Is Kybella suitable for older adults? (Photos)

Thank you for the detailed question and corresponding photos. Kybella can be used in older adults as long as the skin is not too loose. Based on the pictures, you may need some skin tightening as well, so laser assisted liposuction may be a better option. I recommend seeing a board-certified plastic surgeon in-person to discuss your exact concerns and go over your goals to come up with a treatment plan that is right for you. If you are unable to meet in-person, we can arrange a free Skype/FaceTime consultation. For more information, please visit our webpage.

Which procedure is best for a patient will depend on that patient’s individual concerns. If they have a lot of excess fat under the chin but good skin quality, liposuction is probably all that’s needed to achieve a more sculpted neckline. If there is significant sagging of the skin and underlying SMAS layer, liposuction won’t help, but a neck or facelift would. If a patient has both sagging skin and excess fat, a face or neck lift plus liposuction can be performed for optimal results. This is why a consultation with a board-certified facial plastic surgeon is so important; the patient needs to be evaluated, their goals discussed, and a custom treatment plan decided upon. I hope this helps.

Judging from the picture, you would need several sessions of Kybella with several vials each time, and there is a high probability of skin laxity when all is said and done. You would do better with a necklift including liposuction in the neck.

At 58 you certainly can be a candidate for Kybella. Looking at your  photo it’s hard to determine if you have submental fat or excessive sagging skin plus some fat. I would suggest you see a cosmetic doctor who can determine if you are a good candidate for Kybella.

Age is not the issue with regards to determining whether you are a good candidate for Kybella or not. Kybella is a treatment for submental fat but not skin laxity. So to decide if you are a candidate the physician must first determine if you have skin laxity. If you have good skin quality then you maybe a good candidate for Kybella treatment. Otherwise, a skin tightening procedure/surgery maybe a better option. I recommend you see an experienced aesthetic physician for an in person consultation. 

Thank you for your question. It would definitely take multiple treatments to treat your sub-mental fat. Since Kybella has minimally skin tightening, I would suggest exploring other options combining liposculpting with an energy based device such as J-Plasma, FaceTite or ThermiTight to tighten the skin. In the end, you will get better results from a single treatment without much more swelling and bruising from your first Kybella treatment. I hope this was helpful - Dr. Moore.

Hi mailui, You have 3 options - nonsurgical, surgical, or both. If surgery is out of the question for some reason, Kybella would be worth trying. However, you would need 3 or more treatments. Kybella works over time so you need to be patient. Skin laxity can be a problem so you would need laser treatment or surgery for that. Liposuction with skin tightening is an option if you aren't adverse to surgery or anesthesia.All the best, Justin Harper, M.D.