Chin Up!
By Lisa Gotto
Per-man-ent-ly! Yes, you read that correctly, a new fat-blasting treatment called Kybella™, has arrived and from what we’re hearing, the results are here to stay.
This recently FDA-approved injectable, which was also featured on The Today Show, is said to offer permanent improvement since the fat that is blasted cannot come back even if a person gains weight elsewhere. An added benefit—the procedure can be performed in a doctor’s office.
Another great benefit of this treatment is that it is available locally at Adoro Medical Spa at the Center for Eye & Laser Surgery in Severna Park. Dr. Elba Pacheco, a Board Certified Eye Plastic Surgeon has recently added this face-saving specialty to her award-winning cosmetic and reconstructive surgery practice. (Adoro Medical Spa was voted the Best in the Medi Spa & Skin Rejuvenation category for its injectable treatments in 2013-2014 by What's Up? magazine readers.)
Typically, you are a good candidate for this procedure if you are in good health, but are dismayed at how that sagging skin around your jawline looks. You may have even lost weight everywhere else, but that area just doesn’t seem to want to budge. You may have already considered liposuction for this issue but decided that you don’t want to deal with the invasiveness and the downtime.
While Kybella™ is derived from deoxycholic acid, a natural substance found in the digestive system and secreted by the gallbladder; it is manufactured synthetically in the laboratory and purified for cosmetic injection. When injected, deoxycholic acid destroys fat cells permanently.
What to Expect
The procedure involves a series of injections; exactly how many depends on the surface area of the chin being treated. The injections are placed one centimeter apart and it is not uncommon to have 20 to 30 injections per session. The total procedure requires more than one session.
“Two to four sessions are typical, with a maximum of six,” says Dr. Pacheco. You should prepare for each session to take approximately 30 minutes. “Those requiring less contouring of the fullness under the chin will require fewer sessions,” Dr. Pacheco says.
If the thought of a series of injections leaves you feeling uncomfortable, you shouldn’t stress. Your 30-minute session includes time for numbing of the area prior to the procedure. Most patients report little to no discomfort during treatment, and closing your eyes and focusing on how great you’re going to look without that double chin is certainly a positive way to address any mental discomfort.
Reported side effects of the procedure include swelling, uising, numbness, firmness, and soreness. Temporary changes in the smile have been reported, as well.
What Will It Cost?
“The cost of the procedure depends on the number of vials required, which in turn, depends on the surface area of the treatment,” Dr. Pacheco says. Each treatment typically requires two vials of Kybella™. Cost per vial is ranging from $600 to $1,000, nationally. Accordingly, the average cost per treatment would range from $1,200 to $2,000, for a two-vial session.
“When you look at the pricing, it is pretty close to the price of a yearly gym membership, and (with this procedure) you get permanent results,” Dr. Pacheco says.
Patients with good skin tone in the neck area can expect excellent results. Collins says patients with advanced laxity could combine Kybella™ with Thermage®, a radiofrequency (RF) cosmetic treatment that is also safe and non-invasive, and is clinically proven to help tighten and lift skin. Another option: a neck lift, or lower rhytidectomy.
So will this procedure make liposuction, obsolete? “No,” says Dr. Pacheco. “But it will give patients who wish to avoid surgery a new option.” In addition, Kybella™ could be used to augment the results of liposuction. Kybella™ also prevents the scarring, band formation, and contouring irregularities sometimes associated with liposuction.
Of course, you are going to want to carefully weigh every option prior to undergoing any cosmetic procedure and be well informed when it comes to its efficacy and safety.
“Kybella is a safe and effective injectable natural substance that dissolves fatty deposits under the chin (double chin),” says Dr. Pacheco. “It is FDA-approved and offers a non-surgical, natural, and comfortable way to contour the neck while avoiding the downtime associated with surgery.
What could be better? We are thrilled to be able to introduce Kybella in the greater Annapolis area.”
