Kybella is the new buzzword in the world of cosmetic procedures by parent company Kythera, so we caught up with a top doc to discuss exactly how it works to break up chin fat cells.
Some people develop more fat around their chin area from aging, others are just genetically predisposed to collecting and storing fat there– either way, there are a lot of people who would give just about anything to easily remove that fat in a non-surgical way. Kybella is a new injectable that just got approval for use in breaking up the fatty cells in the chin area produced by Kythera Pharmaceuticals.
“People who are closest to their ideal weight are best suited for minimally invasive procedures. This pre-platysmal fat is a ‘fit-fat’ location. Patients may be fit and still have this fat. I truly feel genetics has a role and therefore this minimally invasive procedure [ Kybella ] is ideal for these patients,” says Dr. Sean Doherty, MD, FACS, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.
Unfortunately, in the eyes of many doctors, the fat stored in the chin area is fairly resistant to weight loss. That means we can spend our lives toiling away in marathon training and still appear to have a double chin in the victory photos after.
“This pre-platysmal fat is almost resistant to weight loss. Having said that, patients who aren’t at their ideal body weight are still good candidates for the Kybella treatment. Improving the neck contour literally transforms a patient- it can give them significant confidence. It’s an excellent option for healthy adults, and one doesn’t need to exhaust all the other options first (like liposuction or surgery).”
Kybella isn’t equal to all other injectables, though– the cosmetic consumer has gotten used to injectables like Botox being a one time injection lasting for several months at a time. Kybella, on the other hand, requires several injections administered every 4-6 weeks. According to Dr. Doherty, patients should expect to schedule at least 3 to 4 treatments, and start seeing results a few weeks after the first series of injections.
“The effects are cumulative, and patients see more of a result after multiple treatments. It is stated that results can last for 6 months, but it is suggested that results will last much longer than that — possibly even permanent.”
Permanent or near-permanent results are bound to change a lot of lives and medical practices, especially since chin fat seems to know no age bounds.
For now though, the treatment isn’t available until it is released to the public later in June 2015. Pricing has not yet come out, although it’s fair to expect that it won’t be covered by insurance. Doctors like Doherty don’t seem concerned, though.
“I do a lot of liposuction to this area and am looking forward to offering this option to my patients. I have already received a lot of requests from my patients.”
For more info on Kybella and Kythera, check out http://www.kythera.com/
I am a Smart Beauty Guide contributor and this post was written in collaboration with one of their participating physicians.
