Kybella: Warnings About This Procedure From a Plastic Surgeon! by Donna John

The name of the game today in cosmetic surgery is fast and non-invasive. The reasons are obvious. Nobody wants to be bedridden out of work and off the social grid as they recover. Dr. Kirk Brandow, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Philadelphia, shares his thoughts on Kybella, an injectable treatment to destroy fat cells under the chin.

This injection is made of deoxycholic acid, which is actually produced by the body naturally to absorb fat. The synthetic version is a fat cell destroyer injected into the pocket of fat below the chin. So far this is the only location on the body for which Kybella is FDA-approved. “Kybella may shrink fat, but it’s also an acid which could burn the skin and cause an abscess or an open wound if placed too close to the skin," warns Dr. Brandow. "Equally important is that it can also destroy the deeper tissues as well which could lead to a dent just under the chin.” 

Another issue with Kybella, according to Dr. Brandow, is potential for "redistribution of fat" to other areas of the neck when people gain weight, over time. “The loss of fat in this focused Kybella-injected spot will look odd when areas around it are heavier looking.”