If you have a small pouch of fat under your chin that is making you look old, you can now eliminate it without surgery. Thanks to Kybella, zapping away your double chin just got easier. Kybella is a cosmetic injectable that was recently approved by the FDA for the reduction of moderate to severe fat under the chin. Kybella or deoxycholic acid, is the first non-invasive drug to be approved for this purpose.
How Kybella Works
Kybella dissolves the membrane of the fat cells and this releases the fatty deposits, which are later metabolized by the body. Once removed, the fat cells are permanently gone. Depending on the amount of fat under the chin, one treatment may consist of as much as 50 injections, and a series of 6 treatments may be required .
How Safe is Kybella?
Kybella has been deemed safe by the FDA for reducing subcutaneous fat in the submental region. Studies have not yet been carried out to establish whether or not Kybella can be used to safely and effectively to reduce fat elsewhere, therefore it is not recommended for fat occurring outside the under chin area (learn more).
Most importantly, Kybella should only be administered by a medical professional that has been trained to use it. This is very critical, because Kybella does have some serious side effects when it is not injected at the precise location. Nerve injury can occur if it is injected too near to specific facial nerves, as it can result in an uneven smile or facial muscle weakness. Some patients in the clinical trials also had difficulty swallowing.
Swelling, bruising, and redness, are also common side-effects.