Considering Kybella?: Everything You Need to Know Before Treatment

Are you considering trying Kybella? If so, check out this guide to learn everything you need to know before trying Kybella.

Facial plastic surgeons say that four-fifths of treatments done in 2018 were cosmetic and nonsurgical, including injectables such as Kybella.

Any guesses as to the motivation behind all these facial cosmetic treatments? People are motivated by selfies! They want ot eliminate double chins and consider other treatments because they don’t like their profiles and want to look better on social media.

Amazing! It’s also an indication of the success of Kybella and other nonsurgical treatments like truSculpt iD for fat reduction.

If Kybella is a consideration for you, as with any surgical or nonsurgical treatment, do get informed about what’s happening to your body, the process you’ll go through and all treatment options available.

Do you want to try Kybella? If so, check out this guide to learn everything you need to know beforehand.

What Is Kybella?

Kybella is a deoxycholic acid that destroys the walls of fat cells that it comes in contact with so they can no longer hold the fat. When it’s injected under your chin, it destroys the fat-cell walls, and your chin fat disappears.

The cell debris turns into waste, washed away by your lymph system and blood and metabolized. Then, your body eliminates it.

Deoxycholic acid occurs in your body. It’s a salt that is found in bile and helps you digest fat. Kybella is a synthetic version of deoxycholic acid. In other words, it is made in a lab but has the same makeup.

How Long Does It Take for Kybella to Work?

Kybella results appear about four to six weeks after treatment.

Does Kybella Last?

Once the fat walls are destroyed, they don’t return. So once you get rid of all the fat cells in your double chin with Kybella injections, they disappear forever and your new chin remains.

Is Kybella Safe?

The FDA approved Kybella for treatment of the double chin, or “submental fullness,” as they call it, in 2015. It’s only approved for use on the chin. For other areas, practitioners may consider off label use of Kybella or apply other body sculpting treatments, such as truSculpt iD.

Kybella is a nonsurgical treatment and doesn’t require general anesthesia, which is always a safety bonus.

Does the Kybella Treatment Hurt?

A small needle injects Kybella under the chin during a treatment. A local anesthetic, numbing cream, or ice reduces the discomfort while the injections are being performed.

You may feel sore for a day or so after your treatment but over-the-counter ibuprofen or acetaminophen lessens the soreness, if needed, until it goes away.

Are There Any Side Effects?

As mentioned, after Kybella treatment, you experience some soreness. You can reduce the discomfort with over-the-counter pain relievers. Expect swelling and bruising directly after the injections too. You can expect the area to look worse after the injections than before, but don’t worry because this won’t last for long.

The bruising and swelling tends to last one to three days but can go on for a few weeks before it is completely back to normal. An over-the-counter anti-inflammatory can help.

It’s rare, but some patients experience numbness in the area and sometimes firmness where the injections were administered. Both of these side effects, go away after about three weeks.

Patients don’t tend to complain about these effects and only find them somewhat irritating.

How Long Does It Take to See the Results of Kybella Treatment?

It takes about four to six weeks after a treatment session to see the Kybella before-and-after results you desire. Often, more than one and up to four treatments are required. It depends on the individual. Some people get rid of all neck fat in one treatment.

Additional treatments needed to eliminate that double chin are done 8-10 weeks apart. And then, once you’re done, they’ll last. No need for any bothersome touch-ups. Your chin is good to go for selfies and as you go about your life!

Are There Other Ways to Get Rid of My Double Chin?

There is always liposuction, where fat is liquefied and removed but it requires general anesthesia.

On the other hand, truSculpt iD works on the chin in addition to other areas of the body, like thighs and those pesky love handles. It’s another noninvasive treatment and uses radio-frequency energy to heat and then reduce the fat cells.

If you have time and determination, diet and exercise are options to lose fat, but you can’t spot-reduce fat like you can with these nonsurgical options like Kybella and truSculpt.

What is the Course of a Full Kybella Treatment to Get Rid of a Double Chin?

The full treatment to get rid of your double chin typically takes two to four sessions of Kybella treatments, but it depends on how much fat you need to dissolve. Each session uses about 2 vials of Kybella.

What About the Cost of Kybella?

The cost of Kybella treatment varies depending on how many sessions you need and varies by practitioner.

How Long Is Each Kybella Treatment Session?

Expect each session to last about 20 minutes. The injections themselves just take a few minutes but your chin is numbed a bit with the local anesthesia, cream, or ice.

Is There Any Downtime With Kybella Treatment?

Unlike a plastic surgery treatment that requires you to go under the knife, with nonsurgical procedures you’re in and out of the office in no time, and this holds true for Kybella as well. You come in for 20 minutes, and you go home or back to work.

The area of treatment may be swollen or bruised and the discomfort may linger several days as well, but not enough to keep you home, especially if your practitioner’s suggestions for over-the-counter pain relief. The Kybella and your body’s systems work hard during this time to destroy fat-cell walls on the inside.

Is Kybella Right for Me?

Kybella treatment is not for everyone. If nursing or pregnant, do not use Kybella. If fat is not the culprit of your double chin, for example, if loose neck skin or a small jaw/chin bone caused it, then Kybella is not for you.

Also, it may not be ideal if you had prior neck surgery, a facelift, a necklift or liposuction on your neck. Kybella may still work in these cases, but your aesthetic-practitioner professional will let you know if you’re a candidate.

It’s a good idea to consult with your aesthetic practitioner about the best procedure for you specifically and come up with an individual plan.

What Can I Expect When I Go in for My Kybella Treatment Session?

When you first arrive at the practitioner’s office, he or she will clean the area to be treated and then mark it to indicate where to place the injections. Right before the treatment, you receive a local anesthetic, either by injection or as a topical application.

Now you’re ready! The practitioner uses tiney needles to inject kybella in the area previously marked. She or he customizes the amount of injections based on your body.

After the injections, the practitioner ices the area to reduce swelling and pain before sending you off. The whole session lasts about 15 to 20 minutes.