I am torn between Kybella and chin lipo, which one would you suggest to reduce the fat under my chin? (Photos)

Question

I have 3 weeks off coming up, and my main objective is to travel (most likely somewhere tropical) but I also want to get rid of my under chin fat. My 2 options are: 1) get kybella in SF same day I fly out, then travel 3 weeks, and go to work. I am concerned abt swelling and discomfort. It's also more expensive, and slower. 2) travel 2 weeks, then fly to tijuana, get chin lipo, spend a week somewhere in MX recovering (but can't swim or get a lot of sun) then go back to work a week later.

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Thanks for the question. Getting Kybella injections the day you travel can be risky, as this procedure is frequently accompanied by significant swelling and discomfort immediately following the treatment. Getting liposuction outside the U.S. is also risky. I recommend you have chin lipo in the states if you want quick results in a single treatment session. If you opt for Kybella, understand your results will take some time to develop and you will likely require three to four treatment sessions to achieve an optimal outcome. Good luck to you!

Michael P. Morrissette, DDS, FACS · Answer

With such a small amount of submental fullness you are a candidate for either procedure. However, I rarely inject Kybella these days as I have found that Kybella treatments are less efficient, require more recovery time (several treatments) and do not provide any improvement to the contour of the jawline. Liposuction is a one time treatment, minimal recovery, minimal discomfort and allows for contour improvement of the entire jawline. We perform chin liposuction in the office with intravenous sedation.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

It takes a series of treatments to get good results with Kybella. Keep in mind, 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, and Exilis. 
VASER Neck Liposuction in combination with ThermiRF, Renuvion, and InMode FaceTite is the best alternative for contouring and tightening the chin area. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a cosmetic dermatologist. Best, Dr. Emer

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Exquisite4490,
Kybella typically takes 3 to 5 treatments to work. This is why I've stopped carrying Kybella in my office.  I recommend neck liposuction more often then any injectable procedure for the neck now. It provides superior results gives me more control over the area than any injectable.  It also costs about the same as what you paid for your first kybella session. The liposuction can be done under local while awake in the office and recovery is about the same as kybella.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Tonya Boudreaux, MD · Answer

Hello... Thank you for your questions and photos.  Based on your photos, it seems that you would be a better candidate for Kybella than lipo. With Kybella, it will take a series of treatments spread out over time. You will also have a lot of swelling after Kybella injections so make sure to keep this in mind. Lipo might be a bit excessive, as you don't have a lot of fat in the double chin area.
Best of luck!

Mark Kearns, MBChB, BSc, FRACGP · Answer

You'd be a great candidate for kybella and the swelling and or bruising should hopefully have settled by the 3 week mark. You would usually want to wait 2 months before getting a second treatment, but you can have subsequent treatments any time after that.

Ray Bayati, MD · Answer

HelloHaving one kybella injection would not improve the double chin. you probably need 3-4 treatments.Have a formal consultation with experienced physician for liposuction.Liposuction under local anesthesia has quick recovery 1-2 days and back to normal life. costs would be less than series of kybella injection.Best

Johnson C. Lee, MD · Answer

Thank you for posting your photos. Your neck can be improved by removing some of the fat under the chin area. This can be done with liposuction or KYBELLA injections. Kybella is a great option to avoid surgery. It can cause pain with some mild to moderate swelling and requires at least 2-3 treatments to see a dramatic difference and you need to wait about 6 weeks between treatments. If you are not against surgery, then I personally prefer liposuction. This will give you more immediate results with a single procedure and the entire length of the jawline can be contoured and feathered. The prices are relatively similar since you will ultimately need multiple treatments of Kybella to get the same result of a single liposuction treatment. For the best treatment options, it is important to visit an expert for an in-person examination. Hope this helps!
Johnson C. Lee, MD
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon

William Portuese, MD · Answer

In our practice, we do not recommend Kybella because it is very ineffective. We've seen many patients who had multiple treatments with no effects. Chin liposuction with beer better option since it is a one-time treatment, with approximately 10 days of bruising and swelling after the procedure. Best to have the procedure performed in the United States.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

my personal opinion is that liposuction it is hands-down the better treatment.  Derek Henry is far easier, it's more predictable and you don't have to look like a bullfrog for three weeks.  One thing to consider. Young people who are not overweight and have a double chin almost always have a facial skeletal imbalance. Demand a bowl is either small or simply lacks projection.  This is the case with you as well.  The best treatment for this is a chin implant. Alternatively fillers can work great.  They can restore a sense of balance and  give the appearance of strength and confidence. This is much more important for men but facial balance is important for everyone.  It's important to make the correct diagnosis anesthetics just like any other form of medicine.   Liposuction of the chin is relatively straightforward and can be done this in office procedure.  Even if chin liposuction is more straightforward than full body contouring there is still a great degree of variance and outcomes among different providers.  Kybella also has quite a bit of variance. Perhaps less important is who does the treatment but this treatment simply has very different responses among different people. Some people get over treated to the point of looking deformed and there is no correcting this in anyway easy way. My primary dislike for this treatment is the immense amount of inflammation and swelling people undergo which far supersedes that of liposuction. On top of that most people need more than one treatment so you have to go through it more than once. Best, Mats Hagstrom MD

I am torn between Kybella and chin lipo, which one would you suggest to reduce the fat under my chin? (Photos)

Answers (10)

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