What is the recovery like for Kybella injections?

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 tx2. Limit your salt intake for 3 days prior to the treatment.3. Take some advil 15 min prior to injectionYou 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.

There is temporary swelling and risk of bruising with Kybella. For the first few days, numbness is also present below the chin. I have noticed with my patients that recovery time is very much dependent on the amount of Kybella that needs to be injected. The more injections, the longer the recovery time from swelling. Generally,the swelling in patients is unnoticeable within a couple of days. However, a full recovery is considered to take place within 4-6 weeks. 

To some degree most patients will swell after the Kybella procedure. Bruising is also not an uncommon result.  We usually recommend some cold compression under the chin and Arnica pills seem to help. But most importantly, it’s time and individual variances that affect the length of swelling. Remember in general swelling and bruising is temporary.

Great question! Kybella is a simple in office procedure that involves a series on injections to the submental area. The product that is injected is an acid that breaks down the fat cells permanently. During the injections it is common to feel a burning sensation, and this may last for several hours post treatment. I would recommend going home the day of the injections, and returning to work the next day. The area is typically tender to touch, and swollen for about 2 weeks. I recommend doing 3-4 treatments about 6 weeks apart for optimal results. In Good Health,Dr. Ellen Mahony 

Kybella recovery is straightforward. There will be some swelling, numbness, and soreness. In some cases, the swelling can be significant. It is up to the patient whether they need to take off from work or school due to social reasons. Most patients go back to work the same or next day as long as they are okay with having some swelling that is visible. It can take several weeks for the swelling to fully resolve, but is much better within 3-4 days.Be sure to see an expert physician injector who specializes in facial aesthetic procedures for any cosmetic injections.All the best,

Thank you for your question. Kybella is FDA approved for treatment of a "double chin". We inject Kybella, a synthetic version of naturally occurring deoxycholic acid, below the skin. It dissolves and removes the excess fat.  As the fat is dissolved, an inflammatory response occurs and this can take 2-4 weeks to subside. There may be some bruising and redness for up to 1 week but these can easily be covered with makeup. Overall you can return to work immediately and most people would not notice that you have had the procedure.  You’ll see some results after the first treatment, but to get the best results, we recommend two to five treatments.
As always, an in-person consultation with a board certified dermatologist with cosmetic training is the best way to assess your needs and provide medical advice.