Double Chin Treatment

What is a Double Chin?

The clinical term for a double chin is “submental fullness.” Considering how prevalent they are, it’s kind of interesting that the aesthetic industry has paid so little attention to this area of the body. Short of surgery — a facelift or neck lift — people have had few options when it comes to addressing a double chin.

That all changed in the spring of 2015 with the FDA approval of a new product called Kybella^®.  Kybella^® is the prescription brand name for an injection formulated with deoxycholic acid that dramatically improves the appearance and profile of moderate to severe fat below the chin, the proverbial double chin.

Lots of Double Chins out There

If your profile has some sagging under your chin, you’re not alone. The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery conducted a survey in 2015 and found that 67% of people said they’re bothered by a double chin. And people in the survey were equally bugged by their double chin as they were about wrinkles and other signs of aging.

There are a variety of factors that play a part: the pull of gravity, simple intrinsic aging (where decreasing production of collagen means the skin has less underlying support), genetics (some people simply have looser skin below the jawline), and weight gain. All of these factors cause our skin to droop. Add some fat pockets and the drooping is now a full-blown double chin.

Kybella^® Takes out the Fat

The basis of Kybella^® is deoxycholic acid. Deoxycholic acid is a naturally occurring molecule in the body whose job is to aid in the breakdown and absorption of dietary fat. When injected into the fat beneath the chin, Kybella^® (and its deoxycholic acid) destroys the fat cells. After those cells are gone, there is no longer a storage mechanism to accumulate fat in the area. So, your double chin shouldn’t return!

Multiple treatments yield the best results

At La Vie Med Spa, we customize our Kybella^® treatments for every patient. Some patients see the results they want after two to four treatments; others require six (six is the FDA-approved maximum). The number of treatments will depend on the amount of fat stored under your chin, along with your desired final profile. Each treatment is spaced four weeks apart.

Kybella^® has no side effects and requires no recovery time. The early Kybella^® injections in your series can have some swelling as the deoxycholic acid attacks the fat for the first time. This usually passes within a few days. Because Kybella^® destroys the fat cells, results are permanent. However, if you gain weight, submental fat can return.