What is Kybella?
Kybella is an injection used to melt away fat beneath the chin. Kybella is identical to something your body makes called deoxycholic acid, which helps to absorb fats. It works by destroying fat cells. The shot is an alternative to liposuction or surgery to treat double-chin fat.
How does Kybella Work?
The active ingredient in KYBELLA is synthetic deoxycholic acid. Deoxycholic acid is a naturally occurring molecule in the body that aids in the breakdown and absorption of dietary fat. When injected into the fat beneath the chin, KYBELLA destroys fat cells, resulting in a noticeable reduction in fullness under the chin. Once destroyed, these cells can no longer store or accumulate fat, so further treatment is not expected once you reach your desired aesthetic goal.
How many treatments are needed?
Treatment can only be administered by a KYBELLA trained healthcare specialist. At each treatment, you will receive multiple small injections under your chin, and the injection process takes about 15 to 20 minutes. The exact number of injections will depend on the amount of fat you have under your chin and your desired profile. Each treatment session is given at least 1 month apart, and you should not receive more than 6 treatments.
FAQ
KYBELLA® is a prescription medicine and is the only FDA-approved injectable treatment used in adults to improve the appearance and profile of moderate to severe fat below the chin (submental fat), also called “double chin.”
Submental fullness is a gathering of excess fat beneath the chin, commonly known as “double chin.” It can be something you’ve had your whole life due to genetics, or start to appear as you get older or if you gain weight.
The active ingredient in KYBELLA® is synthetic deoxycholic acid. Deoxycholic acid is a naturally occurring molecule in the body that aids in the breakdown and absorption of dietary fat. When injected into the fat beneath the chin, KYBELLA® destroys fat cells, and once destroyed, these cells can no longer store or accumulate fat. This results in a noticeable reduction in fullness under the chin, revealing an improved chin profile.
Your specialist will create a tailored treatment plan based on your chin profile. At each treatment, you will be given multiple small injections under your chin. You may receive up to 6 treatment sessions, spaced at least 1 month apart. Many patients experience visible results in 2 to 4 KYBELLA® treatments. 59% of patients received 6 treatments in clinical studies.
In clinical studies, results for KYBELLA®-treated patients who had
A =1-grade composite combined physician- and patient-rated improvement were 8% (1 treatment), 28% (2 treatments), 43% (3 treatments), 55% (4 treatments), 66% (5 treatments) and 72% (6 treatments), compared with 2% (1 treatment), 7% (2 treatments), 12% (3 treatments), 14% (4 treatments), 15% (5 treatments), and 22% (6 treatments) of patients treated with placebo
A =2-grade composite combined physician- and patient-rated improvement were 0% (1 treatment), 0.2% (2 treatments), 0.8% (3 treatments), 3.5% (4 treatments), 3.9% (5 treatments) and 15% (6 treatments) compared with 0% (1 treatment), 0.2% (2 treatments), 0.2% (3 treatments), 0.5% (4 treatments), 0.2% (5 treatments), and 1.5% (6 treatments) of patients treated with placebo
KYBELLA® can cause serious side effects, including trouble swallowing and nerve injury in the jaw that can temporarily cause an uneven smile or facial muscle weakness. In clinical studies, nerve injury in the jaw resolved on its own in a median of 44 days (range of 1 to 298 days), and trouble swallowing resolved on its own in a median of 3 days (range of 1 to 81 days).
The most common side effects are swelling, bruising, pain, numbness, redness and areas of hardness around the treatment area. These are not all of the possible side effects of KYBELLA®. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects.
When injected into fat under the chin, KYBELLA® causes the destruction of fat cells. Once destroyed, those cells cannot store or accumulate fat. After reaching your desired aesthetic, further treatment is not expected.
KYBELLA® has been the focus of a global clinical development program involving over 20 clinical studies. More than 1600 people were treated with KYBELLA® in these studies.
Only you and your doctor can decide if KYBELLA® is right for you. If you’re bothered by fullness under your chin and wish to avoid surgery, ask your doctor about KYBELLA®.
It is not known if KYBELLA® is safe and effective for use outside of the submental area or in children less than 18 years of age.