Welcome to NYC, Kybella! According to a 2014 survey conducted by The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, 68% of those interviewed were bothered by “submental fullness”, a fancy term for a double chin. If you’d count yourself among that 68%, chin up! The FDA has just approved a brand new non-surgical double chin destroying treatment called Kybella (aka ATX-101). Kybella is a patented synthetic form of deoxycholic acid that promises to melt your chin cares away. The drug is a man-made version of a naturally-occurring substance in the body, deoxycholic acid, that normally aids in the breakdown of dietary fat.
What You Need to Know
The treatment is performed in the office, by a plastic surgeon or dermatologist. It takes about 20-30 minutes and does not require anesthesia. The drug is injected in the area of unwanted fat (10-20 separate needle sticks). When Kybella comes in contact with fat cells, it disrupts the cell’s membrane and causes the cell to “lyse”, or burst. The fat cells release their fatty contents into the surrounding area, and all that unwanted junk is cleaned up and carried away by your body through its normal process for such things. As for recovery, you should expect some swelling and tenderness at the site of the injections for the first 2-3 days after treatment, and some people may have some temporary numbness in the area. Multiple treatments will likely be required for optimal results. During clinical trials, participants received injections once per month for up to six months.
Say Goodbye to Your Double Chin
The reality is, although a small amount of submental fat is – literally – a small thing, it can make you look older and heavier than you are. Though excess fat under the chin can be associated with weight gain, genetics also play a huge role, and for some people, though they may be at a healthy weight, they still have that extra padding under the chin. Before Kybella, the only options for reduction of submental fat were surgicam, liposuction, or surgical neck lift. Kybella is exciting because it represents the first effective treatment for the double chin without the anesthesia and downtime required for conventional surgery.
Is Kybella for You?
Not everyone is a candidate for Kybella. For example, Kybella melts fat, but does nothing to tighten redundant skin under the chin, and it is not approved for patients under the age of 18 (duh!), so an in-person consultation is a must before scheduling the treatment. Nonetheless, welcome, Kybella! Our newest tool in the non-surgical arsenal in the battle against submental bulge! Read this post on TravelBeauty.com
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