A double chin or medically referred to as, submental fullness, is a common concern. Men view a strong jawline as a symbol of strength and masculinity. Women view a strong jawline as a symbol of youth and ideal weight. A double chin can create the appearance of being overweight or aged beyond one’s years. A significantly less invasive treatment than a facelift or necklift is an injectable called Kybella. Kybella can dramatically reduce the appearance of a double chin quickly and without surgery.

Submental fat (a double chin) is fullness under the chin that is not caused by skin laxity (loose skin). Hormones, bone structure, and weight can all influence development or appearance of a double chin. No amount of dieting or chin exercises will get rid of a double chin. Until Kybella, the only available treatment for submental fatty deposits was invasive liposuction, fat excision, necklift, or facelift which all carry significant surgery and a long recovery.

What is Kybella?

Kybella is the first in class, FDA approved noninvasive treatment that melts submental fat for young and old, male and female patients, of all ethnicities and skin colors, without regard to body mass. Kybella is a great option for people who desire to eliminate their double chin without an invasive procedure.

The active ingredient is a synthetic bile acid (deoxycholic acid) that permanently dissolves the cell membranes of fat cells and digests the fat which is naturally cleared by the body.  The result is a tighter more contoured jawline.

Who is a good candidate?

The best candidates are younger and have pinchable, genetic submental fat, that is not weight related and good skin elasticity. The best way to know if you are a good candidate is to schedule a consultation with one of our dermatologists.

Your consultation

During your dermatologist will review your medical history, examine your skin, assess your submental fat and evaluate your skin elasticity. He may take before and after photos. Most people need 2-6 treatments for optimal results. Your dermatologist will recommend the number of treatments that will provide you with optimum results.

Kybella treatment is fully customizable to your needs. However, results are technique dependent which means you want an expert such as Dr. Bhanusali or Dr. Mian, who are trained in advance injection techniques, know face and neck anatomy and can sculpt the treated area to improve the contours of your jawline, and enhance your profile.

The procedure

Your face and neck will be cleaned, and a numbing gel applied. Your dermatologist will map out the injection sites and proceed to deliver the drug into the treatment area. Some patients feel a burning sensation which is calmed with an ice pack. After the procedure you may have a compression bandage around your head. Total treatment time is between 15 and 30 minutes.

Recovery

After the first treatment you will experience swelling and soreness that will improve within a few days to a week. Swelling indicates that the drug working to break down the fat cells. Swelling from subsequent treatments depends on the amount of fat that remains. There may be some temporary bruising and redness, and possibly some numbness, all of which will resolve within a few days.

Most patient see some noticeable improvement after the second treatment, but it takes time for the drug to kill the fat cells.  Tissue tightening requires several months.

At Hudson Dermatology & Laser in Hudson Yards, NYC you can count on personalized attention to your specific concerns and state of the art treatments to rejuvenate your appearance. Call us to schedule a consultation to discover the dramatic results achievable with Kybella.