Outcomes & Audience
EMFACE for the Brow and Upper Face
A heavy or tired-looking upper face is a common concern, and EMFACE’s effect on the brow is one of its most-discussed features. It stimulates the frontalis — the muscle that lifts the brow — and studies measured improved tone there. That can support a subtly more lifted look, but it is not a surgical brow lift.
Can EMFACE lift the brow?
EMFACE stimulates the frontalis, the muscle that raises the brow, using HIFES — and pairs it with skin-directed radiofrequency. By toning that muscle, it can support a subtly more lifted, open upper face. It is a gradual, non-surgical effect, not the dramatic change of a surgical brow lift.
The frontalis is one of the two muscles studied most in EMFACE research, so there is objective measurement behind the upper-face claim — more on that below. Still, "lifted look" means a refined, natural change, not a surgically raised brow.
What does the evidence show for the brow?
In a 2025 ultrasound pilot study, researchers measured improved muscle "echo intensity" in the frontalis at three months — an objective sign of better muscle tone in the brow-lifting muscle. The study was small (about 10 people) and manufacturer-sponsored, so it is early but relevant evidence.
We share that context deliberately: there is real measurement behind the upper-face effect, and it is early-stage. Both things are true, and you deserve to know both.
What EMFACE will not do for the brow
EMFACE will not correct significant hooding or heavy upper-eyelid skin, which are structural and often addressed surgically (a brow lift or eyelid surgery). If your concern is advanced, a non-invasive treatment is likely to disappoint — an honest assessment will point you in the right direction.
Some providers combine EMFACE with other treatments for the upper face. Whether that is appropriate for you is individual and something to discuss rather than assume.
Is the eye area treated separately?
BTL also makes an eye-area applicator ("EMFACE Eyes") that extends the approach around the eyes. As with any delicate area, candidacy and realistic expectations are best set in person — see what areas EMFACE treats.
A "non-surgical brow lift" is a marketing phrase. EMFACE can tone the brow-lifting muscle for a subtle effect; it does not replace a surgical brow lift for significant hooding. We will tell you which your goals call for.
Frequently asked questions
- EMFACE can support a subtle, natural lift by toning the frontalis muscle, with change building over about three months. It will not produce the dramatic elevation of a surgical brow lift, and results are individual. A consultation sets a realistic expectation.
- A small 2025 ultrasound study measured improved tone in the frontalis (the brow-lifting muscle) at three months. It is early, manufacturer-sponsored evidence with a small sample, but it does provide objective measurement of an effect on that muscle.
- Significant hooding or heavy upper-eyelid skin is structural and usually addressed surgically. EMFACE can subtly tone the brow area but will not correct advanced hooding. If that is your main concern, a surgical option may suit you better.
- They differ. A Botox "brow lift" relaxes specific muscles that pull the brow down. EMFACE tones the frontalis that lifts the brow. They are different mechanisms and are sometimes used together — a provider can advise on what fits your goals.
Sources
- Halaas Y. Synchronized RF + HIFES improves facial-muscle tone: ultrasound pilot. Aesthet Surg J Open Forum, 2025 (n=10)
- BTL Aesthetics — EMFACE (official)
- Robb CW, et al. Synchronized RF and HIFES for wrinkle reduction: multicenter 3D evaluation. J Cosmet Dermatol, 2025 (n=33)
This article is for general education and is not medical advice. EMFACE outcomes are individual and vary; a consultation is the only way to know what is right for you. Reviewed by Dr. Kathryn Sudikoff, DMD.
Keep reading
- EMFACE: the complete guideOur pillar overview of how EMFACE works.
- What Areas Does EMFACE Treat? Brow, Cheeks, and JawlineA map of the forehead, midface, jawline, and under-chin — and what each addresses.
- Does EMFACE Really Work? What the Evidence ShowsThe real peer-reviewed numbers — and the honest caveats that come with them.
- EMFACE for Jowls and a Softening JawlineWhat EMFACE realistically does for the jawline and under-chin — and where it stops.