CoolTone Review

Watch a movie, flip through a magazine, or scroll social media, and CoolTone has probably crossed your feed. Celebrities and actors commonly use this treatment to achieve defined muscles, toned abs, and sleeker silhouettes. Modern noninvasive body contouring keeps growing, with new devices launching every year.

CoolTone is Allergan’s latest FDA-cleared entry, cleared specifically for abs, thighs, and buttocks. Despite the name, it doesn’t involve any freezing — unlike its sister product CoolSculpting, which freezes and destroys fat cells.

What Is CoolTone?

CoolTone uses magnetic muscle stimulation (MMS) to genuinely improve muscle tone, definition, and strength without surgery. The device sends electromagnetic currents into targeted muscles, triggering involuntary contractions that strengthen muscle over time — resulting in more toned-looking thighs, abs, and buttocks.

Here’s what research shows on this body-sculpting approach:

• Dermatologic Surgery: EMMS (used by CoolTone) genuinely performs best paired with CoolSculpting, trailing behind that combo and CoolSculpting alone when used solo.
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: “early clinical experience indicates that MMS technology is well-tolerated and associated with high levels of patient satisfaction” for abdomen and buttock contouring.
• Lasers in Surgery and Medicine: MMS treatment genuinely showed significant aesthetic improvement through 12 weeks post-treatment, expanding treatment options for muscle toning.

What Is Body Sculpting?

“Body sculpting” broadly covers noninvasive fat- and muscle-targeting procedures. CoolSculpting (cryolipolysis) destroys fat cells via controlled cold exposure that spares surrounding skin, nerves, and tissue — a non-surgical liposuction alternative targeting diet/exercise-resistant fat, per Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. It uses a vacuum-like cold applicator, with intensity and duration varying by treatment area, followed by tissue massage — the body then gradually absorbs the dead fat cells over several weeks.

Per the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, these energy-based contouring devices genuinely improve aesthetics for many patients but don’t address underlying muscle — a key factor in overall body shape. CoolTone fills that gap, targeting muscle development directly via MMS, unlike fat-cell-killing devices like CoolSculpting and SculpSure, per Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology.

Who Created CoolTone?

CoolTone originated at Zeltiq Aesthetics, later acquired by Allergan. In May 2020, AbbVie — a leading medical company developing prescription medications, medical aesthetics, and more — acquired Allergan. AbbVie’s product portfolio includes CoolSculpting, Botox, Juvederm, and others.

CoolTone Customer Service

Now handled through AbbVie:

• Phone: 1-800-255-5162 or 1-800-222-6885
• Address: AbbVie, 1 N. Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL 60064

AbbVie and the BBB

AbbVie isn’t BBB-accredited, and holds a D- rating with a 1/5-star customer average. Of 15 complaints closed in 36 months, 12 came in the past 12 months, largely due to “failure to respond to 12 complaint(s) filed against business,” per the BBB.

CoolTone’s Claims

Per Allergan, CoolTone “is FDA-cleared for improvement of abdominal tone, strengthening of the abdominal muscles, and development for firmer abdomen,” as well as strengthening, toning, and firming buttocks and thighs.

How Does CoolTone Work?

An applicator delivers electromagnetic energy directly into muscle layers, bypassing skin and fat (poor magnetic conductors), per the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. A 30-minute session can trigger up to 25,000 contractions with hundreds of pulses per second — comparable to thousands of crunches, but without the pain or days of soreness. Intensity adjusts to individual comfort, and there’s no downtime afterward. Additional benefits: minimal gym time required, toned muscles, no workout-related pain, and a complete session in just 30 minutes.

CoolTone and Weight Loss: Any Connection?

CoolTone tightens and tones targeted muscle fibers rather than growing muscle size through the damage-and-rebuild process typical of resistance training, per the Aesthetic Surgery Journal — the same research found nearly 15% abdominal fat reduction after one year of EMMS use. CoolTone’s genuine focus stays on strengthening and toning rather than size, though muscle building generally does boost metabolic rate, potentially supporting faster fat burning during that process.

Possible CoolTone Side Effects

Expected effects of any muscle stimulator include tendon/joint tenderness, minor swelling, and temporary muscle spasms — most people adjust to the sensation after a few sessions.

How Much Does CoolTone Cost?

Pricing varies significantly by provider. One NYC provider charges roughly $850/session ($3,400 for four sessions); another NYC provider offers $600/session with a 20% four-session discount (under $2,000 total). An Illinois provider charges up to $400/session, dropping to $250/session with prepaid packages.

How Many CoolTone Treatments Are Needed?

Most providers start clients with six sessions — typically two weekly over three weeks — though individual response varies and technicians personalize plans accordingly.

Can You Use CoolTone at Home?

Not recommended — the technique requires professional training for safe, effective results, though consumer-grade electronic stimulation devices exist for home use.

CoolTone vs. Emsculpt

Both stimulate muscles at similar cost, but Emsculpt also reduces fat while it focuses solely on toning. Emsculpt is FDA-cleared for arms, calves, abs, buttocks, and thighs; it covers abs, thighs, and buttocks. Emsculpt uniquely triggers supramaximal contractions beyond what’s voluntarily achievable, using focused high-intensity electromagnetic energy. Notably, the two brands have a genuinely contentious legal history (see below).

CoolTone Lawsuits and Legal Action

BTL Aesthetics (Emsculpt’s manufacturer) filed a patent infringement suit against Allergan, alleging it (manufactured by Zimmer for Allergan) infringes on BTL’s US patents, including when used alongside CoolSculpting. A second lawsuit alleges Allergan’s marketing made deceptive comparisons between it and Emsculpt, misrepresenting it’s actual performance.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Sculpts stomach, thighs, and buttocks without surgery
• Fast, easy procedure
• Genuinely strengthens targeted areas for functional and cosmetic improvement
• Performable under thin clothing for added comfort
• May motivate patients toward healthier lifestyle habits

Cons:

• Results depend heavily on existing fitness level
• Not effective for loose or sagging skin
• Results aren’t immediate
• Not FDA-approved for arms or legs

Bottom Line on CoolTone

Fat reduction typically dominates body-contouring conversations, but it can genuinely build muscle definition more effectively than typical gym training alone. A balanced diet and regular exercise remain the ideal complement — it isn’t a full-body transformation tool, but it can genuinely boost confidence and physical definition.

Explore more Ab Toner reviews and guides on our site.