2 weeks PO. How did Kybella eat away at 50% of my face/shift my teeth? How do I get my face back?

Question

Please look at my picture. This is all in a matter of 2 weeks. 2 vials of kybella under my chin and it’s ate away at the sides of my face and totally deformed me! I Want to crawl in a hole and hide. How do I get my face back? Could Kybella have caused my teeth to shift

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and I sorry your Kybella treatment did not produce satisfactory results for you. It is unusual for Kybella to reduce fat as quickly as you described. I encourage you to schedule an appointment with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can assess you in person and determine whether additional treatments are necessary to produce the results you want. Good luck to you!

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Thank you for the photos and I am so sorry that you are not happy with your results. Typically, it takes a series of treatments to get good results with Kybella. Keep in mind, that Kybella is good for dissolving the submental fat under the chin area while contouring the jawline and making the chin more defined, but a combination approach is needed to get the most improvement with non-invasive options. I recommend a combination approach with thermage, ultherapy, exilis. VASER liposuction in combination with ThermiRF is the best alternative for contouring the chin. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a cosmetic dermatologist. Best, Dr. Emer

Mark Kearns, MBChB, BSc, FRACGP · Answer

Hey there thanks for the question! I'm just a little confused as to where the kybella was injected and is there a before picture here? It is licensed for use under the chin. Off license it can be used on the jaw line but would usually cause swelling for a few weeks post injection rather than  volume loss. If you have concerns I would go back to your injector for advice but you seem to be having a very atypical reaction.

Sheryl D. Clark, MD, FAAD · Answer

Having reviewed your photos and many of your previous posts carefully, I am confused. They mention several different post op times and other details that are not consistent. It is not possible for Kybella to create any of the many different adverse events you have described, with the exception of the swelling and a firm area of the neck you mention in one post, both of which resolve completely in a short time after treatment. Kybella is a carefully investigated, FDA approved treatment for submental fullness with reliable outcomes and can only enter and affect fat cells, certainly not bone. It is not possible for it to migrate to the face as studies have proven that the 0.02 ml injections that are given migrate exactly 1 cm and no further.I have never seen a serious side effect and even minor side effects like swelling and areas of firmness are short-lived and have not been an issue with my patients. No permanent adverse events have been reported. I suggest you get a copy of your medical record with good quality before and after photos taken at the same angles and with consistent lighting and review them with a core provider you trust to be certain there is not an unrelated medical problem that needs to be addressed.Wishing you all the best, Dr Clark

Jean M. Casello, MD · Answer

We use  a lot of kybella in our office.  It is appropriate for those patients with a small amount of submental fat who do not want to consider surgery.  It usually takes several weeks to see the results of kybella.  Usually at 2 weeks there is not a significant amount of fat reduction to see a difference. Kybella will not dissolve fat in an area where it is not injected.  It is difficult to assess any difference from your photos. The photos are not taken under consistent conditions  and therefore are not useful to make any type of comparison. Also you do not mention what the time frame is between photos is it a few months or several years?  You should contact your provider with your concerns, he/she could best advise you.

Leonard Tachmes, MD · Answer

Hi and welcome to our forum!
Kybella is a synthetic form of deoxycholic acid, (which occurs naturally) which aids in breakdown and absorption of fat if injected into the fatty layer in the submental region. Patient satisfaction with this product is relatively high. The procedure is not without its complications, however,  which may include contour irregularity, indentations, infection, scarring, sensory changes, hematoma and seroma. 
At two weeks out, most patients are still experiencing swelling. I am unaware of any instances of bone resorption, tooth erosion, etc, as the product targets only fatty tissue.
In our practice we utilize kybella as a non surgical alternative to liposuction, but it is less effective and there is less control over the amount of fat resorption.
I recommend you revisit your plastic surgeon to determine the nature of your concern as your presentation is extremely atypical.

Mohammed F. Ahmad, MD · Answer

Hello. Thank you for your question. We use a lot of Kybella in our office, and I have never seen anything like this happen. Also, after 2 weeks, Kybella usually still causes swelling. Even if the swelling is down, the fat reduction process is still happening. I would check with your provider and make sure that Kybella was actually injected.

Ibrahim Elsheikh, MD, MBA · Answer

It takes time to see results after kybella injection. Two weeks are too soon to see any fat reduction after injection. Kybella causes swelling that lasts for one week, sometimes few weeks after the injection. Perhaps what you are describing are not related to Kybella (if it is indeed genuine Kybella manufactured by Allergan). I would encourage you, however, to see your provider to discuss your situation.

Shaun Patel, MD · Answer

Kybella should not have reduced fat in areas it was not injected into. I would followup with your injector in person to discus your concerns. Honestly, your lips and cheeks also look completely different on the before photos and it would be useful to know when the before photo was taken. In my practice Kybella has been very useful as a nonsurgical treatment for submental (below the chin) and jowl (off-label) fat in the appropriate patient who is not willing to undergo a surgical procedure.

Brian Kerr, MD (retired) · Answer

If it was Kybella that was injected - usually at 2 weeks post treatment there is still a substantial amount of swelling, so your experience with this product is extremely abnormal. 
Kybella is FDA approved and is safe when used on label. It does not destroy fat in areas where the product is not injected.
Due to your reaction from what we injected we suggest following up with a advanced cosmetic injector or plastic surgeon in your area for a medical evaluation.

2 weeks PO. How did Kybella eat away at 50% of my face/shift my teeth? How do I get my face back?

Answers (10)

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