Frequently Asked Questions: Kybella

1. What Is Kybella?

Kybella (deoxycholic acid) injection is the first and only FDA-approved injectable treatment

that is used in adults to improve the appearance and profile of moderate to severe fat below

the chin (submental fat), also called, “double chin.”

2. What areas can be treated with Kybella?

Kybella is used to treat areas of stubborn fat below the chin, double chin. Using Kybella for

the treatment of fat outside the submental area is not approved or recommended.

3. Are there any off-label uses for Kybella? If so, are they safe?

It is not recommended to use Kybella in other areas such as love handles, waistline or fat on

the abdomen considering the liability risk it carries if someone has an adverse reaction to

the treatment.

4. Kybella vs. liposuction for double chin? Which would you recommend and what is the

difference?

The biggest draw to Kybella is that it is a series of minor injections with no downtime vs

going under the knife which is a more aggressive approach, will require downtime and is

more expensive.

5. What is recovery like for Kybella injections?

Other than some mild swelling, there is no downtime and you can resume daily activities.

6. How long do results from Kybella injections last?

When injected into the fat under your chin, Kybella causes the destruction of fat cells

permanently. Once destroyed, those cells cannot store or accumulate fat. After the aesthetic

response is achieved, retreatment with Kybella is not expected.

7. What do I do if I gain weight after using Kybella?

Kybella permanently reduces the number of fat cells, therefore, if you gain weight, you may

gain it in the treated area. However, it’s not likely that you would gain as much if you hadn’t

had Kybella treatments.

8. Are Kybella injections painful?

The area is numbed or iced prior to your treatment so you should not feel the needle at the

injection site. You will experience mild pain within the first couple hours after treatment, but

is tolerable for most. Within the first 24 hours there will be some swelling in the injected area

but should subside within 48 hours.

9. How long is a Kybella treatment?

Expect the treatment to take about 30 minutes including your numbing time. The actual

injections only take a few minutes.

10. How many Kybella treatments do I need to see results?

The number of treatments depends on the amount of correction desired. The average series

of injections are 1 to 3 treatments with 1 to 2 vials per treatment. You will want to space out

at least 6 weeks between injections.