KYBELLA HOUSTON

WHAT CAN KYBELLA DO FOR YOU?

Now Kybella is used for “bra” fat as well.  The stubborn fat that collects between your arm and bra can now be treated with Kybella.  It can be also used for the double chin!  Sometimes no matter how thin, due to genetics, fat under the chin and in other stubborn areas needs Kybella to be removed.  Kybella is a cost-effective, nonsurgical treatment used to eliminate excess fat beneath the chin with little to no downtime.  Kybella contains a synthetic form of deoxycholic acid, a naturally occurring bile acid that helps metabolize dietary fat.  Injected into the fatty tissue it dissolves the fat and destroys the fat cells.   Administered by tiny injections directly into the fat under then chin.  Multiple treatments about 6 weeks apart are recommended to reach optimal results.  Kybella minimizes the appearance of a double chin and enhances your natural jaw line.

WHO IS A CANDIDATE FOR KYBELLA INJECTIONS?

The question of whether Kybella^® would be the best treatment for your double chin is a question of fat versus loose, sagging skin. If fat is the issue and its accumulation over the years has created your double chin, then Kybella’s deoxycholic acid can break it down and slim your profile. But your skin needs to still have good elasticity under your chin, enabling it to tighten down once the fat is removed.

If your problem is sagging skin, then a neck lift or lower facelift would be necessary. Kybella^® cannot do a thing about loose skin.

IS KYBELLA PAINFUL?

Kybella^® is injected with a very tiny needle into numerous spots under the chin. This is not painful — most patients say they feel little more than a slight pinprick with each injection.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS WITH KYBELLA?

The potential side effects with Kybella^® are similar to those with dermal fillers. All side effects have proven very rare, however. They include nerve injury in the jaw that can create an uneven smile, trouble swallowing, and some weakness in the surrounding facial muscles. In clinical studies with 1600 patients, these side effects were not long-term, but they did not resolve immediately.

Swelling is pretty standard, although not really a side effect. As Kybella^® attacks the fat cells, it creates swelling in the area, especially after the first Kybella^® treatment. Typically, the higher the amount of fat the more potential for swelling. There will also be some slight bruising. This will start to resolve itself after around three days for most patients.

These are the common side effects after treatment and resolve themselves:

• Numbness
• Swelling
• Redness
• Bruising
• Residual pain
• Areas of hardness in the treatment area

HOW MANY KYBELLA TREATMENTS ARE NECESSARY?

The FDA has set the maximum number of Kybella^® treatments at six. But how you respond to Kybella^® is unique to you. At River Oaks, we’ve found that, on average, most patients are satisfied after three treatments. Other patients opt for all six. It really depends on how slim you want your profile.

The time between treatments is supposed to be four weeks, as this allows Kybella^® to fully do its thing before having the next set of injections. We believe five to six weeks apart is a better degree of spacing. This allows your results from the previous injection session to fully show themselves before deciding to go ahead with another round.

HOW SOON WILL I SEE RESULTS FROM KYBELLA?

Most of our River Oaks Kybella patients have some swelling after their injections. The more fat you have, the more likely you are to have swelling. Your results will begin to really show up from 4-6 weeks after your treatment. That gives the body time to break down and remove most of the fat cells. Those results will continue to improve, and your profile will slim and tighten.

HOW LONG WILL MY RESULTS LAST WITH KYBELLA?

Kybella^® goes after the fat that has accumulated under the jawline. It breaks down the fat cells and your body disposes of them through the lymphatic system. These fat cells are gone for good. Our bodies only have a limited number of fat cells. They enlarge when we gain weight and shrink when we lose weight, but their numbers stay constant. This can only change if a person puts on a large amount of weight. Otherwise, while your skin may slacken somewhat as you get older, if you maintain a healthy weight your slimmer profile created by Kybella^® will endure.

HOW MUCH DOES KYBELLA COST?

As mentioned above, the FDA has approved Kybella^® to be used in up to six injection sessions. But some patients get the results they seek in just two or three injection sessions. Like all injectables, Kybella^® is priced by the syringe. That means your costs will vary depending upon how many Kybella injection sessions you have. When you come in for a consultation and we see if Kybella^® is right for you, we will spell out exactly how much your costs would be depending upon how many sessions you have.