Double Double toil and Trouble! FDA Approves Kybella

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 The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new injection designed to melt away double-chin fat.

Don’t get your hopes up. Although Kybella was approved, the path to obtaining results is dangerous and more painful that doing liposuction alone.

Kybella, is aimed at adults with moderate-to-severe fat below the chin known as:  Submental fat or the “Double chin”.   Kybella is administered as an injection into the fatty tissue below the chin. Kybella is a synthetic form of deoxycholic acid, a chemical that is naturally produced by the body and helps the body absorb fat. Deoxycholic acid destroys fat cells by breaking down the cell membrane. The danger of Kybella is if the chemical comes in contact with skin of the neck it can cause serious damage to the skin and form ulcerations and skin death which would leave the neck scarred for life.  When evaluating the risk versus the benefits of Kybella and comparing to the risks and benefits of doing liposuction to the neck, the value of Kybella in the world of Cosmetic Surgery disappears.  Because of the dangers of the chemical Kybella coming in contact with the skin of the neck minute quantities of Kybella must be used and spread deep into the fat to assure the chemical does not reach the skin.  Thus, patients may have to receive up to 50 painful injections per treatment, with up to six treatments needed no less than one month apart.  Post injection there will be bruising and swelling and pain producing a recovery time where patients may need to hide out during this recovery phase.  It is not recommended to do more than 6 injections spaced one month apart. If results are not adequate after six injections no further injections are allowed and patients must seek out other options (liposuction).

In evaluating the benefits of Kybella and comparing it to External Ultrasonic Liposuction with or without Smart-Lipo MPX “laser lipo” there is no value to Kybella.  Although approved by the FDA, the practicality of Kybella is more for marketing rather than efficacy or usefulness.  The Kybella injection causes inflammation, bruising and pain and will need to be endured six times!  In practicality, Kybella makes no sense.   Why would anyone undergo this type of treatment when External Ultrasonic Liposuction is a one time treatment with less bruising and requires minimal if any down time.

Although a drug (Kybella) exists now for double chins, the risks and painful recovery of this procedure far outweigh any Benefits.