With the growing popularity of Kybella®, Virginia Beach's Dr. Ben Hugo explains more about the injectable the FDA has approved for treating submental fat. This is the fat that collects at the neck to create the look of a double chin.
As so many of us in Virginia Beach and elsewhere learn over time, there are parts of our bodies that we try and try to reshape through exercise, diet, and more, but just can’t get to the point where the outward appearance reflects our inner selves. That’s one reason Kybella® has proven such an effective treatment for double chin, particularly when administered by trained medical professionals like the ones at Ben Hugo Plastic Surgery. And as many patients are learning, this new and proven-effective procedure has benefits that go even beyond how you look on the outside.
Kybella®, which was the first injectable that the FDA approved as a means of reducing the appearance of double chin and improving contours under the neck, continues to prove itself as an effective procedure with long-term results as well as one with additional benefits. Also known as ATX-101, the FDA approved Kybella for treatment of what is referred to as submental fat. Kybella can be used in moderate to severe cases.
According to a study presented by researchers at the American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting, Kybella® was shown to be effective for treating submental fat with minimal side effects. Researchers presented their findings on Kybella and reiterated that, when performed properly, Kybella® was a demonstrated safe way of reducing double chin.
Perhaps more significantly, follow-up data on Kybella showed that there were sustained positive effects unlike some other injectables that can require “maintenance doses.” And patients who enjoyed the benefits of a refreshed and rejuvenated outward appearance following their Kybella® treatments reported that they experienced benefits in other ways as well. In fact, based on the reported results, patients in Virginia Beach can expect an increase in self-esteem and satisfaction following their Kybella® treatment.
Such results are not unprecedented and mood-boosting effects of fillers like Kybella® have been documented before. For instance, the American Psychiatric Association in Toronto found that patients who received another injectable, BOTOX®, were less likely to experience depression. Yet, unlike BOTOX®, which produces results in a few days that can last approximately six months, the effects of a Kybella® treatment can last for years.
“Patients are administered a series of subcutaneous (SC) injections over the course of up to 6 sessions,” according to the research as presented at the annual meeting. “In clinical trials, these injections have demonstrated safety and tolerability when administered no sooner than 4 weeks apart.”
They also reported that the most common adverse effects came in the form of some temporary bruising, swelling, and discomfort. Overall, however, Kybella® is proving itself to be a strong contender among injectable fillers.
“[Kybella®] represents an important, nonsurgical treatment for the increasing demand for submental fat reduction," board-certified dermatologist Dr. Saad Al Sogair, who was one of the presenters at the American Academy of Dermatology meeting, explained. "Moreover, the treatment serves as a regulated alternative to unregulated, compounded, and misbranded products with unknown quality, safety, and efficacy.”
“In addition, reduced chin volume with no unwanted skin sagging has been reported in >90% of patients,” the researchers shared at the meeting.
Kybella works by destroying unwanted fat cells and removing them from a targeted area. The injection is formulated from a naturally occurring deoxycholic acid in the body. Patients in Virginia Beach will notice some results after one treatment, although it is often recommended to receive two to four Kybella® treatments to achieve optimum results. Kybella® produces a cumulative effect, and it may be necessary to have as many as six treatments separated by a month between sessions.
