As we age, the effects of lower production of collagen in the skin, weakening muscles, and simply a lifetime of gravity’s pull can cause changes to the face that make us look older and even larger than we actually are. If you’ve developed a double chin that you simply can’t seem to get rid of, despite diet and exercise efforts, Kybella could be the right choice to address the problem. At Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center in Noblesville, IN, Shelbyville, IN, Danville, IL, Healdsburg, CA, and Ukiah, CA, we offer help to everyone in the NorCal region. If you’re in Northern California, come talk to us about whether this treatment is right for you.
Is Kybella Permanent?
This is a permanent treatment. It removes fat cells from the body, and once those fat cells are gone, they do not regrow. The treatment works by taking advantage of something our bodies already know how to do. Our bodies produce deoxycholic acid naturally, which is used to break down the fat that we eat. By injecting a synthetic version of deoxycholic acid into the double chin, we work that same process on the fat in the double chin.
The deoxycholic acid attacks the walls of the fat cells, causing them to dissolve. When they do, they release all their contents, which the body naturally processes and takes away. Since adults do not grow new fat cells, the fat cells are gone for good.
Weight Loss vs. Fat Removal
As with a number of similar fat reduction treatments, this is not meant for weight loss but for fat removal. It’s best that you seek treatment only if you are fairly close to your goal weight and are seeing a double chin that won’t respond to diet and exercise. If you have a substantial amount of weight to lose, healthy, natural weight loss is the right way to get closer to your goal.
Keeping Results
This treatment will destroy fat cells under the chin in the submental region, and those cells will never regrow. However, it is important to remember that fat cells are an essential part of the human body. There is no treatment that can, or should, remove every single fat cell from any area.
There will always be some fat cells remaining in the submental region, and these may continue to expand if you overeat. So long as you maintain your weight within about 20 pounds of the time of treatment, you can expect to enjoy your results indefinitely. If you put on too much weight, you may develop a double chin once again.
Skin Issues
Be aware that sometimes a double chin is not the result of fat gain at all, even though it may look like it. Instead, the issue is sagging skin, which can worsen with age and become more likely if you lose or gain a lot of weight quickly. This treatment cannot help with the double chin that is caused by sagging skin, but we do have other effective treatments that can help.
FAQ About Kybella
How Quickly Will I See Results?
You must give your body time to process the destroyed fat cells naturally. Your lymphatic system will take care of this, with support from your circulatory system, so your timeframe will depend in part on the health of both of these bodily systems and your general metabolic rate. You should expect to see your final results about 4 to 6 weeks after your last treatment session.
By doing a few things to support your body, you can see the fastest results possible for you, personally. There are some things in particular that will be helpful: eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, and staying hydrated.
Eat Well
You can support your circulatory and lymphatic systems with a healthy diet. Stop eating refined grains and sugars and prioritize healthy fats like those from avocados, coconuts, and olives or from grass-fed animal sources. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables, but not so many that you neglect to eat healthy protein, which should be primarily from grass-fed or free-ranged animal sources. Eat fruit, as well, but remember that fruit has a lot of sugar, so prioritize vegetables over fruit.
Exercise
One of the best things you can do to speed up your treatment is to get regular aerobic exercise. Your circulatory system in particular will benefit from getting at least 150 minutes of walking in a week. This can be done at a moderate pace, so there’s no need to take up jogging or running if you’re not interested.
Your circulatory system is also greatly impacted by the amount of muscle you have, so muscle building is important. However, it’s best not to stress your system with over-exertion at the gym during the 4 to 6 weeks after treatment. If you are just now considering getting this treatment, however, now is the time to start building muscle and getting your circulatory system in shape.
Stay Rested
Both your lymphatic system and your circulatory system repair during rest, and they need periods of REM sleep at night in order to function at their peak. Do whatever you can to minimize stress and ensure that you’re getting a good night’s sleep every night.
Drink Plenty of Water
Hydration is also essential for the lymphatic system in particular. Whenever you are dehydrated, bodily systems function more slowly, including both the circulatory and lymphatic systems. You need about 3 quarts of fluid per day to stay hydrated, and ould shremember that alcohol and heavily caffeinated drinks really don’t count. However, most teas do, as well as broths and moisture-rich vegetables and fruit.
How Many Sessions Does It Take?
Most people need about one or two treatments to reach their final goals with Kybella. Of course, everyone is different, and ultimately it will depend on your body and the amount of fat that needs to be removed. The maximum number of sessions that a person might need is usually six.
How Can I Maintain My Weight After Treatment?
It can be tricky to maintain weight loss, and many of us find it’s easier to lose weight than to keep it off. If you have already been successful in losing weight, you know some of the things that you need to do, but one thing that may help is weighing yourself regularly. Studies have shown that people who weigh themselves every day, or at least every week, have more motivation to keep up a healthy lifestyle.
Am I a Good Candidate for This Treatment?
Most people who are interested in this treatment are good candidates, though we will look at the amount of excess fat you have in the chin and neck area, as well as consider why you have a double chin in the first place. As mentioned, this treatment is not effective in dealing with double chins caused by sagging skin.
If your double chin is caused by fat, and if you are in good health overall and are over 18 years old, this is probably a good treatment for you. When you come to talk to us in consultation, we will discuss your candidacy in detail and give you all the information you need.
What Is Treatment Like?
The first step in treatment is for us to sanitize the skin in the treatment area. Our next step will be to mark all the locations where we will make injections. We will do this in a precise pattern so that nothing is missed. At this point, we can also apply a numbing cream if you are concerned, though the needles used in this treatment are very fine and not painful.
Each injection session takes about 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Ultimately, it will depend on the contour of your face and neck, exactly how much fat you need to be removed, and the dosage of treatment.
What Should I Do After Treatment?
There is no lengthy downtime associated with this treatment. You can go back to most of your regular routine immediately, though we will ask you to stay out of direct sunlight for a while, and you may want to use cold compresses for a bit or sleep with a chin compression strap. We will give you more instructions when you come to see us, and these will be based on your specific situation.
Try Kybella in Northern California
If you’re struggling with submental fat that you can’t get rid of, Kybella can help. Contact Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center in Noblesville, IN, Shelbyville, IN, Danville, IL, Healdsburg, CA, and Ukiah, CA: if you’re anywhere in the NorCal region, and beyond, treatment is just a few minutes away!