Submental fullness, the medical term for a double chin, is a concern that we have heard voiced by many of our patients. For many years, the leading procedure to correct a double chin was liposuction. Due to the invasive nature of liposuction and the inherent risks the procedure carries, many people decided forgo treatment for submental fullness.

At the Dermatology Institute of Southern California, our goal is to help all of our patients look and feel their best. This is why Dr. Daniel Behroozan so excited to hear about the FDA’s approval of Kybella, the first treatment approved to reduce submental fullness by destroying fat cells.

How Does Kybella Work?

The appearance of a double chin is caused by excess fat under the chin, a problem that tends to get worse with age as skin becomes more lax and the effects of gravity take their toll. Kybella is an injectable solution that is molecularly identical to deoxycholic acid, a substance created by the human body to help absorb fats. During a Kybella treatment, deoxycholic acid is injected into the skin under a patient’s chin. After it is injected, the substance destroys fat cell membranes, which releases the fat into the body, allowing the body’s natural metabolic and waste processes to dispose of it.

What to Expect During & After Your Kybella Treatment

One of the reasons that we are so excited about this remarkable product is because treatment with Kybella is very straightforward. Before the procedure begins, we’ll apply a numbing cream to minimize any discomfort. Then Dr. Behroozan will inject micro-doses of Kybella into carefully selected locations below the chin. The entire treatment session lasts about 20 minutes.

After the treatment, you will be free to resume normal activities, but should expect to see a small amount of redness in the injection area. Other side effects include pain, swelling and bruising in and around the treatment area. If you experience any of these side effects, you can expect them to fully resolve within a week of treatment.

Most patients will require more than one treatment session to completely eliminate troublesome under-chin fat. On average, you can expect to receive between two and four treatments, spaced one month apart, to receive optimal results. If needed, up to six treatments session can be performed. Unlike other popular cosmetic procedures, such as Botox, the effects of Kybella are permanent. Studies performed by Kythera, the manufacturers of Kybella, indicate that once submental fat has been eliminated, it will not return.

Kybella Results

Kybella was recently approved for use in treating submental fullness by the FDA in April 2015. During FDA trials, roughly 80% of patients reported a reduction in submental fullness after they completed their Kybella treatments. These are excellent results and ones we expect to see duplicated in our practice.

Dr. Behroozan prides himself in offering the safest and most effective fat removal procedures, so adding Kybella to our list of services only seems natural. Kybella is a unique treatment because it specifically targets and permanently destroys under-chin fat. In some ways, it is similar to another fat reduction treatment we offer, CoolSculpting, which uses very cold temperatures to destroy fat cells in the targeted area. Currently, the only other treatments that can be used to eliminate a double chin are liposuction or a neck and chin lift. Both of these are invasive surgical which we do not offer in our practice.

Kybella Consultation at Beverly Hills

While Kybella is a new treatment, Dr. Behroozan is highly experienced in performing injectable and non-invasive fat reduction procedures. His expertise in these areas helps ensure a safe and natural result to those wishing to try Kybella.

If you are bothered by a double chin, we encourage you to contact our office today to learn more about Kybella. Perhaps you considered liposuction in the past, but were put off by the recovery period and side effects associated with it. Finally, you have an alternative with Kybella! Please contact us to set up an initial consultation with Dr. Behroozan so we can help you decide if Kybella can provide the results you desire.