How Many Kybella Sessions Do You Need?

Do you feel that you look older or heavier than you are due to excess chin and neck fat? Do you wish you could improve your profile once and for all? If so, Kybella injections may be the ideal treatment for sculpting a slimmer, more defined profile. At O’Donnell Vein & Laser in Annapolis, MD, we are excited to offer this FDA-approved non-surgical double chin removal treatment to help you feel more confident in your appearance. In this comprehensive guide, we’re looking at everything you need to know about Kybella injections.

How Many Kybella Sessions are Needed to Reduce the Appearance of a Double Chin?

Most patients typically need between 3 to 6 Kybella sessions spaced about 6 to 8 weeks apart to achieve their desired profile. However, you may only need one or two sessions, depending on the severity of your submental fullness (the clinical term for a double chin) and its cause. Treatment sessions are usually spaced between six and eight weeks apart, and you can expect to start seeing your results approximately one to three weeks after your first treatment session. Final results usually become apparent six to eight weeks after the final Kybella session.

What Is Kybella?

Kybella is the only FDA-approved injectable fat removal treatment. It contains deoxycholic acid, an acid your gut produces naturally to break down dietary fat. This popular fat removal treatment is an excellent fat removal solution because it is non-invasive, pain-free, and incredibly convenient. Unlike liposuction, which requires surgery and recovery time, Kybella is a minimally invasive alternative–with no incisions or downtime.

What Areas Can Kybella Injections Treat?

Kybella is FDA-approved for the safe, effective elimination of fat from the neck and chin region, also referred to as a “double chin chin.” It can be used to treat submental fullness caused by:

• Extreme weight gain
• Aging
• Genetics
• Hormonal changes or medical conditions

Typically, it is difficult to eliminate fat underneath your chin without liposuction, an invasive fat removal procedure. However, deoxycholic acid can effectively eliminate excess fat in this area. If you’ve struggled to eliminate fat under your chin with diet and exercise, Kybella injections may offer the results you are looking for without surgery.

Are Kybella Results Permanent?

Yes, deoxycholic acid injections deliver permanent results. This is because people stop growing fat cells at the age of 25. The fat cells in the treatment area will never be replaced. However, you must lead a healthy lifestyle to maintain your ideal profile.

This injectable fat removal treatment only eliminates some of the subcutaneous fat cells in the area. The remaining subcutaneous fat cells in the area can store fat in the future if you eat and drink more calories than you need for weight maintenance. As a good general rule of thumb, you should maintain your weight within 10 pounds after your treatment unless you are losing weight.

Will Kybella Change the Shape of My Face?

People are often curious about what this treatment can and cannot do. Among the most frequently asked questions about Kybella is whether it will change the shape of one’s face. This injectable does not involve the manipulation of your underlying chin and neck muscles. However, it will enhance the natural beauty of your unique facial structure.

Once the submental fat is reduced, your natural bone structure will become more prominent, resulting in a more youthful, slimmer, and sculpted appearance.

Am I a Good Candidate for Kybella?

You may be a good candidate for Kybella injections if:

• You are an adult 18 or older
• You have moderate to severe chin fat
• You are within 20 to 30 pounds of your goal weight
• You are not pregnant or breastfeeding
• You are generally in good health

To find out whether you qualify for this treatment, schedule a consultation. During this initial consultation, we will evaluate your current health, review your health history, and discuss all of the medications and supplements you are currently taking.

What Can I Expect Throughout the Treatment Process?

Consultation: Your initial consultation is the first step in your fat removal process. Once we determine you are healthy enough to receive Kybella injections, we will give you a comprehensive list of preparation instructions. We will also assess the severity of your submental fullness and advise you on how many sessions you should anticipate needing to achieve your desired look.

Preparation: One of the most important things to do to prepare for this treatment is to mitigate the risk of irritation in the treatment area. For example, you should wear sunscreen diligently to prevent sunburn. You should also make sure you don’t have any cosmetic treatments scheduled that may irritate your chin and neck.

Avoid using skin care products you are unfamiliar with leading up to your scheduled injection session. Finally, avoid alcohol and blood thinners 24 hours before treatment. Male patients should shave the treatment area.

The Injections: Before your appointment, you should wash your face and neck with a gentle, hypoallergenic cleanser. Cosmetics should not be applied below the jawline. Before your injections are administered, we’ll make sure the skin in the treatment area is not irritated. Then, we will sanitize the skin and apply a topical anesthetic. After the treatment area is completely numb, we will administer the medication into several strategic locations in the treatment area.

You will feel no pain or discomfort during the injection process because your skin is completely numb and the medication is administered with a very fine syringe. Once your injections are administered, we will clean the injection locations and review your post-treatment guidelines.

Recovery: There is no downtime after a Kybella treatment so you may go back to work or normal activities the same day. Follow your post-treatment guidelines and stay hydrated until your course of treatments is finished. The more hydrated you are, the sooner you will see your final results. Light exercise, like walking, is also recommended.

What Can I Do to Speed Up Kybella Results?

To support your body’s natural elimination of destroyed fat cells and reveal results faster:

• Stay hydrated (water, herbal tea)
• Go on daily walks
• Get lymphatic massages
• Avoid alcohol and processed foods
• Eat a clean, whole-foods-based diet

These lifestyle habits improve circulation and lymphatic function—two key components of post-Kybella healing. Your results appear over the course of several weeks because the fat cells in the treatment area are destroyed by the injected deoxycholic acid, but they are not suctioned out.

How Long Will My Treatment Session Take?

We can advise you on how long you should expect your treatment to take once we have assessed the severity of your submental fullness. Most sessions take between 15 and 20 minutes, depending on how many doses are being administered and whether the chin and neck are being targeted or just the chin is being targeted.

Preparing the skin for treatment may take up to 15 minutes, so you can expect your entire session to be completed in roughly 30 to 35 minutes. If your submental fullness is caused by genetics rather than extreme weight gain, you won’t need too many doses of deoxycholic acid, so your session may be faster.

Take the First Step Towards a Slimmer Profile Today

Submental fullness doesn’t need to affect your self-confidence. With deoxycholic acid injections, you can confidently live life to the fullest. This non-surgical fat removal treatment is safe, fast, and effective—helping you look younger and more confident with just a few short sessions. To take the first step in achieving your ideal profile, schedule your initial consultation at O’Donnell Vein & Laser in Annapolis, MD, to learn how many Kybella sessions you’ll need to achieve your desired jawline.

We welcome the opportunity to help you achieve your desired profile.