Kybella Ft. Lauderdale

What is Kybella?

Kybella is a non-animal derived compound called deoxycholic acid. Deoxycholic acid is a naturally occurring compound that when injected into fat, destroys and dissolves it. Kybella is an injectable form of deoxycholic acid. This is the injectable by Kythera Pharmaceuticals that was approved earlier this year.

Kybella is manufactured by Allergan, a company based in Irvine, California. They are the same manufacturers of Botox, Juvederm, and Voluma. There has been a great deal of hype surrounding this product, as is the case with any new injectable.

What is Kybella Used For?

Kybella is currently FDA approved for the treatment of submental fat (i.e. fat underneath the chin). It is an ideal treatment for patients who have persistent fat underneath their chin despite weight loss.

There have been stories and testimonials of Kybella completely dissolving a double chin. 

Dr. Kasuma, a plastic surgeon in Ft. Lauderdale, has also seen an improved appearance of the neck and jawline in patients he has treated with Kybella.

What does Kybella improve?

In the figure shown on the left, there is Supraplatsymal fat, which is above the muscle and Subplatysmal fat, which is below the muscle. As an injection, Kybella will only improve the fat above the Platysma, labeled in red in the figure. Kybella will not address excess skin, muscle sagging or bands, or the fat that lies below the muscle layer. These anatomic points are important. You should be certain your doctor understands neck anatomy before injecting Kybella.

Kybella definitely has its role in the plastic surgeon’s toolbox. There are many factors which contribute to the aging neck, and Kybella only addresses one of them: The neck fat which lies directly underneath the skin. For the right candidate, Kybella can be a dramatic and powerful intervention for the neck, with minimal downtime and risks! Although Kybella does tighten the skin to a certain degree, most patients with skin laxity will need a neck lift. Evaluation by a plastic surgeon is crucial in determining whether or not Kybella is worth the time and money. Surgery is some cases may be the better option.

Kybella Procedure

Kybella should only be performed by a licensed medical professional who has undergone training by Kythera/Allergan. He performs the injection in his Plantation, FL office, which takes around 30 minutes. Kybella injections are performed under local anesthesia. There is no need for sedation or an operating room. 

Ideal candidates for Treatment

To determine whether or not a patient will be a good candidate for Kybella, a detailed assessment of neck anatomy must be performed. Please see our article which goes covers Kybella treatment in detail. Although Kybella does tighten the skin to a certain degree, most patients with skin laxity will need a neck lift.

Why is this important? An aging, old-appearing neck can have many components which contribute to its appearance.

These factors are:

• Excess Skin
• Banding/sagging of the Platysma muscle
• There is also fat both above and below the muscle. These fat layers contribute to the appearance of an old-looking neck.

Evaluation by a plastic surgeon is crucial in determining whether or not Kybella is worth the time and money. Surgery is some cases may be the better option.

Before And After

The photo above shows marked improvement of submental fat and jaw contour after one treatment.

How Much Does Kybella Cost?

Pricing depends on the area involved and the number of treatment sessions. 

How many Treatments Will I need?

The number of treatments varies significantly between patients. In studies, most patients needed 2-6 treatments to see optimal results. At Suria Plastic Surgery, Kybella treatments are spaced 1 month apart.

Kybella Recovery

Kybella generally is very well tolerated and usually does not require any pain medications. There may be some discomfort under the neck in the days after the injection.

Outside of slight discomfort and some swelling, patients are back to their normal activities 24 hours after the procedure. Swelling is seen at the injection site for approximately 1 week after the injection. Other, rarer side effects include bruising, numbness and hard areas after treatment. These side effects are similar to those seen after Botox and filler injections.

When Will I start seeing results?

Generally, most patients will see results at 4-6 weeks after injection. We spaces our treatments at one-month intervals. Kybella is a permanent solution for fat in the submental region. Unlike Botox and fillers, the results obtained from Kybella treatment are permanent, unless further weight is gained.

Schedule a consultation

Please contact our office to schedule your consultation by calling (954) 472-8355 today!