Experienced immediate mandibular paralysis after Kybella. Should I be trusting this Dr to perform the second treatment?

Thank you for your question. It's unfortunate to hear about your experience. Mandibular nerve injury is a known complication that may occur with Kybella treatments, and for this reason amongst others, ensure you seek out an experienced injector. Good news is that Mandibular nerve injuries are often temporary resolving in 1-2 months.  I would avoid correcting your smile with Botox as you may have further asymmetries as a result. Best to be patient. I would also recommend sharing your concerns with your treatment provider.   

Hello. Thank you for your question. One of the known complications of Kybella is paralysis of the marginal mandibular nerve. Every patient has a variable course of the nerve and at times it is not completely predictable. The paralysis typically goes away by six weeks. I do not recommend treating the contralateral side with Botox as the effect of kybella will likely wear off before you know it. You should discuss your concerns with your doctor and if you do not feel comfortable it is always reasonable to seek a second opinion. 

Thank you for
your question barneyjim92. I am sorry to hear about your situation. Kybella is
the first and thus-far only FDA-approved non-surgical injectable treatment for
the double chin. If the needle hits the marginal mandibular nerve it can lead to a temporary asymmetric smile. In the pivotal studies the median duration of such an adverse event was approximately six weeks. We have patients smile immediately before and after a treatment to assess for this possibility. Please
consult with a doctor for specific recommendations. Good luck!

Thank you for the question and I'm sorry this happened to you. The good news is that these nerve injuries always get better. When Kybella was being studied by the FDA some of the patients in the study had a similar problem as yours with the marginal mandibular nerve, they all got better. One way to temporarily fix the problem is to put some botox in the other side. I typically do not recommend doing this because the nerve paralysis will likely come back sooner than the botox wears off, then you're left with a crooked smile on the other side of the face! These types of injuries typically resolve in 2-8 weeks, but may take longer. Be patient as this can be a frustrating process! Best of luck!~Dr. Sieber

Kybella is a great product and I am not sure why the physician would be encouraging Botox for this side effect.  I would consult an expert in cosmetic injections and Botox to evaluate the situation.  Please keep us posted.  Best, Dr. Green

Hi,
Thanks for your question and I'm sorry you had a bad experience with your first Kybella injection. Based on your description you have injury to the marginal mandibular nerve. When injected on label using the grid system provided by Allergen this is a rare side effect. If the injector explained to you that he/she was going off label to inject a pocket of fat around this nerve then it is more of an expected side effect. I have heard from most injectors that this side effect is temporary. That being said, I would still call your injector and explain what is going on. They should bring you back into clinic and do a full assessment. If it is the marginal mandibular nerve, time is usually the best medicine. In terms of your second session of Kybella, I would wait it out and see how things shape up after the first injection. At our clinic we only inject four vials to start and typically wait ten to twelve weeks to see patients in follow-up because in our experience maximum fat loss and tightening do not occur until this time point. Swelling can also last several weeks. I hope this helps and wish you all the best.
Kevin Cavanaugh, MD