I have heard of Kybella being used to treat the lower leg/ankle area. How much treatments would that area require? Cost?

 Thank you for your question. Kybella is FDA approved for the submental region.   However, just like other devices, off label use is going to be at the physicians discretion. Using it off label, does require a deep understanding of the underlying anatomy to ensure that the target tissue is isolated from critical structures.  You will find that the treatment indications with FDA will start to broaden over the next few years as more areas are studied such as the knees, love handles, anterior axilla, and possibly ankles.  I would make sure you consider any off-label use with an experienced and knowledgeable plastic surgeon.

Good morning.Kybella (Belkyra) is a novel treatment approved for reduction of sub mental fullness (the double chin).Its mechanism of action suggests it may be useful in other areas of the body that have isolated pockets of fat. These areas would be considered off label uses. At present there is no data on the safety and efficacy of this therapy in regions outside of the chin/neck.Specifically regarding the ankle, I would suggest this is not a great area to introduce an unproven treatment outside of a clinical trial. This region, though limited in scope is still significantly larger than the area under the chin - so cost would become a factor quickly. Secondly and most importantly there are significant blood vessels and nerves in the region that may be vulnerable if they pass through the treatment area.There are sure to be more and more areas that are proven to be safe and effective in the future. For now I would suggest holding off and waiting for more rigorous scientific proofs to be published.Kind regards.Dr Nodwell

Thank you for your question. Kybella is approved by the FDA only to safely eliminate excess fat below the chin, which may take two (2) to six (6) treatments. I suggest that you move forward and consult with a board certified facial plastic surgeon.

Best wishes,

Thank you for
your question OceanSpray77. I understand your concern. Kybella is the first and
thus-far only FDA-approved non-surgical injectable treatment for the double
chin. The pivotal studies were performed under the chin in the submental area. Treatments performed in other areas are therefore considered off-label as there is no data on the safety and efficacy of the treatment in other areas. That being said, many treatments are performed off-label. I do not have experience using Kybella in other areas. But the amount of product used and hence the price would likely depend on the amount of fat in the area. Please
consult with a doctor for specific recommendations. Good luck!

Kybella is only FDA approved to treat the under chin area and any other use would be considered "off label" which means that the safety of using Kybella in this area hasn't been fully studied. If you want to take that risk, make sure to find a surgeon with a lot of experience who really understands anatomy. Kindly,Kouros Azar

Kybella is not approved to treat the lower leg region. In fact, it is only FDA approved to treat the submental area(under the chin). When I treat the submental region, I always tell my patients that it will take at least 2-3 treatments before they start appreciating any noticeable results. Be cautious about doing this treatment in off label areas as it has not been studied and you are at risk for increased complications. 

I would definitely not recommend that you consult a physician who does Kybella "off-label" as this procedure is not FDA approved and the side effects are not yet known.  Best, Dr. Green