The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced approval for an exciting new double chin treatment yesterday. Kybella, a version of a naturally occurring compound called deoxycholic acid, helps the body absorb fats and is designed specifically to reduce double chins.
“Treatment with Kybella should only be provided by a licensed health care professional, and patients should fully understand the risks associated with use of the drug before considering treatment,” FDA’s Dr. Amy Egan said in a statement.
“It’s important to remember that Kybella is only approved for the treatment of fat occurring below the chin, and it is not know if Kybella is safe or effective for treatment outside of this area.”
Kythera, the California-based manufacturer of Kybella, hopes to use the new drug to breakthrough into the medical aesthetics industry.
Patients may receive up to 50 injections in one treatment depending on the physician’s recommendation. If needed, patients can come back for 6 full treatments scheduled at least one month apart. There is some pain at the injection site and study patients reported bruising, pain, numbness, ands swelling, which are not uncommon with other injectables. A few study patients reported more concerning side-effects, such as trouble swallowing, but such problems didn’t persist.
Dr. Michael Edwards, president of the Society for Aesthetic Plastic surgery, cautions that it’s not for everyone. “My biggest concern is once it is approved, people will start to use it for other areas of the face or for larger volumes (of fat) in other areas,”
Currently, patients are able to achieve great results with submental liposuction, the removal of fat under the chin. Having an additional option to offer patients that is less invasive certainly sounds promising. More information will be coming soon on the use of Kybella at Utah Facial Plastics.