Your Top Kybella Questions Answered

A double-chin can be a source of worry for those that may feel like they’re not looking their best. Whether it’s due to genetics, age or weight, excess fat under the chin can start to affect how you feel about how you look. But with Kybella, a new wonder-treatment for submental fullness, you can destroy the fat cells in that hard to manage area under the chin, producing gradual results that look as natural as they are flattering.

Kybella is a treatment featuring a series of injections that address that difficult area under the chin to help you achieve a stunning profile. As the only FDA-approved injectable for under the chin, Kybella can help reduce moderate to full submental fullness, giving you a more youthful appearance when diet and exercise simply aren’t enough.

What Is Submental Fullness?

Submental fullness is a gathering of excess fat under the chin. Often called a double chin, it can be caused by genetics, weight gain or age, and it’s often the case that many patients have dealt with it for decades or their entire lives. In fact, you don’t have to be overweight at all to have extra fullness under the chin — many sufferers have been unable to reduce their submental fullness regardless of their behavior.

What Is Kybella?

Kybella is an injectable treatment and prescription medicine that is FDA-approved to reduce fat under the chin and give a more pleasing profile. If you’re unhappy about submental fullness, Kybella treatments give you the ability to rejuvenate your look without surgery. Intended for patients where diet and exercise aren’t enough, Kybella targets the tricky area under the chin with customized treatments for each individual need. Each Kybella treatment occurs about a month apart with up to six treatments in total. While most patients receive all six treatments, many patients may be able to get their desired look with fewer Kybella treatments.

How Does Kybella Work?

Kybella results are possible due to the active ingredient contained within, a synthetic deoxycholic acid. It’s a naturally occurring molecule that aids the body in breaking down and absorbing fat, and when injected into the skin Kybella destroys the fat cells and prevents them from being able to store fat. In that sense, a Kybella before and after can give a dramatic change in the fullness under the chin, improving your profile and making you look younger and more rejuvenated. The best part is that after the fat cells are destroyed by Kybella, the cells are no longer able to store fat, so additional Kybella treatments are not needed to maintain your look.

How Many Kybella Treatments Are Needed?

Each Kybella treatment plan is tailored to the unique needs of the patient. It starts with one treatment under the chin, with an additional five more treatments spaced a month apart for a maximum of six Kybella treatments. Many patients are able to achieve the results they desire in as little as two to four treatments, though a majority of patients often elect to go for the full six treatments.

About an eight percent improvement can be seen after one treatment — 28 percent for two treatments, 43 percent for three treatments, 55 percent for four treatments, 66 percent for five treatments and 72 percent for all six treatments.

Are There Any Kybella Side Effects?

While Kybella side effects are rare, bruising, hair loss, ulcers and tissue damage around the injection site are possible. Some patients may have trouble swallowing or may suffer nerve damage, producing an uneven smile or other facial muscle weakness. In studies, injuries to the jaw tended to resolve themselves after about a month and a half, while trouble swallowing tended to disappear after about three days.

More common Kybella side effects include swelling, bruising, pain, numbness, redness and hardness around the treatment area.

How Long Does a Kybella Treatment Last?

Because Kybella targets the cells that store fat and destroys them at the source, Kybella treatments are permanent. Anywhere from one to six injections are needed to achieve the desired effect, but once the injections are completed the treatments don’t fade or wane over time like other common cosmetic treatments. Note that treatments must be spaced about a month apart with a maximum treatment plan of six injections.

What Does a Kybella Treatment Cost?

Kybella treatment costs vary based on the number of injections you need and who is administering the injections. That said, price isn’t the only consideration. Those with experience administering Kybella treatments are likely to help you achieve a better look than those using the product for the first time, and you may actually end up saving money with less treatments via a more experienced professional. When in doubt, discuss your needs and concerns with your treatment provider to get a greater sense of the overall cost.

How Many People Have Been Treated With Kybella?

To date, thousands of people have been treated with Kybella in more than 20 clinical studies. Kybella is safe and effective at reducing excess fat under the chin, and many specialists and aesthetic treatment providers have started to offer Kybella to all of their patients. Furthermore, Kybella patients often report feeling less embarrassed and self-conscious about their double chins after receiving Kybella treatments. Indeed, almost 80 percent of all patients reported an improved appearance after receiving Kybella treatments.

Is Kybella Right for Me?

Kybella treatments are right for anyone that want to minimize the appearance of excess fat under the chin. However, only your doctor and you can make the determination of whether Kybella is right for you. But if fullness under your chin continues to bother you and diet and exercise can’t give you the change that you desire, Kybella treatments are a great way to avoid surgery and get the look that you’ve always wanted.

Keep in mind that Kybella is not intended for use in children under the age of 18 or for the treatment of fat outside the submental area under the chin.

Is There a Kybella Treatment Near Me?

Since Kybella is an FDA-approved treatment for reducing fat in the submental area, there are countless opportunities to achieve the aesthetic look that you desire. Here at Quinn Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Center in Leawood, Kansas, we serve the areas of Kansas City and Overland Park with minimally invasive Kybella treatments that can get rid of your double chin in just a few monthly visits. The best part is that the reduction looks natural, so you can continue to go about your day without a prolonged recovery period such as with surgery. Contact us today to get started!