What Areas Does Kybella Remove Fat?
Under the Chin
Kybella is FDA approved to treat fullness under the chin caused by unwanted fat. In fact, it is currently the only injection that is FDA approved specifically for this purpose. This is pretty revolutionary since before this treatment made its debut, the only other options available were liposuction or a neck lift. With this injection, both the treatment and recovery are quick and simple.
While a neck lift or liposuction are both valid and effective options, the fact that there is now a treatment for fullness under the chin that isn’t quite so intimidating is exciting for a lot of people. For those who want to reduce the fullness under their chin without putting themselves through a more involved treatment, the thought of a simple series of injections can be easier to consider.
Around the Neck
This treatment is injected into the neck’s superficial fat. Fullness under the chin can vary in appearance and presentation. Sometimes it’s limited to the area directly under your chin and jaw. Other times, it comes down from under the chin at an angle to the upper neck. Especially in those cases, as the injection dissolves the fat under the chin, it can have the added benefit of addressing some of the unwanted fullness in the neck as well.
What About Other Areas?
This injection has been used to address unwanted fat in some other areas of the body, such as:
- Around the armpits
- The bra line
- Along the jawline
- The fat of the inner knee
- Gluteal fold fat
- Back fat
This treatment has a lot of promise and a good chance of being used for more areas of the body in the future. Currently, it is FDA approved for use under the chin, so that is usually where its treatment is limited to. Regardless of where injections are received, it is crucial that you trust your care to an experienced doctor, who has a good understanding of the product and how to administer it safely and effectively.
How Does It Stand Up to the Competition?
The most common competition you have for an injectable treatment like this would be liposuction or a neck lift. Both of these more invasive treatments require intravenous sedation, or either local or general anesthesia. An injectable treatment will not require that.
Effects from Kybella, liposuction, or a neck lift are all long-lasting. When it comes to surgical treatment, the recovery will be longer and require more time taken off of work or your daily life. Surgery is usually more expensive as well, but that can depend on how many injections are needed to achieve your desired results. To better understand how they compare, let’s take a closer look at the contenders.
A Neck Lift
A neck lift usually targets the skin under the chin, jawline, and neck. It involves removing and re-draping this skin to improve signs of aging in these areas. For this process, the patient will either require anesthesia or sedation. If you are going for a more mild effect, your doctor may recommend a limited incision neck lift. These incisions will usually be shorter than with a traditional neck lift.
If a patient is looking for more comprehensive results, they will likely receive a traditional neck lift, with longer incisions from your sideburn hairline, around the ear, and finishing in the posterior hairline. This surgery can be used to address fullness under the chin, skin laxity or relaxation, heavy jowls, and muscle banding.
Recovery Timeline for a Neck Lift
The time it takes to return to daily life after a neck lift can range somewhat depending on the individual. It can also depend on how much work was done. In general, you can expect to have a recovery period of about two weeks before returning to work or your regular activities. It may take a couple of months to completely recover from the signs of surgery.
How Long Does It Last?
The positive effects from a neck lift can’t stop aging, but the improvement to treated areas usually persists for a decade or more, depending on factors such as age, skincare, and skin condition.
Liposuction
Liposuction works great to remove fat, but it won’t tighten any loose skin. Depending on how much fat is removed during treatment, a different follow-up treatment to tighten the excess skin left behind may be desired.
There are several different kinds of liposuction. In some cases, the targeted fat is manually removed. In other cases, lasers are used to break up the fat before removal, or a saline solution can be used to dislodge the fat before suction is applied.
Recovery Timeline for Liposuction
When it comes to recovering from liposuction, most patients are able to return to work and their regular daily routine after about two weeks. Depending on what part of the body was treated, the doctor may encourage patients to wear compression garments for up to six weeks. Around the six month mark, you’ll be seeing the best effects from the liposuction.
How Long Does It Last?
Once you hit that six-month mark, you’ll know what your long-lasting results will look like. Combined with diet and exercise, the effects of liposuction are considered permanent. With that in mind, weight can be re-gained in the treated areas.
For that reason, liposuction is best used when the areas you hope to have treated are resistant to the effects of diet and exercise. If you already have a good exercise routine established, you will have better confidence in your liposuction treatment being able to maintain the results you were hoping for.
FAQ for Kybella
1. What Is It?
Synthetic deoxycholic acid is the active ingredient. Synthetic deoxycholic acid is a man-made version of acids that naturally occur in the body. It mimics how these natural acids absorb and break down the fat in our food, making it a concentrated form of a natural process. The body knows how to do it best, which is one reason why this injection has become so popular.
2. How Does It Work?
When injected under the chin, the synthetic deoxycholic acid begins to do its job, which is to break down fat cells. These fat cells can’t store or continue to build up any more fat after they’ve been broken down. Over time, this leads to a natural reduction of the sagging under your chin as the fat disintegrates, and the skin begins to lift itself back up into place. Patients with fairly elastic skin will see the best results.
With less weight pulling down on your face, this process can actually make your lower face look and feel lighter as well. This also can apply to the jawline, which may take on a less sagging appearance as the injection does its work. As the fullness under your chin decreases, it could additionally help your neck look smoother and firmer, especially the upper neck.
3. What Makes Me a Good Candidate?
To consider treatment, you must first be at least 18 years old. If you haven’t been able to reduce the fullness under your chin with diet or exercise, and don’t want to go through a more invasive treatment like surgery, this injection might be a good fit for you.
Skin Laxity vs. Unwanted Fat
One of the things to keep in mind as you consider this treatment is whether the double chin is caused by unwanted fat or loose skin. This treatment is most effective in addressing fat deposits that can accumulate under the chin. If your primary concern isn’t unwanted fullness under the jaw but rather sagging caused by loose skin, you may want to discuss other options or a combination of treatments during a consultation with your doctor.
The Importance of a Consultation
A qualified, experienced doctor should be honest with you on whether or not this is the treatment you’re looking for. During a consultation, you can share your goals and concerns with the doctor, who will give you an idea of what you can expect. Each person and their body is unique; a doctor knows this and will be able to work together with you to form a game plan that works for you and your body.
4. How Quickly Does It Work?
This injection imitates a natural process, so results aren’t always immediate. This treatment is administered with the goal of long-term results. You can expect to notice some results after two or three treatments. Some patients are happy with their results at that point, but the best results are usually experienced after five or six treatments.
Treatments are usually administered monthly, but they can be spaced further apart. You can expect each treatment to take around 30 minutes. If you have a special event on the horizon, reach out to your doctor and begin to discuss a timeline. Your doctor can give you realistic expectations of how long before the event you should receive treatment.
5. What Is the Recovery Time?
One of the best perks of this treatment is it doesn’t require burning through your sick or vacation days. Patients who receive their injections are usually able to keep on doing whatever they want for the rest of their day. That said, recovery can vary slightly per individual, so it’s important to go over any questions or concerns you have about recovery with your doctor.
6. How Often Will I Need to Repeat the Treatment?
The best news is that once you are happy with the effects of your treatment, you can stop and just enjoy the benefits of it. Results from the injections are considered permanent, as once the targeted fat cells are destroyed, they don’t recover their ability to accumulate or hold fat.
Are You Ready to Restore Your Face?
If you are ready to discover what Kybella can do for you, or our many other treatment options, reach out to us at Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center today! We have multiple locations, including Shelbyville and Noblesville, IN, Danville, IL, and Ukiah and Healdsburg, CA.
We combine experience and compassion to provide our patients with the great care they deserve. We believe in helping everyone feel and look their best, and we have some of the best technology available to get you there. Our team is ready to answer any questions you have so you can start reaching your personal goals.