Submental fullness, more commonly known as a double chin, can cause grave insecurities. Whether you’re taking selfies or looking in the mirror, this extra padding makes the face look older and fuller than it really is. Kybella, the first injectable of its kind, melts away this fat to restore smooth, well-defined contours to the face and neck. But at H-MD Medical Spa in Oklahoma City, OK, we know this treatment can help patients in even more ways.
How Can You Get a Slimmer Face and Body? 9 Places Kybella Will Melt Fat
1. The Chin
This injectable is the first and only treatment to earn FDA approval for destroying under-chin padding. You likely know this as a double chin, difficult to eliminate and steadfast in its ability to alter your appearance. For some, this padding is frustrating enough that they try to cover it with button-up shirts, turtlenecks, and scarves.
But Kybella goes to the source of the problem and, once injected beneath the skin, dissolves the membranes that line all fat cells. Once that is gone, the cells lose their structural integrity and release their slippery fat contents. The body’s internal processes then go to work cleaning and expunging the fat so it cannot be replaced.
A Permanent Solution
When you lose weight, fat cells shrink as their contents are burned for energy. Those cells still remain, however, meaning they can again grow in size and store new fat if you stop exercising and eating healthy. Keep in mind the body is designed to move, but it’s also built to store fat so you can survive extended periods without food.
Kybella doesn’t just eliminate fat, it also kills a targeted number of fat cells within the treatment site. Those cells cannot regenerate, nor will existing cells migrate to replace those that are lost. In short, this treatment permanently eliminates unwanted fat that doesn’t respond to traditional measures like increasing physical activity and counting calories.
A Potent Ingredient
The secret behind this treatment’s success is deoxycholic acid, a molecule that exists within the gastrointestinal tract that metabolizes fat. Kybella contains a synthetic version of this molecule so it produces the same effects as that which occurs naturally. When injected, it improves contours by destroying some, but not all, of targeted fat cells.
Patients can have up to six treatments, although many see aesthetic improvements after just two to four sessions. An added benefit is the lifting of skin as your body heals. This reduces the appearance of sagging tissues that once contained unwanted fat. Thanks to this effect, treatment can work on multiple levels to lift, contour, and shape.
2. Your Jowls
Known as sagging skin below the jawline, jowls blur the distinction between your face and neck. These tissue deposits can be caused by a number of factors, including:
- A loss of collagen and elastin, proteins that support skin and provide its firm, elastic qualities
- Smoking, which causes blood vessels to constrict so vital nutrients cannot be delivered to the skin
- Overexposure to UV rays, known to degrade collagen and promote skin sagging
- Repeated work on the computer, which weakens neck muscles
- Genetics
- Weight gain
Regardless of their cause, jowls develop when underlying fat slides from the mid-face region, such as the cheeks, and settles in the jawline. In the past, facial surgery was the go-to option for correcting this laxity but forced patients to endure the risks associated with anesthesia and then go through a long recovery process. Patients were also then subject to scars.
Injections to Redefine
We can treat the jowls in the same way we do the submental area: with a series of injections, each delivered four to six weeks apart, to destroy fat cells. Because the jawline is smaller than the under-chin area, patients usually need fewer sessions. The goal is to redefine the jawline so it’s again more prominent.
This area is an important part of your appearance for several reasons. First, sharp angles are associated with youthfulness, and restoring them fine-tunes your face. Second, a well-defined jaw means the contours of your face are in proportion. Too much focus on the midface, which occurs with excessive sagging in the jowls, gives an unbalanced appearance.
3. Upper Arms
It may be hard to believe, but disrupted hormone levels may be to blame for fat storage in places like the upper arms. For instance, when testosterone levels drop, the body stubbornly holds fat and resists muscle building. And because we cannot dictate to the body where to burn fat, re-shaping the upper arm can be difficult.
Patients who want to treat this site should be at their ideal body weight. Because Kybella works best on smaller treatment sites, the upper arm is well-suited to injections. Once the fat is permanently eliminated, the underlying muscle will show to reveal a more toned shape.
4. Front and Back Bra Rolls
Most women have experienced it at some point: you feel and see fat pushing from beneath your bra straps in a way that distorts your clothing. This creates an uneven surface that some women try to fix with “smoothing” bras, but these rarely work, and when they do, they only mask the underlying problem: excess padding that is all but impossible to eliminate, even if the rest of your body is svelte.
Permanently eliminating targeted fat cells in these spots can give the back and chest a polished appearance. The number of treatments you need will depend on the amount of fat you want to eliminate and how well your body responds to treatment; the protocol, however, remains the same:
- Sessions must be spaced four to six weeks apart
- Patients can have up to six treatments
- The number of injections you receive in each treatment will be customized to meet your needs
5. Male Chest
We would be remiss in suggesting that only women contend with unwanted chest fat. Men experience this, too, resulting in larger breasts that can be a source of anguish. Sometimes this is caused by a hormonal imbalance, in which excessive levels of estrogen cause breast tissues to grow. Other times it is nothing more than fat storage, as happens with other parts of the body.
Liposuction has proven ineffective for treating male chest fat, leaving many with no choice but to have surgery. Those men who didn’t want the recovery involved with an operation simply lived with this unwanted fat and tried to hide behind bulky, oversized shirts. The good news now is that injecting Kybella into these localized areas can restore chest contours. This means a shorter recovery period and permanent results.
6. The Abdomen
The abdomen is a prime place for fat storage, with pockets often developing in the “love handles” area and upper and lower portions of the stomach. This fat can cause bulges, bumps, and lumps that aren’t aligned with the rest of the body. They also usually resist exercise and diet, as proven by science.
Studies confirm fat in this area is especially hard to lose, and women struggle even more than men because of body composition; they carry 6 to 11% more fat on average. The solution can be found in Kybella, which we inject directly into trouble spots and can, with time, sculpt the abdomen. Some patients even go on to see underlying six-pack muscles that were previously obscured by fat.
7. Inner and Outer Thighs
From targeted exercises to fat-burning diets, the number of options that allegedly eliminate thigh fat knows no limits. The problem is these regimens rarely work. Like the abdomen, the thighs – especially the outer thighs, known commonly as “saddlebags” – quickly acquire fat but are slow to lose it. And the reason is owed to simple cellular ratios.
Each of us carries two different fat cells in our bodies: alpha and beta. The former respond better to traditional weight loss measures than the latter. This makes it hard to shed fat in the thighs, where beta cells are in higher quantities. The treatment eliminates the need for extreme diet and exercise by going to the core of the problem. In turn, you see a slimmer, trimmer appearance that evolves naturally with time.
The Banana Roll
This refers to that area just below the buttocks where your thighs begin. Excess fat in this area is not limited to overweight patients. Even those who are in great shape can have a banana roll because it is caused more by genetics than any other factor. Weak buttock and leg muscles also contribute, as targeting these muscle groups can be difficult to do.
With a series of small injections, we dissolve fat in this area just as we do other spots. The concept is the same: once unwanted fat is dissolved, you look leaner and younger.
8. The Mons Pubis
The mons pubis is a region of fatty tissue just above the pubic bone. Excess fat here can make women feel more body-conscious than normal and influence their clothing choices. Some avoid leggings, dresses, and swimsuits, while others opt for sculpting garments that, like bras, mask the problem rather than treat it. Causes of fat in this region include:
- Rapid weight gain and loss
- Genetics
- Pregnancy
- Stress and anxiety
Many patients report fat-melting injections in the mons pubis are far more comfortable than other treatments. In short, it’s gentle and non-invasive in an area that’s naturally sensitive. And after recovery, you can choose from any number of tight-fitting clothes without fearing you look disproportionate.
9. Knees and Ankles
We all want shapely legs, but achieving them gets harder with age. Fat settles in these limbs differently from other parts of the body. Namely, it tends to sit near joints so you lose your natural contours. Pockets in the inner and outer knee region can add a bulky appearance, while excessive fat in the ankles can take away from the tapering effect that gives legs their tone.
Up to this point, you may have thought a few more miles on the treadmill could help, but fat is more complicated than we realize. If you’ve learned anything up to this point, it’s that we can’t burn it from specific locations. This is why Kybella is so innovative: with short treatment periods and well-placed injections, we can restore a thinner appearance.
No More Confusion
Diet and exercise are complex enough. They become even more mind-boggling when you feel you’re doing everything right but still can’t lose the stubborn bulges in key areas. Treatment can take away the confusion and deliver real, predictable, and targeted results. Schedule your consultation today by calling H-MD Medical Spa in Oklahoma City, OK.