks
The consent forms list temporary crusting, blistering and burns as rare risks, and the manufacturer's own page says side effects "may include temporary damage to natural skin (crust, blister, and burn)". They are the reason the clinician starts low and raises the energy only to what you can hold comfortably. No numbing cream is used, so you can feel and report the heat. In the published studies there were none: no adverse events in the 42-patient forehead and cheek study or the 56-patient under-chin study behind the US clearances. The under-chin study also recorded a mean pain score of 0.46 out of 10, and there were none in the ten-patient pilot or a 43-patient retrospective series. These are small, mostly manufacturer-linked studies with three to six months of follow-up, so "no serious events in published studies" is the honest wording, not "no risk". The does it work page goes through the same studies for the result.
Who should not have EMface
Anyone with a pacemaker, defibrillator or any implanted electronic device, or with metal implants or plates in the face or jaw, or non-dissolving metal threads. Pregnancy, or trying to conceive; epilepsy, or a history of seizures; an active skin infection, open wound or severe acne in the treatment area. Facial surgery or threads in the last three months; a cancer diagnosis under active treatment. A dental implant is usually metal, so bring the details to your free consultation. Leave two weeks after an injectable treatment in the area and four after dermal filler before the first session. Skin types I to IV were studied; darker skin is assessed at the consultation and the energy started low.
What the session feels like
A strong facial massage with warmth under the pads, in pulses, and many people find it relaxing enough to doze. The clinician sets the energy to a level you can hold comfortably. Four sessions about a week apart make the course, and the sessions page explains why four; the how long it lasts page covers the result. EMface is FDA-cleared in the US.
Book a free consultation
Book a free consultation at EMface Clinic on 0207 043 8102 or through the form below. The clinician goes through the list above with your history, says whether EMface is right for you, and confirms the course price in writing, with 0% finance available over the course. Our patients review the clinic on review.clinic, where it scores 4.9 out of 5 from 143 reviews in November 2026.
