Double chins don't have to be a problem

Submental fat, the other name for double chins, is caused by different things: genetics, weight gain and age. Those factors also make it hard to get rid of a double chin, even with changes to your diet and exercise routines.

Without many options, you may feel like you should just give up and accept the double chin. Don’t. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a treatment that permanently destroys fat cells.

The treatment is called Kybella, a synthetic form of deoxycholic acid. This treatment targets fat cells and destroys the fat within the cell. Once the fat is destroyed, the cell can never again store fat.

Deoxycholic acid does occurs naturally in the body and helps remove fat in other parts. Kybella is designed to treat the submental fat in the neck.

Over 20 clinical studies of Kybella, where roughly 1,600 patients were treated with the medication. The studies showed Kybella as both safe and effective.

A healthcare professional administers Kybella by injecting it into the fatty area. The number of injections varies from person to person; and from one treatment to the next. Results are visible within two to four treatments. Every patient will require two treatments, and it is very unusual to need more than six. The number of treatments needed all depends on the patient goal.

At Columbia Laser Skin Center, patient comfort is important. Kybella patients are given a prescription numbing cream at their consultation and are directed to use it an hour before their treatment. At their treatment, they are given Ibuprofen and extra strength Tylenol. The providers at Columbia Laser Skin Center also add an extra touch to their Kybella treatments by adding numbing medication to the Kybella solution. In the end, the Kybella treatment is very comfortable.

To learn more about Kybella, call Columbia Laser Skin Center at 541-298-5066 or visit them online at columbialaserskincenter.com.