The Double Chin That Won't Budge
Submental fullness, commonly known as a double chin, can persist despite disciplined diet and exercise, often reflecting genetics more than lifestyle. Fullness beneath the chin is not always simply excess fat: skin laxity, chin and jawline structure, deeper anatomy, and muscle-related neck changes can also contribute. The treating clinician assesses what is creating the concern before recommending treatment.
Before & After Results
Our clinical results library is continuing to grow. Additional authentic patient photographs will be added as patients grant permission to share their outcomes.
Our clinical results library is continuing to grow.
We are continually expanding our library of authentic patient photography as additional patients grant permission to share their outcomes.
Our clinical results library continues to grow
Individual results vary. Outcomes depend on anatomy, treatment selection, treatment plan, and individual healing response.
How Kybella Works
Kybella contains deoxycholic acid, a molecule the body uses to break down fat cells. When carefully injected beneath the chin, it disrupts the membranes of fat cells so they can no longer store fat and are gradually cleared by the body. Results in the treated area can be long-lasting with a stable weight.
First, Is Fat Really the Problem?
Kybella may be considered as a non-surgical option when localized submental fat meaningfully contributes to fullness. Reducing fat is not always the right solution.
Fat
Localized submental fat may respond to Kybella when fat is an important contributor to the fullness.
Skin
If skin laxity is the dominant problem, reducing fat alone may not create the desired result and can sometimes make existing laxity more apparent.
Structure
Chin projection, jawline anatomy, neck anatomy, and deeper structural relationships influence how the area appears, even when there is relatively little excess fat.
The first decision is not how much Kybella to use. It is whether reducing fat is actually the right treatment for what you are seeing.
What to Expect: Swelling, Settling and the Treatment Series
- The treatment
- The treating clinician assesses and maps the area so Kybella can be distributed through the targeted submental fat.
- Expect noticeable swelling
- Temporary swelling is common and can be quite noticeable, particularly after an early treatment. The area can look larger rather than smaller because of the expected inflammatory response. Swelling generally improves progressively, but may remain visibly noticeable for approximately one to two weeks in some patients. Recovery varies, and temporary tenderness, bruising, or numbness may also occur.
- Results are not judged immediately
- The early swollen appearance is not the treatment result. As swelling settles and the inflammatory response resolves, the contour can be assessed more accurately. Improvement develops over several weeks rather than immediately after injection.
- Think in terms of a series
- Kybella is commonly approached as a treatment series rather than a one-time procedure. Many patients may undergo approximately 2 to 4 treatments; needs vary, and some require additional sessions, up to six, spaced at least one month apart. The treating clinician assesses your response and recommends an individualized plan rather than a predetermined number of treatments.
What Kybella Can Change, and What It Cannot
Kybella can address
Localized submental fat when fat is a meaningful contributor to fullness beneath the chin. Treatment can gradually reduce this component of the contour over a series.
Kybella does not directly correct
- Significant skin laxity or loose neck skin
- Weak chin projection
- Skeletal or structural jawline issues
- Muscle-related neck changes
- Every cause of an indistinct jawline
Fat reduction is not skin tightening. Selecting the right treatment depends on what is creating the concern.
Sometimes Kybella is the right tool. Sometimes reducing fat is only one part of the plan. And sometimes removing fat is not the treatment we would recommend at all.
Distinct Roles in a Combined Plan
Neurotoxins
Refine the lower face and jawline alongside a smoother, more defined profile.
CoolSculpting
Address fat in other stubborn areas of the body as part of an overall contouring plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where This Fits in Your Treatment Strategy
Kybella is selected when submental fullness is a concern and you are an appropriate candidate. It may be used alone or as part of a lower-face and neck strategy developed during consultation.
Commonly considered with
You do not need to know whether this is the right treatment before you arrive. That is exactly why the consultation comes first.
Begin with a conversation.
A consultation helps determine which options belong in your plan and what may be more appropriate.
Continue Learning
Double Chin
Understand how submental fullness is evaluated and the range of ways it is addressed.
Learn MoreCoolSculpting
See how a device-based approach to fat reduction compares with an injectable one.
Learn MoreThe Consultation Experience
See how a physician evaluation determines where to begin and which approach fits your anatomy and goals.
Learn More