How long does kybella swelling last?
Swelling is one aftereffect of getting kybella injected into your chin. This injection will give you results for sure but you will experience swelling which can last for weeks. Some people may feel like the injection made their chin worse when they see the injection sites becoming puffy.
Most doctors or injectors like to tell patients about this effect so that they will not feel bad or become alarmed when they experience it. In this article, we will explain kybella , how long the swelling will last and what to do in order to recover from it faster.
WHAT IS KYBELLA?
Kybella is a non-surgical procedure that is used to reduce fats under the chin. This procedure uses deoxycholic acid injections to target these excess fats. Excess fat is a facial problem many people faced especially if it is under their chin or neck, as this gives their face another look. In 2015, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) carried out a consumer survey and found out that 67 percent of individuals are bothered by excess fat under the chin or neck. To reduce these fats, they opt for non-surgical procedures.
Kybella is one of the procedures and it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2015 to be used in treating double chin and excess fats. Kybella is very effective as a clinical study by the plastic and reconstructive surgery global open which was published by the PubMed Central in 2016 showed that 82.4 percent of people reported improvement and satisfaction with their appearance after getting Kybella injections.
HOW DOES KYBELLA WORK?
Kybella is an injection of deoxycholic acid, this is a bike acid that is naturally produced by the body, it helps to absorb fats. Kybella injections uses an artificial or synthetic form of this acid. When it is injected into the body, deoxycholic acid destroys fats cells underneath the chin area so that fats can no longer be stored there.
The body will filter the damaged cells while the area becomes more slim and have better shape. It is very important that a professional administer the injections because deoxycholic acid can kill other cells in the chin area.
HOW LONG DOES KYBELLA SWELLING LAST?
One of the side effects of kybella injections is the swelling on the chin, many people are mindful of this effect and always ask how long does kybella swelling last. Normally, kybella swelling does not last long. You will typically notice the swelling increasing about 20 to 28 hours after getting the injections.
The swelling can last between 2 to 3 weeks depending on how you handle the swelling. Apart from the swelling, you will also notice soreness, bruising and numbness around your chin after getting the kybella injections. These other effects may resolve within few days or maybe a week, sometimes more.
The swelling may last longer depending on how many injections you were given and the type of skin you have. This is why most doctors and injectors space the injections four weeks apart so that before you go for your next session, the swelling must have gone down. Although some patients like to go for 2 vials of Kybella at once instead of dividing them into two sessions. This is because they do not want to go through the swelling and recovery process twice.
KYBELLA SWELLING TIMELINE
Day 1
The injections will be given in different areas of the chin. You will feel some discomfort, red marks, stinging and burning sensation all through the day. You will also notice some feeling of numbness spreading around the injection sites. Some people feel swelling that feels like bull-frog swelling.
Day 2
The Swelling will increase, the itching and numbness will also increase in the neck. You will feel pain when you touch or stretch your chin and neck. Some people reported that their neck feel like it is wobbling or dangling and there is much pain when they move their neck. To keep the neck straight nd reduce the wobbliness, patients may have to wear a compression chin strap.
Day 3
New bruising may appear and some parts may not have the numbness. In some people, the swelling will increase under the chin while their jawline area experiences less swelling. There will still be pain especially when you try to move or stretch your neck.
After 1 Week
More bruises may still appear in some places, the swelling may feel like it is better in some places while other areas are worse. There may still be pain and discomfort when you try to touch your neck.
After 2 Weeks
Normally, the swelling will reach its highest point at this time. New bruises will no longer appear but the old ones will still be visible. If you touch your skin, it will feel tight and you will also experience pain as well. Small lumps will also appear at the injection sites.
After 3 Weeks
Most of the numbness will be gone by now although some areas may still feel numb especially the injection sites. The lumps will still be on the chin and slight pain will also be felt. The areas around the chin where Kybella was injected will start to become firm and not wobbled.
After 4 Weeks
The swelling should be completely gone by now but some areas especially the isolated parts may still be painful when you touch them. The lumps will also start to disappear within this week.
After 5 Weeks
No more swelling or numbness but you may still feel under the chin being tight with slight discomfort. You will also notice significant results in your chin, your jawline will also become slimmer.
HOW DO YOU MAKE KYBELLA SWELLING GO DOWN?
You may want the swelling to go down as soon as possible so that you can see your beautiful chin and slimmer jawline. There are some things you can do to reduce or make your swelling go down faster.
Choose a professional that specializes in injecting kybella and has lots of experience. It is better to seek the services of an expert so as to get the best result than to go for lesser price and get more side effects like much swelling, opt to get the injection in small doses and in multiple sessions. If the dose is smaller, the swelling will be less. You will only get more sessions but the swelling will be less.
You should not massage your chin after getting the injections. When you touch the injection sites, you can increase the swelling. Apply ice packs on your chin. You can make your ice packs by breaking ice cubes into smaller pieces and folding them in a clean towel or cloth. It will help with the swelling and even stop bruising. The cold from the ice stop blood flow and this can reduce the pain.
Apply warm compresses on the injection sites, warm compresses are known to increase how blood circulate to the area. This can help reduce pain and speed up recovery process. Wear a chin strap post-treatment compression. This will help to keep your neck steady when you feel the wobbliness. Take over-the-counter antihistamine before your appointment, this drug will help to relieve any symptoms that may be caused by allergic reactions to the injections. You can use over-the-counter pain relief medicines to reduce swelling and pain as well after the procedure.
WHEN TO EXPECT RESULTS FROM KYBELLA
According to the manufacturers of Kybella, each procedure is to take between 15 and 20 minutes for a session. Your doctor or injector will mark out several areas to be injected. The procedure is done one or three months later so as to space out the sessions. It is very important to give spaces between your sessions, this will give the active ingredient, the deoxycholic acid enough time to target the excess fats under the chin.
Also, your body will have enough time to heal after each session instead of having many side effects at once Some patients report that they start to see significant results after 12 weeks or at least 2 sessions. After 6 months, full and maximum results should be seen and the results are long lasting.
OTHER SIDE EFFECTS OF KYBELLA
It is best to know most of the side effects and risks of kybella before getting the injections, this will help you to know what to expect and when to see a doctor. See your doctor as soon as possible if you experience any of the serious side effects.
Some side effects of kybella are:
- Swelling
- Itching
- Redness
- Bruising
- Burning sensation
- Numbness
- Feeling of tightness around the skin
- Slight bleeding
- Headache
- Mild pain
- Nausea
There are some effects that are serious and should be reported to a doctor for attention.
These serious side effects are:
- Severe bruising that does not heal
- Open sores that produces discharge or not
- Uneven smile
- Difficulty in eating or swallowing
- Weakness of the muscles in the face
- Damage of skin tissues ( necrosis )
- Ulcers
- Infections
- Loss of hair at the injection sites.
CONCLUSION
Kybella causes the chin to swell, this is a side effect but not a reason for alarm. It is caused by the active ingredient in the injection. However, it is expected that this Swelling goes down between 2 to 3 weeks, latest 4 weeks. There are some ways you can reduce the swelling and make it go down faster. Follow the tips so that you will see the best results.