Kybella and nerve damage. Day one and my smile is really off on right side.

Question

I had Kybella injected under my chin by a licensed nurse. I noticed on the right side my muscle near my mouth feels weak and my smile is very off. It's only been day 1 and the nurse told me this can be normal. Because it's not having the same effect on the left side of my face. when I smile the tendon or muscle on the ride side of my neck seems like it bulges out. It almost feels like when you go to the dentist and they hit your nerve with lidocain and you can't feel that side of your face.

Ronald Schuster, MD · Answer

Kybella can cause nerve weakness. it was a recognized complication od the initial trial patients. it effects the fat (myelin sheath) surrounding the nerve so that the nerve does not function well. Nerve function returned to all trial patients though I believe that it may have taken up to 6 months to return to normal. It is important for the injector to have a thorough understanding of the anatomy of the face and nerves.

P. Daniel Ward, MD · Answer

Dear Britterfritters,I am sorry to hear that you are going through this issue. Thankfully, this complication is rare and should heal in time. You may consider steroid treatment and potentially Botox to the opposite side to help even out the smile in the meantime.Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns!

Calvin Jung, MD · Answer

Yes, this is a potential side effect from Kybella injections. Your nurse injector should have told you about this as a possible side effect while you were signing your consents!  The good news is that most if not all patients regain the nerve function as the swelling from kybella decreases.  The key is to be patient and follow up with your provider!

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

The good news is that these tend to recover over several months.  However, this might be a good point to reconsider your choice to do Kybella.  It is not a highly reliable method of reducing subchin fat and it is associated with many unsatisfactory issues.  For these reason, I am not recommending Kybella to my patients.  Instead I recommend neck liposuction, which is a very comfortable outpatient service with rapid recovery.

Anthony J. Wilson, MD · Answer

Nerve injury is a commonly reported side effect with kybella. It almost universally gets better in six weeks. I would discuss with your injector. When this occurs I suggest using botox on the non-affected side to even things out for a brief period. I am sure you will love the results.

Kyle S. Choe, MD, FACS · Answer

Kybella can cause nerve weakness. It is one of the known complications especially if injected too close to the jawline/bone. It is usually a temporary side effect and should not be permanent. I would follow-up with your provider and discuss your concerns.

Mark Taylor, MD · Answer

There are quite a few variations in distribution of the marginal mandibular nerve along the jawline that causes this problem with Kybella injections..  It is difficult to avoid this complication in all treatments with Kybella, however the good news is, it should recover, usually in a few weeks, but may even take a few months to fully recover.  Mapping the nerve before injection with a nerve tracing electronic probe can help avoid this complication.

Kybella and nerve damage. Day one and my smile is really off on right side.

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