As people age, excess fat often develops under the chin creating what is called a double chin or a turkey neck. Kybella is a non-surgical intervention used to address this fat beneath the chin. Kybella is injected into the skin beneath the chin where it destroys fat cells, noticeably reducing the fullness under the chin. Kybella is not a temporary fix—once these cells are destroyed by Kybella they can no longer store or build up fat. Once a patient reaches their goal with Kybella, they will not need further treatments.
Kybella is used primarily to treat the presence of unwanted fat at the neck underneath the chin. Injections of Kybella happen over multiple sessions until a patient reaches their aesthetic goal. Kybella is a permanent solution to double chin fat as it eliminates the possibility of the cells under the skin creating fat again. If you have questions about what Kybella can do for you, speak with your dermatologist to explore your options.
Kybella (deoxycholic acid) is a prescription medicine used in adults to improve the appearance and profile of moderate to severe fat below the chin (submental fat), also called “double chin.”
On the day of your treatment the area will be cleaned and a pattern of injection dots will be applied under the chin. The area will be iced before and after treatment to aid in your comfort. A series of specifically placed tiny injections are injected to the submental fat with a fine sterile needle. Half way through the treatment there is usually a burning discomfort, rated 6-8 on a scale of 1-10. This pain starts to improve and diminish within hours after treatment.
Aspirin and ibuprofen should be avoided 10-14 days prior to treatments to minimize risk of bruising. If you have been told to take aspirin daily by your doctor, please let us know before stopping it. Other medications to avoid include Excedrin™, Motrin™, Naprosyn™, Aleve™, Gingko, garlic supplements, St. John’s wort, fish oil, and vitamin E (found in almonds and almond milk). Alcohol consumption can increase the risk of bruising and should be avoided two days prior to treatment to minimize risk of bruising. If you have a history of cold sores, be sure to notify your doctor prior to your appointment and he or she will prescribe a medication to take the night before that will reduce the likelihood of a breakout.
* Treatment cannot be performed on skin that is inflamed or irritated at the time of treatment. Please call the office at (773) 276-1100 prior to your appointment if you have any type of skin irritation present on the day of treatment.
Patients should expect redness, bruising and soreness at injection sites. After treatment, a pressure ice bandage will be applied. Immediate and severe swelling post treatment will last for one week with residual swelling for up to a full eight weeks.
Patients require two to five treatments to see desired results depending on the severity of their submental fat. These treatments are spaced six to eight weeks apart. The number of treatments will be estimated at your consultation appointment.
True results can be appreciated after 8 weeks once the potential swelling has resolved. We will take photos at your follow up visit to assess results. There is no guarantee of results and 30% of patients in the clinical trials were found to be non-responders.
Treatment should not be performed on patients who are pregnant, nursing or on skin that is infected, inflamed or irritated at the time of treatment.
We recommend consulting a specialist to help determine if Kybella is the best treatment option for you.
