Removing A Double Chin With An Injection?

The idea of plastic surgery on the face can be tough for many people. Even those that have lost confidence in their face often find that they can’t get themselves to commit to the idea of cutting into any part of it, knowing that it can lead to scarring, and in rare cases disfigurement.

It’s especially easy to be conflicted when it comes to neck fat, especially the double chin. Nearly everyone with a double chin wants to get rid of it, but for a long time, the only way to get rid of the double chin was with surgery, such as submental lipectomy, genioplasty, and other related plastic surgery techniques. Each of these is still a great option for removing neck fat and skin but does involve surgery.

Kybella – Recently Approved FDA Treatment

Not long ago, the FDA approved a new treatment known as Kybella, sometimes referred to as ATX-101 (the original name for the medication). Kybella is made up of deoxycholic acid. What excites people about this medication is that deoxycholic acid is actually a natural body molecule, found to break down dietary fat. Through a series of injections into the neck using carefully placed dots, Kybella is able to break down specific areas of fat in the neck, and use your body’s natural processes to melt the fat away.

Why is This Exciting?

Any time a well-researched product comes on the market is exciting. Kybella, especially, is exciting for two reasons:

Addressing Double Chins – There are generally very few ways to address double chins in modern plastic surgery, especially without an invasive procedure, so Kybella potentially brings a new, effective, and easier to use the procedure to those that are struggling with neck fat.
Similar Results to Liposuction – Right now, Kybella is limited to the neck, and unlike other cosmetic procedures, it is unlikely to be used “off label” for a while. But any time you can mimic the effects of plastic surgery without surgery, the potential for the future is great. Right now Kybella is not strong enough to be used in other areas of the body, like the stomach or love handles (you would need a massive amount of the liquid, which would be unfeasible, expensive, and possibly dangerous), but this does create another important step towards eventually finding more non-surgical replacements for liposuction.

Should You Use Kybella for Your Double Chin?

Even though Kybella may sound exciting, it may be in your best interests to wait a while longer or consult with your plastic surgeon to determine if it is the right option for you. Consider the following:

Brand New – Kybella is so new, that very few plastic surgeons have had training with it, and even fewer have injected enough patients to be certain that it is effective. Most surgeons experienced with Kybella were involved in the clinical trials. In addition, though it appears safe, most injections have taken place in a research lab setting. Some people may want to wait to make sure that Kybella has become more mainstream before seeking out the procedure.
Doesn’t Affect Skin – Kybella appears to be great for fat loss, but it doesn’t necessarily have any effect on the skin. Those that have experienced massive weight loss and have a lot of excess skin and tissue on their face may require surgical removal of their skin, as Kybella only affects fat in the neck.

Kybella is most certainly a fascinating addition to the plastic and cosmetic surgery fields, and it’s easy to see why it has exploded in popularity already, despite only becoming FDA approved just a short time ago. But it may still be in your best interests to wait a while longer for more surgeons to become trained, and any issues to improve results become known. In addition, those that were considering other plastic surgery procedures or those with excess skin are going to want to consider other options.

To learn more about all of the options for double chins, call our Orange County plastic surgery offices today at 949-644-2442. We are conveniently located in Newport Beach, and have clients that come from Los Angeles, Irvine, San Diego, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, and more.