Introducing Kybella Injectable to Reduce Fat Under the Chin

A universal sign of youth is a tight jawline and upper neck. Think Nefertiti, or Angelina Jolie. Fair or not, our subconscious mind sees both men and women with a tight, defined jawline and upper neck as younger, thinner, healthier and more energetic.

Why Your Face is Falling

One of the reasons that this is lost over time is an accumulation of fat under the chin, a so called "double chin," which in fancy medical terms is "submental fullness." Although that extra 30 pounds that slowly creeps up on you over the years contributes to the fat accumulation, genetics and simple aging plays a role. Diet and exercise usually don't help much. For reasons that completely elude me, we are programmed to lose fat in our cheeks and gain it under the chin and in the upper neck as we age. The result is a lower face and neck that blend into each other, without definition, in one heavy block. Or as my patients say, "my face is falling."

Selfies and Social Photos are Evil

Perception of this is increasing, partly from ubiquitous selfies and social site photos that seem to be part of our life. Phone cameras have a close range lens that distorts your face and magnifies the problem. There are filters and apps to make you look better, but don't help in real life. If you are bummed out by your double chin you are not alone. A 2015 survey by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) showed that 67% of people said they were bothered by under-the-chin-fullness, or double chin, and just as bothered by it as they are by lines and wrinkles.

Kybella to the Rescue

Enter Kybella, the recently FDA approved injectable to reduce fat under the chin. Kybella is injected through multiple injections with a very small needle. A series 3-5 treatment sessions, at 6 week intervals, give significant improvement in a double chin, without surgery.

Kybella is deoxycholic acid, identical to the naturally-occurring deoxycholic acid made by your body makes to break down fat from your food so that you can absorb it. When Kybella is injected into the fat under the chin, the fat cells are destroyed, can no longer store fat, and are removed from the body just like cheeseburger fat. After the initial treatment series gives you the desired results, improvement is long-lasting and typically does not need to be repeated.

Men Want a Defined Neck Too

Men are selective in which aesthetic procedures they consider. In general, they prefer procedures that give results that are visible but look totally normal. A strong jawline is one of the hallmarks of youth, and in men a subconscious marker of masculinity. Kybella is helpful to regain a strong jawline.

Keep Your Young Neck Young

If you are relatively young, or don't have much fat, you don't have to wait to treat your neck. Early treatment or treatment for those patients who have relatively small amounts of fat take less sessions and less Kybella per treatment. Therefore, visible improvement is less expensive and quicker. So you don't have to wait.

More information on the procedure can be found on our Kybella page.

Call us today at 806-358-1117 or 800-417-SKIN for more information on how you can improve the appearance of your upper neck and double chin with Kybella injections. Those established patients who have been anticipating Kybella's release, and who have already discussed treatment with Dr. Elaine can go ahead and schedule for treatment.