There is a small area under the chin that can sometimes become full. This area, known as “submental fat” or “the double chin,” is bothersome for many people because no matter what they do or how much weight is lost, that area under the chin often stays the same. Kybella offers a solution for patients ready to get rid of this problematic area, without surgery.
What Kybella Actually Is
Kybella received FDA approval in 2015 for improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe submental fat in adults via injection to the affected area. Kybella is a formulation of deoxycholic acid, a substance that occurs naturally in the body and helps to break down and absorb dietary fat. When injected into the treatment area, it works by destroying fat cells, and once those cells are destroyed, they cannot store or collect fat again. The end result is a more contoured, defined chin and jawline.
Why Submental Fat Is So Stubborn
Many patients seeking Kybella have already tried diet and exercise, sometimes extensively, without seeing improvement in this specific area. This isn’t a failure of effort or willpower, submental fat behaves differently than fat elsewhere in the body. Genetics play a significant role in where fat is stored and how readily it responds to weight loss, and for many people, the area under the chin is simply one of the last places to respond, if it responds at all, to overall weight loss. This is precisely the gap Kybella was designed to fill: a targeted solution for an area that broader lifestyle changes often can’t reach.
How Kybella Treatment Works
During a Kybella session, a series of small injections are administered directly into the fat beneath the chin. The number of injections depends on the amount and distribution of fat in the treatment area, and most patients require multiple treatment sessions, typically two to four, spaced six to eight weeks apart, to achieve their desired results. The deoxycholic acid works gradually, breaking down treated fat cells over the following weeks as the body naturally processes and eliminates them, meaning results build progressively rather than appearing all at once.
What to Expect During and After Treatment
Kybella injections typically take about 15 to 20 minutes, and most patients tolerate the treatment well, describing a stinging or burning sensation during and shortly after injection that typically subsides within an hour. Swelling is the most common side effect, often significant in the days immediately following treatment, along with possible bruising, numbness, or firmness in the treated area. This swelling generally peaks within the first few days and gradually resolves over one to two weeks, with each subsequent treatment session often prompting a somewhat milder response than the first.
Why Two Treatments Offer Better Value
Because most patients require more than one Kybella session for optimal results, a two-treatment course reflects how the treatment is actually used in practice. Spacing treatments six to eight weeks apart allows the swelling and fat-clearing process from each session to fully resolve before the next treatment, ensuring your provider can accurately assess remaining fat and adjust the treatment plan accordingly.
What Determines How Many Treatments You’ll Need
The number of Kybella sessions required varies significantly from patient to patient, and it’s driven largely by two factors: the total volume of submental fat present and how the tissue responds to each individual treatment. Patients with a smaller, more contained area of fullness often see satisfying results in two sessions, while those with more significant submental fat may need three or four to achieve full correction. Your provider will typically reassess the treatment area at each follow-up visit, since the degree of fat reduction from the prior session directly informs how the next treatment is planned, rather than following a fixed, predetermined number of sessions regardless of individual response.
Is Kybella Right for You?
Kybella is best suited for patients with mild to moderate submental fat who are looking for a non-surgical alternative to procedures like liposuction. It’s not designed to address significant skin laxity or excess skin under the chin, which may respond better to other treatments, including collagen-stimulating options like micro-needling. A consultation beforehand can help determine whether Kybella is the right fit for your specific anatomy and goals, or whether a combination approach might serve you better.
Complementary Treatments for a Defined Jawline
Patients focused on facial contouring often combine Kybella with other treatments for more comprehensive results. Our Voluma filler can add structure to the cheeks and jawline, complementing the fat reduction Kybella provides under the chin, for a more balanced, sculpted overall profile, and our Botox special can further refine jawline definition by softening tension in the surrounding muscles.
The Hormonal Connection to Fat Distribution
It’s worth understanding that fat distribution patterns, including submental fat, are influenced by hormonal balance in addition to genetics. Declining testosterone in men and shifting estrogen levels in women during perimenopause and menopause can both affect where the body stores fat, sometimes making areas like the chin and jawline more prominent even without significant overall weight change, a pattern also relevant to our discussion of andropause and its effects on body composition. For patients whose broader weight and body composition concerns extend beyond a single treatment area, our medical weight loss programs address the underlying hormonal and metabolic factors that influence fat storage throughout the body, complementing the targeted results Kybella provides under the chin.
Ready to Get Started?
Our team can walk you through what to expect and help determine whether Kybella is the right choice for your goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Kybella work?
Kybella uses deoxycholic acid, a naturally occurring substance in the body, to destroy fat cells beneath the chin through a series of injections, with treated cells unable to store fat again once destroyed.
How many Kybella treatments are typically needed?
Most patients require two to four treatment sessions spaced six to eight weeks apart to achieve their desired results, depending on the amount of submental fat present.
Is Kybella treatment painful?
Patients typically describe a stinging or burning sensation during and shortly after injection, which generally subsides within an hour, though swelling in the days following treatment is common.
Why doesn’t diet and exercise reduce submental fat for some people?
Genetics play a significant role in fat distribution, and submental fat often responds poorly to overall weight loss regardless of effort, which is why a targeted treatment like Kybella exists specifically for this area.
Can Kybella be combined with other cosmetic treatments?
Yes. Many patients combine Kybella with dermal fillers like Voluma to add structure to the cheeks and jawline for a more comprehensive, balanced facial contouring result.
