When you think of having excess fat, you might associate it with having excess weight. But, not all areas of extra fat are related to your weight. That’s why it can be so hard to get rid of features like a double chin with just diet and exercise. You can work out all you want and eat the healthiest of diets, but still wake up each day with a bit of unwanted flab around your neck.
That’s partly due to the fact that double chins have more to do with your genes than with your weight. If your parents developed double chins, but were otherwise at a healthy weight, you’re likely to, as well. Previously, the only options you had for getting rid of the extra fat beneath your chin were surgical procedures, such as liposuction to remove the fat or a necklift if extra skin and fat were to blame.
Now, there’s a new, effective and non-surgical option for getting rid of a double chin. Kybella is an injectable that removes the fat from the chin area, permanently. Read on for the full scoop on Kybella and to see if it’s a good match for you.
How Does it Work?
The active ingredient in Kybella is deoxycholic acid, which destroys and absorbs fat cells. Your body naturally produces deoxycholic acid on its own to get rid of extra fat, so it is not a new or surprising substance to your system. During treatment, your surgeon will inject Kybella directly into the area of excess fat. The substance first works by destroying the outer membrane of fat cells, then by dissolving and flushing out the destroyed cells.
Some people might need several courses of treatment before they see the results they were hoping to see from Kybella. Depending on the amount of extra fat you have beneath the chin, a surgeon might give you 50 injections during a single treatment. Despite the high number of injections during a treatment, most sessions are over in about a half an hour.
Is it For You?
Like many cosmetic treatments, Kybella isn’t necessarily for everyone. For one thing, it’s only FDA approved for people over the age of 18. For another, it’s only really effective for people who actually have some amount of fat in the submental, or chin, area. The injection hasn’t been studied in other areas of the body and it’s not clear whether it can be used to remove fat in other places.
As with any cosmetic treatment, a consultation with the facial plastic surgeon before you receive the injections is a must. During a consultation, you can discuss what you hope to get from Kybella with your doctor and ask any questions you have about the procedure. The surgeon will evaluate your chin and neck area, as well as your expectations for treatment and let you know if she recommends Kybella or not.
Kybella is off-limits for certain groups of people. For example, pregnant women shouldn’t receive the injections, because the risk to the developing fetus isn’t know. If you’re pregnant, your surgeon will most likely recommend postponing treatment until your baby is born. The injections are also not recommended for people who have an active infection or certain medical conditions, such as bleeding disorders.
What Else Should You Know?
Like other injectables, you might have some side effects after a treatment with Kybella. Redness, bruising and swelling might occur, but will usually fade within a few days. You won’t have to take any time off from work or school and can get back to your regularly scheduled activities almost immediately after treatment.
While you might need as many as six separate treatments with Kybella, spaced about a month apart, the good news is that you’ll never need treatment again after that. The fat that is destroyed and flushed out of your system won’t return. To keep your chin and neck area looking youthful for as long as possible, you might decide to have a neck lift at some point down the road, to reduce any sagging skin that might develop as you age.
A facial plastic surgeon specializing in treating the age face at the Naderi Center in Virginia and Maryland, Dr. Jessica Kulak is the only doctor in the DC area who offers patients the advantages of Kybella. To learn more about the injectable and see if it’s the best treatment for you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Kulak today. Call (703) 481-0002 for an appointment in Virginia or (301) 222-2020 for an appointment in Maryland.
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