VOLUME AND LIFT with EMFACE
Sydney’s International Convention Centre (ICC) welcomed thousands of aesthetic professionals this weekend for the Non-Surgical Symposium (NSS), one of the largest gatherings of cosmetic medicine, dermal therapy and aesthetic technology professionals in Australia.
By Jarred Stedman, General Manager / MochaGroup
Among the technologies discussed on the exhibition floor was EMFACE, a facial treatment platform that combines muscle stimulation and radiofrequency technology, reflecting a broader industry trend towards multi-layered approaches to facial rejuvenation.
During NSS, Mocha Group spoke with Christian Compain founder and co-director for The Derm Lab about the latest developments in the technology and the growing interest in treatments that address both skin quality and facial muscle support.
A Shift in How Facial Ageing Is Viewed
For many years, conversations around facial ageing have centred on the skin itself—addressing concerns such as pigmentation, texture, elasticity and collagen loss.
More recently, however, practitioners have increasingly explored the role that deeper anatomical structures play in the ageing process. Changes in facial fat compartments, connective tissue and muscle function are now regularly discussed as contributing factors to visible ageing.
Compain explained that technologies such as EMFACE are part of this evolving understanding.
The treatment combines radiofrequency energy, which is commonly used to stimulate collagen and elastin production within the skin, with high-intensity electrical muscle stimulation designed to activate specific facial muscles.
The concept is based on addressing multiple tissue layers simultaneously rather than focusing solely on the skin surface.
The Growing Interest in Muscle Tone
One aspect of the discussion that attracted particular interest was the role of facial muscles.
While muscle stimulation has long been used in physiotherapy and body contouring applications, its use in facial aesthetics remains a relatively new area of focus.
“Muscle tone is becoming a much larger part of the conversation,” Compain explained during the interview.
Facial muscles play an important role in supporting facial structures and creating expression. As with other tissues throughout the body, changes occur naturally over time, leading researchers and technology developers to investigate whether muscle-targeted treatments may contribute to broader rejuvenation outcomes.
This area continues to generate discussion among practitioners as new technologies emerge and clinical evidence develops.
Expanding Treatment Areas
A key feature highlighted during the conversation with Jarred Stedman, General Manager of Mocha Group and Brody Cook, National Sales Manager for BTL was the introduction of additional applicators designed to treat different facial regions.
The technology uses adhesive applicators positioned across targeted areas of the face, allowing practitioners to address concerns in multiple treatment zones.
These areas can include:
- The forehead
- The cheeks and mid-face
- The eye area
- The submental region beneath the chin
The expansion of treatment options reflects an ongoing trend within aesthetic medicine towards greater customisation, allowing clinicians to tailor treatment plans based on individual patient needs and concerns.
The eye area in particular remains a significant focus for both practitioners and patients, given the complexity of ageing changes that occur around the eyes and the limited number of non-surgical treatment options available for this region.
Responding to Patient Preferences
Another topic discussed during the interview was changing patient expectations.
Across Australia and New Zealand, many clinics report increasing demand for treatments that involve minimal downtime and allow patients to return to daily activities immediately following a procedure.
This trend has contributed to the growth of non-surgical treatment categories over the past decade, including energy-based devices, skin rejuvenation technologies and collagen stimulation treatments.
Compain noted that the appeal of treatments such as EMFACE lies partly in their non-invasive nature.
The treatment does not involve surgery, injectable products or extended recovery periods, which may make it suitable for patients seeking alternatives to more invasive procedures.
However, as with any aesthetic treatment, patient suitability, treatment goals and practitioner assessment remain important considerations.
The Rise of Combination Approaches
Perhaps the most significant takeaway from the discussion was not a single technology, but the broader movement occurring throughout the aesthetics industry.
Increasingly, practitioners are moving away from viewing facial ageing as a concern that can be addressed through one treatment modality alone.
Instead, many clinics are adopting combination approaches that consider multiple layers of the face, including skin, muscle, connective tissue and volume changes.
This philosophy is evident across many of the educational sessions presented at NSS, where speakers emphasised comprehensive treatment planning and patient-specific outcomes.
Technologies that combine multiple treatment mechanisms into a single procedure represent one example of how manufacturers are responding to this shift.
Events such as NSS continue to play an important role in helping practitioners evaluate emerging technologies and understand where they may fit within modern treatment frameworks.
For dermal therapists, clinicians and aesthetic nurses, the value often lies less in the technology itself and more in understanding the science, evidence and clinical applications behind it.
As the aesthetics industry continues to evolve, education remains essential in helping professionals navigate an increasingly complex treatment landscape.
The conversation between Mocha Group and Christian Compain highlighted one of the key themes emerging from this year’s symposium: a growing interest in treatments that address facial ageing through multiple pathways rather than focusing on a single tissue layer.
Whether through muscle stimulation, collagen induction, regenerative therapies or combination treatment plans, the industry appears to be moving towards a more holistic understanding of facial rejuvenation.
For practitioners attending NSS Sydney, that broader conversation may ultimately prove more significant than any individual device launch.
As research continues and technologies develop, the focus remains on understanding how different treatment modalities can contribute to patient outcomes—and how clinicians can best apply those tools within evidence-based practice.
