The ability to treat a double chin without surgery is bringing people in for Kybella who generally do not do aesthetic treatments. A double chin, or submental fat or fullness, is an issue that about 70% of Americans are concerned about, but most understandably have reservations about surgery.
Kybella is a series of injections that are the only non-invasive procedure approved by the FDA to treat submental fat.
That’s why Kybella is such a great option and has brought in a lot of people that would otherwise just be frustrated with their double chin.
This product can absolutely change your profile and really improve the shape and contour of your jawline,” – Katie Saliman, Nurse at Alchemy 43 in Los Angeles.
Saliman loves it for the “wow factor” the results give.
Here’s the mandatory safety warnings followed by some before and after pictures (click to enlarge):
Kybella Brings in People New to Cosmetic Dermatology
Around 45 percent of patients getting Kybella are new to aesthetic treatments—they’re people who haven’t previously been in a cosmetic or aesthetic physician’s office.” – The Atlantic
Part of this is due to a large demographic of men coming in for the procedure.
Kybella was approved by the FDA in 2015 and is the only non surgical procedure approved for removing submental fat.
A survey by the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery found that 73 percent of people are unhappy with the area under their chin. Another study found it to be 67% of the US population, but regardless of the exact number, it is a high one. Most of these people do not want to do traditional surgery such as liposuction, but many men and women are looking for a solution.
At this point there are still a number of people who are not aware of the potential benefits of Kybella or that it exists, as it is a relatively new product compared to mainstays such as BOTOX Cosmetic.
Getting Rid of a Double Chin Appeals to Males and Females Alike
Many men who wouldn’t have previously considered cosmetic procedures are coming in for Kybella to sharpen their jawline,” notes Mraz Robinson, dermatologist and director of the Body Sculpting Center.
With such a high percentage of people unhappy with their submental fat area, the popularity of Kybella is almost certainly going to continually rise as people come more familiar with it and the results it can give.
BOTOX Cosmetic grew steadily at the beginning before gaining widespread acceptance, and now BOTOX Cosmetic and other similar procedures are by far the most popular cosmetic procedures nationally. While Kybella may never reach quite those proportions, it is clear that it treats an area that many people would like to see improvement.
In a recent study of Kybella 15.3% of participants were men, relative to only 10.4% for facial aesthetic injectable treatments in general.
I wonder if this might mean that this is an area that men are more interested in treating than other areas. So … perhaps we’ll see a higher uptake of men seeking out submental fat reduction. In my opinion, men are very interested in addressing two concerns: hair loss and submental fat or double chin.” – by Bruce Thiel, Healio Dermatology
For many men, one of the reasons getting rid of a double chin is so important is because they associate it with their masculinity in general. However, many would prefer to get rid of their double chin without surgery.
Men associate masculinity with sort of a chiseled jawline, a wide lower face and the absence of a double chin,” Dr. Joseph A. Russo, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Newton, Massachusetts, said.
While it is clear that a man is still a man with or without a chiseled jawline, self-perception is generally important to both how a person acts and how they are perceived. The outward changes of many different types of cosmetic dermatology can also help to cause inner changes of self-confidence visible to all.
Millenials Increasingly Open to Treating Double Chin with Injections
A number of millenials have also become interested in Kybella and other injectables. Kybella is a great option for people who have a double chin for genetic reasons, as this decreases the chances of any recurrence.
Regardless of whether someone gets injections or liposuction, both destroy the fat cells so the chances of recurrence are the same. The main risk that would cause a potential recurrence is further weight gain after the procedure.
In general, between 75 and 90 percent of patients are still maintaining their response at up to five years.” – Conor Gallagher, Allergan’s executive director of medical affairs.
Kybella vs. Liposuction vs. Neck Lift
Depending on the amount of fat to be treated and the corresponding amount of Kybella required, the cost can become close to surgical options. However, many patients prefer to do injectables instead of surgery. Kybella is a low risk procedure that offers a lot of potential upside.
In a clinical trial 82.4% of people reported significantly improved satisfaction with their appearance.” Healthline
Kybella offers a number of advantages to liposuction or getting a neck lift, but it is not always the right choice for every patient. The downtime with Kybella is minimal and does not require wearing a compression garment, whereas for best results this is often necessary for liposuction. There is generally some swelling after receiving Kybella injections, as this is part of the product working to break down fat.
A neck lift is a more involved procedure that is only for patients with very specific situations and goals.
While it is rare to have scarring due to incisions from liposuction or a neck lift, there is generally after care involved to make sure to minimize this risk. With Kybella you can go along with your day and not have to worry about that.
Have questions about which treatment is right for you?
Kybella usually requires 2-4 treatments, but each treatment is only about 15-20 minutes. Regardless of which procedure is right for you, it is important to make sure you go to a qualified (board-certified) dermatologist’s office to get the procedure done.
All three procedures require very specific knowledge of anatomy and specialized training to ensure best results and that no harm is done. They are not something that should be done in a spa setting.
Kybella Replicates a Natural Fat Burning Process
Kybella is a synthetic version of the naturally occuring deoxycholic acid, which is what breaks down fat in our digestive tract. The fat is broken up over the span of several weeks and reabsorbed and excreted by the body.
The idea of using this process for fat burning elsewhere in the body is not new, as it started in the 1950s and 60s. It took until the early 2000s for UCLA researchers to discover that the deoxycholic acid was what was specifically causing the fat breakdown.
Bodybuilders were some of the leaders in experimentation with targeted fat burning, but since they started experimenting both the agent and the process have been refined substantially for both effectiveness and safety.
Dermatologists and Patients Alike Recommend Kybella
Most people start to see significant results after the second treatment of Kybella. If you are one of the 67-73% of people who would like to see improvement in the area below your chin, make an appointment with us today to discuss your options and see how we can help you achieve your goals.
