New injection for double-chins arrives in Philadelphia

Monday, June 15, 2015
Bala Cynwyd, Pa. (WPVI) -- You can smooth wrinkles, fill in gaps, and relax frown lines with all kinds of injectable products these days.

Now there's a new one claiming to reduce double chins.

We spoke with one of the first doctors to get it to find out what's the deal with Kybella.

When Kathy Davis looked in the mirror, her eyes always zeroed in on one thing -

"I couldn't stand this part of my face," Davis says as she motions under her chin.



Neither exercise nor weight loss made that double chin budge.

"You know what I hate - is Facetime on the phone? Because I look, I'm looking down, and it looks even bigger," she says.

Dr. Tim Greco says double chins can be real trouble-spots.
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"It's usually due to genetics, aging, sometimes weight gain," he notes.

Liposuction surgery has been the best option.

But now there are big hopes for Kybella(deoxycholic acid), the first injection approved by the FDA for under-the-chin fat.



Kybella works in a unique way.

"It actually attacks the membranes of fat cells and breaks them down," explains Dr. Greco.

But Dr. Greco says it has to be used carefully, to avoid accidentally damaging healthy cells in critical places on the neck.

To deliver Kybellaexactly where it is needed, Dr. Greco first marks the jawline, so he can stay clear of a nerve controlling the corners of the mouth.

"If this gets affected, your lip rides up a little bit," he says, raising his lip and pointing to the corner of his mouth.



The specific treatment area is also marked, and a wash-off grid put over it, to make sure the injections are done evenly.

Kybella injections are shallow, into the layer of fat just below the skin, but above neck muscles.

"It's a series of treatments, and the number is based on severity," he says, explaining a 0 to 4 scale for determining the amount of under-chin fat.

In the FDA tests, most patients needed 3 to 4 treatments, one month apart - but some needed up to 6.

After each, there can be 5-7 days of swelling, bruising, and some numbness.



Over the treatment span, the double chin is supposed to gradually shrink, and the skin tighten, as shown in before & after pictures from the trials.

We will check back with Kathy, to see what her results are like.

We don't know the price yet - Kybella's maker won't release that till the end of the week.

Dr. Greco says Kybella may not be right for every double-chin.

And it's not known yet how skin of color will react - the FDA studies only had a few minorities.
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