Body sculpting has become a popular treatment category for removing unwanted body fat, and it’s a versatile one, too. From CoolSculpting to EmSculpt, a whole range of innovative ways to melt fat and improve tone are available today, all of which have their own sets of pros, cons, and ideal uses. One of the latest (and arguably one of the highest-tech) to hit the market is the Eon Laser.

So what makes the Eon Laser stand out from other sculpting options? For many, it’s the design: a robotic arm with a laser affixed to its end. The completely touch-free device scans and maps the topography of your body using smart sensors, then works in quadrants, alternating between hot and cool temperatures to target and eliminate stubborn fat cells below your skin’s surface.

Beyond the Eon Laser’s innovative laser treatment allure, this method has the potential to offer some impressive results to its target candidates. To give us the lowdown on the treatment, we spoke to Jennifer Walden, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of Skintology Medspa. Keep reading to find out how the treatment works and whether or not it’s right for you. 

• Jennifer Walden, MD, FACS is a board-certified plastic surgeon who works in both Texas and New York City. She is the founder of Skintology Medspa in Manhattan, where she practices her specialized expertise in aesthetic surgery using the latest techniques and treatments.

What Is the Eon Laser?

The Eon Laser is a body contouring device that emits a high wavelength of heat designed to eliminate fat cells in the subcutaneous adipose layer of tissue—more simply put, the layers of fat under the skin. “The laser’s mechanism of action involves raising the temperature of defined sections of the adipose tissue layer up to 49°C/120.2° F and maintaining the tissue temperature in the 42–49°C/107.6-120.2°F range for the duration of the 20-minute treatment period without causing thermal injury to the skin or deep muscle layers,” Walden explains.

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The treatment is completely touch-free, and once the device scans the topography of your body (similar to the aerial view of Google maps), the robotic arm makes precise movements section by section to treat the target areas. At the same time as emitting heat, the device also works to cool the skin’s surface, simultaneously reducing the sensation while preventing injury to the treated area. The high temperature emitted by the Eon Laser causes fat cells to reach apoptosis—cellular death—over the following six to twelve weeks.

Benefits of an Eon Laser Treatment

The main benefit of an Eon Laser treatment is the reduction of fat cells quickly, without having a device make contact with your skin. “Each segment requires about 20 minutes to treat, and it’s safe to use on all skin types,” Walden says, noting that the laser plays well with an active lifestyle and healthy dietary choices. “The best candidate for the treatment is a patient who is either at their ideal body weight or mildly overweight with localized pockets of fat that are recalcitrant to exercise and diet, but patients with higher BMIs can be treated as long as realistic goals are set.”

According to a study by Eon, patients experienced a 21.6% reduction in fat after a single 60-minute session, with the best results seen after 12 weeks. However, it’s worth noting that the company did not meet the deadline for government data submission and some results information is still missing, so this claim isn’t verified and anyone interested in the treatment should get their provider’s opinion on whether it can help them meet their goals.

How to Prepare for an Eon Laser Treatment

Make sure to stop any medication that could increase sun sensitivity in the weeks leading up to your appointment, and prevent the treatment areas from any sun exposure. Additionally, you’ll want to avoid consuming any alcohol in the 48 hours before your Eon Laser treatment.

What to Expect During the Eon Laser Treatment

Before the Eon Laser starts working its fat-melting powers, the device will map out the area of your body being treated, charting the topography and dividing the section into segments. Then, the laser will start working segment by segment, delivering heat to the area in question. “You’ll experience gradual warming and cooling sensations as the heat moderately increases over the course of the treatment,” Walden says. “Of course, the energy and quick cooling function can be adjusted during the treatment to ensure the patient stays comfortable.” If you’re familiar with getting laser for your complexion or are versed with laser hair removal treatments, the warming sensation you experienced during those treatments may be pretty comparable, give or take a little intensity. Each segment takes about 20 minutes to treat, with a full treatment usually lasting about an hour.

Aftercare

Walden notes that the aftercare for an Eon treatment is pretty minimal. “We advise our patients to drink plenty of water, and to massage the treated area in the days following the treatment,” she says.

The Eon Laser vs. EmSculpt Neo vs. Coolsculpting

While each of these body contouring treatments has the same goal of eliminating fat cells, the main difference with the Eon Laser is that no direct contact with your skin is required to achieve the results. “Eon offers touchless laser treatments with its robotic arm with body mapping of the topography to be treated by the device, and there are no applicators or paddles attached to the skin,” Walden explains. “Additionally, the energy used is different from Coolsculpting and EmSculpt Neo.” Coolsculpting uses cryolipolysis as a modality, meaning the fat is frozen, and EmSculpt Neo uses a combination of radio frequency to melt fat with high-intensity electromagnetic muscle stimulation to activate and tone muscles.

Potential Side Effects

According to Walden, you can expect the treated area to be a little tender and sensitive in the following week. The limited population for the studies available also had about a 20% incidence of nodules, and insufficient information is available as to why they happen and how quickly they disappear. You should discuss side effects with your provider, as they may have more insights and be able to advise you further.

The Cost

At Walden’s Skintology MedSpa practice, a single Eon Laser session starts roughly around $1400, depending on the amount of segments in the treated area. While each treatment is tailored to fit the needs of the unique patient, anywhere between one to three treatments in total may be required in order to achieve the desired result.

The Final Takeaway

If you have stubborn areas of body fat that seem to hang on no matter the dietary changes or high-intensity workouts you enlist and want a more sculpted physique quickly, you’re likely a good candidate for the Eon Laser. As someone who has tried both Coolsculpting and EmSculpt Neo, I find the touchless modality of the Eon Laser to be particularly interesting, especially if you aren’t comfortable with the applicator making direct contact with your skin. Keep in mind that if you need a second or third treatment, you’ll have to schedule it roughly six weeks after your initial appointment, but if you have the time, patience, and interest in the technology, then this treatment would definitely be your speed.

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