I have always had a healthy relationship with food, and have never had to diet to lose weight. However, the hormonal shift of peri menopause has added some unwanted bulk around my mid section, while my once fairly flat tummy is shall we say, a tad curvier. While I lead a pretty active lifestyle, I now adopt a more considered approach to eating, and am constantly scrutinising ingredient labels and dabbling in intermittent fasting.

So when I found out that The Clinic in Holland Park was the first in Europe to offer the new Pure Impact by Sofwave—the same company behind the non surgical skin tightening treatment—I was keen to put the revolutionary body contouring system to the test. With The Clinic's Founder Jenny Doyle a key opinion leader for the brand, I knew I would be in good hands.

Pure Impact is the next generation of advanced energy-based EMS technology, also used in popular aesthetic treatments such as Emsculpt and Emsculpt NEO—it uses electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to firm and tone. Wireless electrodes deliver electrical pulses to cause muscle contractions and stimulate nerve fibres, building muscle and burning fat in minimal time.

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Unlike Emsculpt Neo which only uses one or two paddles, Sofwave Pure Impact uses up to 16 synchronised wireless electrodes which work simultaneously to stimulate muscle groups and areas of the body, delivering more streamlined and targeted muscle strengthening and body toning.

A series of pulses target specific muscle groups; these stimulate muscle contractions, mimicking the effects of an intense workout. Muscles are contracted in synchronisation, to emulate real plyometrics exercises like jump squats—a technique that engages muscles involuntarily, resulting in more efficient and effective workouts.

According to Sofwave, there is nothing else like it on the market; no more tangled wires or uncomfortable belts, just an optimum patient experience, which prioritises comfort and results. Jenny Doyle also recommends Pure Impact alongside Ozempic and other weight loss jabs: "While they do help patients lose weight, along with fat they also lose muscle mass, so this is a great way to help them build and retain muscle while shedding the pounds."

The non surgical body contouring treatment is currently licensed for use on the core/mid section, legs and buttocks. In just four sessions, you can achieve a more honed physique and enhanced muscular definition and strength. Sound good? Read on to find out more about the treatment itself, along with the verdict after the recommended four sessions.

The treatment 

I booked in to The Clinic in leafy Holland Park to undergo four, 30 minute sessions performed once a week over the course of a month.

Following the obligatory ‘before’ pictures taken from all angles, I settled down on the treatment bed before being hooked up to the wireless electrodes: eight on my mid section and stomach, and eight on my quads (the muscles at the front of the thighs) and inner thighs, which instantly felt more bespoke than Emsculpt’s bulky paddles.

The sessions began fairly relaxed on a lowish setting, with my clinician Meena encouraging me at regular intervals to increase the intensity of the pulses. This wasn’t easy and I had to brace myself a couple of times—it wasn’t painful, just a bit uncomfortable in places, as the initial increased contractions felt (to me) a bit like a punch in the stomach. My thighs also felt quite tender as the intensity of the pulses and contractions increased, but then I sometimes experience sensitive legs during a manual massage.

As I progressed through the sessions, it got easier and my stomach was able to tolerate small increments of increased intensity; my thighs found this more of a challenge! The sweet spot is 60%—my fourth and final session ended on 48% (stomach) and 40% (thighs).

The treatment is certainly not unbearable, however everyone is different, although I know that many people find it perfectly comfortable. Meena commented that not being overweight (I have a BMI of 23.3), could be the reason why I was less able to tolerate the higher settings. Because of the radio frequency element, the pads feel a bit hot at times, but you soon forget about that when the EMS kicks in. It definitely made me sweat.

It's not unusual after having a Sofwave Pure Impact treatment to experience muscle soreness, as if you've just done a good gym session. Happily I didn’t have any after effects at all, except for a feeling of increased core strength during my regular Pilates workouts.

The verdict

Less than a month after my final session, I noticed I’d lost a couple of kilos without really trying. Was it perhaps down to Sofwave Pure Impact?

I've also lost more than half an inch off my waist, and my mid section is definitely more toned; my stomach is also noticeably flatter. Not sure I can see much difference to my thighs, however my trousers do feel a bit looser.

Overall, I am very impressed with the results, especially after just four sessions. Now considering making this a regular summer treatment—The Clinic recommends a single maintenance session every 2-3 months to maintain results, alongside sticking to a healthy diet and exercise routine.