What is the recovery like for Kybella injections?
The FDA disclosed bruising, swelling, redness, and hardness to be common side effects of a Kybella treatment. Will a person be able to go along with their day after injections like with botox or should they expect to need a few days at home?
Doctor Answers 57
As an injector of deoxycholate (aka Kybella) for TEN YEARS, I can review for you the series of symptoms and signs that are typical of these injections for the neck area.
First, they experience some pain, usually rated 6-8 on a scale of 1-10, for a total of 6-8 hours starting about halfway through the injections, made very tolerable with pain medicine taken prior.
Next, they experience swelling, which can get huge if there was a large amount of fat, which peaks at 20-28 hours after injection and is largely gone by 48 hours after the procedure. Some of the swelling (but not the medicine) can go down into the upper chest skin--but usually leaves by the end of the second day).
They will develop, often, some numbness in the treated area, which disappears within 2 months.
They often have tenderness-to-the-touch in the area (but only when the area is being touched) for 1-2 months, which is not severe enough to interfere with daily life and working.
They may have a transient 4-12 hour period, within the first 24 hours after treatment, of hoarseness and mild discomfort swallowing solid food (but no problems breathing or drinking or eating soft foods and smoothies)!
On the 3rd or 4th day after treatment, the treated area starts to "gel." This is something you feel; not see. This is followed by a solidification or hardening of the gel-fat. Next, the solidified fat breaks into bits, called "nodules", which are almost always felt but not seen. At this point the body's immune system macrophages (big eaters) are in full swing, eating the dead fat in the nodules and carrying the dead fat away to be eliminated from the body...and so the nodules gradually disappear over a few months. Again, they are felt but almost never seen. And they always go away with time.
At about a month after the procedure, most people have definite reduction in fat and tightening of skin in the treated area. This continues to improve over the next 3-5 months. (I have never had a single patient unhappy or dissatisfied with the results of this procedure. And I have treated hundreds of necks with this!) It is an absolutely wonderful procedure!!! Those who are injected on a Thursday or Friday are back at work on Monday!
First, they experience some pain, usually rated 6-8 on a scale of 1-10, for a total of 6-8 hours starting about halfway through the injections, made very tolerable with pain medicine taken prior.
Next, they experience swelling, which can get huge if there was a large amount of fat, which peaks at 20-28 hours after injection and is largely gone by 48 hours after the procedure. Some of the swelling (but not the medicine) can go down into the upper chest skin--but usually leaves by the end of the second day).
They will develop, often, some numbness in the treated area, which disappears within 2 months.
They often have tenderness-to-the-touch in the area (but only when the area is being touched) for 1-2 months, which is not severe enough to interfere with daily life and working.
They may have a transient 4-12 hour period, within the first 24 hours after treatment, of hoarseness and mild discomfort swallowing solid food (but no problems breathing or drinking or eating soft foods and smoothies)!
On the 3rd or 4th day after treatment, the treated area starts to "gel." This is something you feel; not see. This is followed by a solidification or hardening of the gel-fat. Next, the solidified fat breaks into bits, called "nodules", which are almost always felt but not seen. At this point the body's immune system macrophages (big eaters) are in full swing, eating the dead fat in the nodules and carrying the dead fat away to be eliminated from the body...and so the nodules gradually disappear over a few months. Again, they are felt but almost never seen. And they always go away with time.
At about a month after the procedure, most people have definite reduction in fat and tightening of skin in the treated area. This continues to improve over the next 3-5 months. (I have never had a single patient unhappy or dissatisfied with the results of this procedure. And I have treated hundreds of necks with this!) It is an absolutely wonderful procedure!!! Those who are injected on a Thursday or Friday are back at work on Monday!
The first time you try Kybella, I would recommend having a few days off. There are some things that I would recommend to prepare you for the treatment.
1. Stop all aspirin, motrin, fish oil etc for two weeks prior to tx
2. Limit your salt intake for 3 days prior to the treatment.
3. Take some advil 15 min prior to injection
You can expect some mild discomfort for the first couple of hours, this should not keep you from working. It is very different than BOTOX or fillers. It is actively destroying the fat cells. It creates inflammation(temporary swelling). The first time you have the treatment is probably the most swelling. Generally the amount of swelling decreases with subsequent treatments.
1. Stop all aspirin, motrin, fish oil etc for two weeks prior to tx
2. Limit your salt intake for 3 days prior to the treatment.
3. Take some advil 15 min prior to injection
You can expect some mild discomfort for the first couple of hours, this should not keep you from working. It is very different than BOTOX or fillers. It is actively destroying the fat cells. It creates inflammation(temporary swelling). The first time you have the treatment is probably the most swelling. Generally the amount of swelling decreases with subsequent treatments.
The fat is dissolved within 10-15 minutes of the injection, however an inflammatory response is induced that causes swelling that takes approximately 3-4 weeks to subside. The bruising and redness tend to be minor and easily covered by makeup. The swelling, however, is noticeable to the patient for typically that fist week or so but is in most cases not going to be catching the eye of casual observers. So most people are fine with going about their daily lives and routines . Those close to you, however, would likely notice unlike with botox injections which are invisible within hours. You will not see your result from a the treatment for at least 4 weeks following your injection because of this swelling. Most patients require at least 2 rounds of treatment to get to a result that is a noticeable improvement and that they are happy with. A similar but often more mild process of minimal bruising, redness, and swelling occurs with each of these rounds but they tend to be milder with each subsequent round. Hope that helps!
Web reference: http://drjasonplasticsurgery.com/kybella-double-chin/
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Recovery after Kybella treatment is much quicker and easier than after the alternative, liposuction. Therefore, The many patients I have treated are pleased with the procedure and don't mind the after-effects.
After the procedure, the primary side effect you will notice is swelling. This can be noticeable for as little as two days to as long as three weeks and is greater in those with larger volumes of treated fat and higher doses. Older patients, with more skin laxity, will feel that the swelling takes longer to resolve than those with younger and/or tighter skin.
The treatment can be modified if this is an issue for you, in that smaller doses given over more treatments will result in less swelling per treatment. Also, the swelling is always greatest with the first treatment compared to the second or third, even with the same treatment dose. Patients who experience my specific anti-swelling protocol before and during the procedure and use the Calm-Down Kit we provide afterward have a shorter recovery period. Anyone who is concerned about their postop appearance might choose to have the treatment on a Friday or when they won't be working for the next day or two, and consider wearing a turtleneck or scarf.
Other than that, there is some tenderness but patients don't usually talk about it on their follow-up visit other than to be reassured that it is normal, since it is fairly mild and mostly only if the area is touched or prodded. Small areas of firmness, if they occur, resolve quickly.
So staying home from work is up to you but not necessary for medical reasons and I would advise only if you definitely don't want to have to answer any questions from your more perceptive colleagues. You will be aware more than any one else. Maybe not the best treatment a week before you are going to get married or accept a Nobel Prize, however!
All the best,
Dr. Clark
After the procedure, the primary side effect you will notice is swelling. This can be noticeable for as little as two days to as long as three weeks and is greater in those with larger volumes of treated fat and higher doses. Older patients, with more skin laxity, will feel that the swelling takes longer to resolve than those with younger and/or tighter skin.
The treatment can be modified if this is an issue for you, in that smaller doses given over more treatments will result in less swelling per treatment. Also, the swelling is always greatest with the first treatment compared to the second or third, even with the same treatment dose. Patients who experience my specific anti-swelling protocol before and during the procedure and use the Calm-Down Kit we provide afterward have a shorter recovery period. Anyone who is concerned about their postop appearance might choose to have the treatment on a Friday or when they won't be working for the next day or two, and consider wearing a turtleneck or scarf.
Other than that, there is some tenderness but patients don't usually talk about it on their follow-up visit other than to be reassured that it is normal, since it is fairly mild and mostly only if the area is touched or prodded. Small areas of firmness, if they occur, resolve quickly.
So staying home from work is up to you but not necessary for medical reasons and I would advise only if you definitely don't want to have to answer any questions from your more perceptive colleagues. You will be aware more than any one else. Maybe not the best treatment a week before you are going to get married or accept a Nobel Prize, however!
All the best,
Dr. Clark
Web reference: https://www.realself.com/find/New-York/New-York-City/Dermatologist/Sheryl-Clark#photo-2256048
Kybella can have several localized side effects. I always numb the patient with lidocaine first since the injection of Kybella can be somewhat painful at the site of injection. Afterwards, I recommend that the patient take tylenol or motrin for localized pain or swelling. Immediately after and for several days later there may be localized swelling at the areas of injection as the fat is being dissolved. Some patients who have a lot of fat can be very swollen the next day and may want to wear a scarf or turtle neck to hide the swelling. Patients are very happy with the procedure and have permanent dissolving of the fat under the chin. I often combine Kybella treatment with Thermage in my office to tighten the skin under the neck for the best cosmetic results. Best, Dr. Green
KYBELLA® is used to improve the appearance and profile
of moderate to severe fat below the chin --often referred to as a “double
chin .
The most common side effects of KYBELLA®include : swelling, bruising, pain, numbness, redness, and areas of hardness in the treatment area. Similar to any other injectable treatment, this can easily be minimized by avoiding over-the-counter medications and supplements such as Ibuprofen ( Motrin or Advil), baby aspirin, fish oils, Vitamin E and green tea.
We also offer an analgesic for mild discomfort and swelling and send patients home with ice packs and a chin strap to improve the recovery time!
#doublechintreatment #Kybellatreatments #submentalfattreatment
The most common side effects of KYBELLA®include : swelling, bruising, pain, numbness, redness, and areas of hardness in the treatment area. Similar to any other injectable treatment, this can easily be minimized by avoiding over-the-counter medications and supplements such as Ibuprofen ( Motrin or Advil), baby aspirin, fish oils, Vitamin E and green tea.
We also offer an analgesic for mild discomfort and swelling and send patients home with ice packs and a chin strap to improve the recovery time!
#doublechintreatment #Kybellatreatments #submentalfattreatment
Web reference: http://www.pacificcenterplasticsurgery.com/injectable-fillers-newport-beach/kybella/
Great question! The recovery from being treated with Kybella is similar to other injectable products. As with any injectable treatment, the risk of bruising and swelling is always present. I recommend that my patients take Arnika and Bromelaine tablets before their appointment and for several days afterwards to reduce the chance of these things being problematic. The injecting physician’s technique also plays a large roll in post-injection side effects. The more experience the doctor has, the better the outcome usually is. There is usually a bit of swelling after injections, so I recommend that my patients schedule their treatments on a Friday so that they have the weekend to recover.
Web reference: http://www.facialplasticsbh.com/non-surgical/kybella/
You can expect to be swollen after your treatment. Difficult to say how long it will last but you could certainly go to work.
You can minimize bruising by stopping any anti- inflammatories 2 weeks before your treatment.
You can minimize bruising by stopping any anti- inflammatories 2 weeks before your treatment.
Kybella does not require any recovery time or downtime; most patients can return to their normal activities immediately. As with any injection, there is a risk of bruising and swelling at the injection site, and some patients experience temporary redness and/or swelling. This usually disappears within a couple days but can last up to a week.
Web reference: http://www.m-body.com/services/injectables/
For years people have looked in the mirror and wanted that unwanted fat just under the chin to disappear. Prior to today, the only real options were surgical and that meant downtime and scars. Now we have Kybella! Kybella is a revolutionary product that can dissolve the fat and tighten the skin under the chin. It only takes a few minutes for the treatments and the effects can be permanent. Kybella works by breaking down the fat cells and then your body takes care of the rest. No surgery needed! The overall downtime in limited to some swelling and occasional bruising, and major side effects are rare.
Web reference: http://regenesisplasticsurgery.com/
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.
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