22 Jan My Experience With Kybella [Incl. Before and After Photos!]
For years I debated the moral and philosophical questions associated with controlling aging. Shouldn’t we all be okay with just aging naturally? Isn’t that more graceful — more real?
But I did want my forehead to be smooth and my under eye area to have smaller bags and not be so dark.
I’d be lying if I said that money and health weren’t concerns. Would it all be worth the money? What if something went wrong? What if my face looked weird afterward?
A few months ago, I was on Instagram looking at before and after photos of anti-aging, Botox-type injections. That’s when I found out about Kybella, an acid injection that literally melts fat away under your chin. The photos that I saw were striking.
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Now, I love my full cheeks; they’ve always been what has made me look younger. But as I close in on 40, gravity has taken its toll and those full cheeks are seeming to slip under my jawline.
Looking at myself, I saw little fat pockets on either side of my chin and a fullness directly under my chin. I thought about my double chin when I looked down and hated any picture of my taken from the side. I didn’t look as thin or in shape as I felt the rest of my body looked. That sharper, more contoured jawline was the dream — with minimal waddle underneath.
Kybella was the thing that got me off the ‘gram and into a med spa for all things Botox and anti-aging.
The Consultation
I made an appointment for a consultation with Diane at Richards Cosmetic Surgery and Med Spa in Las Vegas. We went over all of the things that I wanted — to get rid of fine lines, fill under-eye darkness, and Kybella.
Diane said she thought that I was a great candidate for Kybella because of the limited amount of excess fat in the area to start. The dramatic before and after photos of extreme under chin fat loss from Kybella come after many rounds of injections. She said that for someone in that situation neck liposuction would be more cost-effective (around $3,000) vs Kybella ($600-800 a treatment) and provide better, faster results.
I appreciated that Diane really took the time to explain Kybella to me. Before I learned about Kybella, I dreamed about the results that neck liposuction would provide. But liposuction seemed too extreme for the little fat that I felt I had — and I am absolutely terrified of being put under. It seemed like Kybella might be the answer for me — it was cheaper and I didn’t have to go under anesthesia.
Diane said that Kybella is perfect for soft fat (under your chin), not hard fat (on your belly, thighs, etc – darn!). Once Kybella gets rid of those fat cells, they are gone forever, so Kybella is considered a permanent solution. Though, obviously, if you gain weight, new fat cells can, and will, come back.
Everyone’s fat is different — and everyone’s fat responds to Kybella differently. Most people need two to four rounds of Kybella; Diane said she thought I would need two rounds which she would do in a single sitting.
Getting Kybella
I was calmly nervous before my appointment. When I got back to the exam room, I let Diane take the most hideous photos of me that I’ve ever allowed. After the photo session, she applied topical numbing cream to my face and let me sit for a few minutes with an ice pack on my neck.
While my neck got really good and numb, Diane worked on my forehead and undereye area with Restylane (to get rid of those pesky dark circles and fine lines) and Xeomin for my frown lines. It was uncomfortable but virtually painless.
With the anti-aging injections done, Diane moved on to Kybella. The procedure is noninvasive and quick — and includes about 50-70 tiny needle injections under your jawline, mainly in the v-shaped area under the chin. Diane said Lidocaine was mixed with Kybella to reduce the stinging sensation on injection.
The needles were really small, so I really didn’t feel them at all. However, after the first few injections, I started to feel a stinging sensation that grew with intensity. It feels like a baby bee sting that morphs into an overall buzzing under your chin. On a scale of 1-10, it’s a 3 or 4. It’s uncomfortable, but not painful.
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Immediately After Kybella
I swelled up almost immediately. By the time I got to my car, the burning, stinging, and buzzing sensation got more intense.
When I got home I started icing on and off every 20 minutes. I wanted to be super cautious with the freezer packs and create a barrier for my skin. (When you’re that numb, you have to be careful to not burn your skin with the cold.) So, I grabbed two cotton headbands and inserted the ice pack between them. Then I secured everything with an Ace Bandage.
Not that I had any plans on heading to the gym, but Diane told me that working out should be avoided for 48 hours following Kybella. I’ve seen people online saying they hardly swelled or that they looked pretty normal or that they went back to work…to which I say “eff that!” I looked wild and the burning wasn’t terrible but it certainly was all-consuming.
The Next Few Days
The next morning I had pretty major swelling; I’d definitely “bull frogged.” I also noticed a blood spot/bruise at the injection site in the v-shaped area under my chin. As the day went on and the swelling got worse and the area felt soft and jiggly — like Jello.
My face and neck hurt to the touch and it was hard to put on makeup or wash my face.
Day 2
By the second day, the swelling appeared to be even worse. I started to get some slight itching to go along with the weird buzzing sensation. It seemed that the pain was worse (and even sharp at times) when my swollen neck dangled. I found some relief by lightly wrapping the Ace Bandage / headbands around my face and it kept that annoying jiggly feeling at bay.
Day 3
New bruising appeared on the left side of my jawline. The buzzing feeling and numbness started to go away but was still present. The swelling around my jawline had gone down significantly, but in the v-shaped area under my chin still had really prominent swelling. The area still hurt to the touch; even clothing against my skin was uncomfortable. I experienced a lot of pain when moving or stretching my neck.
Post-Kybella
1 Week
Bruised. Painful to even the slightest touch.
2 Weeks
Drew and I headed back home to Tennessee for Christmas. Bruises were still visible around my jawline. It still felt tight and painful to the touch. Lumpy areas — like hard balls — started to form at the injection sites.
3 Weeks
The numbness finally started to go away. Painful balls were still present.
4 Weeks
The swelling appeared to be completely gone, but there were still areas that were painful to press. Directly under my chin still felt hard and tight, but that had started to decrease. The lumpy balls started to go away.
5 Weeks
Still some residual pain and tightness directly under my chin, but very minimal. I can really see a slimming of my jawline at this point.
I’ve read that the whole fat loss process following Kybella can take eight weeks.
Final Thoughts
Getting this done on a long weekend would be ideal. I wish that I’d felt more informed about the downtime and pain following Kybella. I had read that it would hurt and that I’d swell, but what I experienced was more than I expected.
Don’t take any sort of ibuprofen at least three days before you get your injections because the bruising will be much worse.
Prior to your appointment, get an ice pack like this one that wraps around your head or get yourself an Ace Bandage and some soft, small ice packs and make a headwrap yourself. Start icing immediately when you get home. It really helps the burning — and oddly the jiggling from the swelling.
I absolutely love the look from the Xeomin and the Restylane. I don’t have to spend time trying (in vain) to cover my dark circles and my forehead is so smooth!
Frustration: 5/10
Pain: 6/10 at worst
Expectations Met: 8/10
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Kybella really work?
Kybella works by permanently causing a chemical reaction that destroys fat cells. Yes, you read that right, the results of Kybella are permanent. The key to successful fat removal with Kybella is proper candidate selection. People with looser skin may not be ideal candidates for Kybella, since Kybella does not contract or tighten the skin
What is Kybella?
Kybella is deoxycholic acid, also known as cholanoic acid, and is the only FDA-approved injectable treatment that destroys fat cells in the treatment area under the chin to improve your profile (bye bye double chin!).
How much is a syringe of Kybella?
Each Kybella treatment costs between $1,200 to $1,800. Your total cost is affected by the number of treatments needed and where you get the procedure done.
How long after Kybella will I see results?
I saw some effects at around 5 weeks but real change at around 8 weeks post-injection. Other users report seeing real changes after 12 weeks or at least 2 sessions. Maximum results can be seen after six months and are meant to be long-lasting.
How many treatments of Kybella will I need?
Most patients will need at least two treatments, but the average is between two to six treatments. You can get two vials/treatments of Kybella in each session with your injector. How much you need will depend on how much submental fat you have and your desired goals.
Does Kybella hurt?
It’s not painless. It does hurt. It stings when it’s being injected (pain isn’t that bad) but that stinging/burning grows as the day goes on. In the days that follow the pain will feel more like a bad bruise.
What’s better Kybella or liposuction?
I mentioned before that I am terrified of being put under. Kybella and liposuction both remove fat. One requires you to be put under anesthesia (liposuction), and the other does not. From what I understand, that is the major difference between the two.
Also, Kybella is really best suited for patients with minor fat reduction goals. If there is major work to be done, it’s my belief that liposuction would work the best.
Oh, hey there!
I’m Sarah – a southern gal who found her way to the Las Vegas desert! Welcome to my travels with my husband, life with our two dogs, and all the things in between.
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Amy Rene Bishop
Posted at 14:36h, 26 JanuaryThank you for this very thorough account of your experience! I’m giving serious consideration to getting Kybella, but am doing as much research as I can to see if it’s worth it. Judging by your photos, I think my face shape and profile is very similar to your “before” pic. Now that a year has gone by, how happy are you with your results? Would you recommend it?
Sarah
Posted at 22:10h, 26 JanuaryHi, Amy! Thanks so much for reading! I am super happy with the results after a year. I’ve kept about the same weight and have noticed that the “baby fat” that seemed to be sinking down to my jawline is staying away. I debate going back for a second time (third dose) but I am happy with the way that it is currently. – Sarah
Bao
Posted at 23:07h, 15 MayCan I ask how many vials you got? I got 2 vials 3 days ago (first treatment) and I’m just trying to gauge if I need another treatment of 2 vials. I have around the same under chin fat as you originally did and was wondering if you ever went back to get a second treatment? Thank you in advance!
Sarah
Posted at 18:38h, 19 MayHi Bao — I just got two vials of Kybella. I didn’t wind up going back as I was pretty happy with the results. Do you think you’ll go back for another round? – Sarah
Clara
Posted at 06:45h, 04 JuneHi Sarah, so you got two vials at one treatment but didn’t have a second treatment? I had it done a week ago and even though was told I would need two treatments, given the swelling and pain I don’t think I can go through with a second treatment. There is a checkup at 6 weeks which is also supposed to be the second treatment but I’m wondering if I push back the 6 week review and give it more time to work? It seems like that people m got get suckered into a second treatment by having a 6 week check up rather than waiting a few more weeks
And getting better results
Sarah
Posted at 09:59h, 04 JuneHi Clara – I’m so glad that my office recommended getting two vials at one treatment, because I’m like you…I don’t think I would have gone back because of the pain and swelling. I definitely did see a difference in my jawline with the two vials of Kybella … so if you’ve already done the one, might as well go for the two to get the better result. What do you think you’ll do?
BB
Posted at 17:36h, 04 JuneThank you so much for this. I too wasn’t really informed just how ínstense the swelling and discomfort would be. I’ve had Xeomin/Botox in my forehead a handful of times, and they said this would be more ínstense but not bad. I disagree it’s pretty bad. Granted not as bad as surgery though and it’s tolerable, but very uncomfortable. I just injected and i look hideous!!! Lol. But your story has given me a shift to focus on the end result. Gonna ice now, my place said NOT to use ice at all, but it seems everything I read says it’s ok. Definitely need something to help with this burning
Sarah
Posted at 08:14h, 10 JuneOh my goodness — hopefully you are feeling much better now! That’s so strange about the “no ice” advice — my place sent me out the door with several ice packs. I wonder what the reasoning was? The burning is just all encompassing — so difficult to think of anything else!
Clara
Posted at 02:37h, 07 JuneThanks for replying Sarah! I also had two vials at Treatment 1. It’s now been a week and a half and the area is still swollen but significantly less now compared to the first few days. I agree with BB that I too was undersold just how much swelling and pain there would be. At this stage, I can’t imagine going back for treatment 2. I’m hoping that 2 vials is enough to see a difference
Double chin treatment
Posted at 08:27h, 12 JulyI love how well the treatment worked for you. Thank you for sharing before and after pictures and for sharing your experience. It was very helpful! I am getting kybella treatment next week and I am super scared of needles. I guess I have no choice to just suck it up and get the procedure done. Anyways.. once again thank you sharing I hope it work well for me too
lori gibson
Posted at 22:20h, 19 OctoberI had two sessions on week one of second session now 10/18/2021 , still having pain under my neck and swelling ,they said that it would not be as bad second time but it was just as bad when i go to work i have to make up stories to why my neck is black and blue and swollen.its very sore i am supposed to go back February but i am done not doing this again, would i suggest it ,no it hurts for at least two weeks it cost me about 700.00 each session hope to see results but if would have known i would go through this in the same way as before i would not have gotten the second treatment
Robyn
Posted at 00:38h, 01 MarchI live in Las Vegas and Diane did my Kybella treatment, too! She did my first treatment about four years ago… I just got a second treatment done a few days ago because I found a Groupon for a place and it was super cheap. I think they only did one vial both times. This second time was way less painful, and I also think that the swelling isn’t as bad. I hate how long it takes to see results though— and how it looks way worse before it looks better… but I did end up with pretty good results a few years ago. I probably shouldn’t have waited so long in between treatments, but I read online that it shouldn’t matter. Fingers crossed! Thanks for sharing your pics!
Sarah
Posted at 14:17h, 03 MarchThat’s so awesome! I really liked Dianne — and my results (I think she’s retired now). Congrats on the second treatment! I hope you heal up quickly — and the swelling, even if it’s just a little bit, goes down soon. – Sarah
Paula
Posted at 20:44h, 04 AprilDo you have before and after pictures of the dark circles under the eye and their treatment?
Sarah
Posted at 13:46h, 05 AprilThe best pics I have of my under eye area are on the post. But here’s my takeaway. I LOVED it. I really felt like I looked less tired — just refreshed. But, the filler just didn’t last long enough for the price for me (it only lasted about 5-6 months even though they quote 9 – 12 months). I’ve had it done once since, but until they can make it last longer…I just can’t swing the cost.