Dr. Sara is a plastic surgeon who also injects every day, so she has no reason to push you towards one or the other. Here is how she decides.
Fat-dissolving injections
Deoxycholic acid (the molecule in Kybella and similar products) or lipolytic cocktails are injected into the fat pad under the chin. The fat cells break down and are cleared by the body over four to six weeks. Expect two to four sessions a month apart, swelling for a week after each, and a modest but permanent reduction. Best for a small, soft, pinchable pocket in someone with good skin tone.
Liposuction
A single procedure under local anaesthesia, removing a larger amount of fat through a tiny incision, with a defined jawline in one go. A compression garment for a week, bruising for two. Best for a larger fat deposit and for people who want one definitive step.
Neither
If the fullness under your chin is loose skin rather than fat, removing fat makes it look worse. The pinch test helps: thick and soft means fat; thin and wrinkly means skin. Skin laxity is treated with a biostimulator (Radiesse or PLLA) or, when significant, a neck lift.
The chin itself
A weak chin makes any fat look doubled. A small amount of chin filler sometimes achieves more than any fat treatment, and Dr. Sara will tell you if that is your case.
Quick answers
Do fat-dissolving injections hurt?
A burning feeling for twenty minutes, then swelling and tenderness for a week. Numbness in the area for a few weeks is normal and passes.
Is the result permanent?
The treated fat cells are gone. Significant weight gain can enlarge the remaining ones.
Can fat-dissolving be used on the body?
Small areas such as the bra line or knees, yes. It is not a treatment for the abdomen or thighs.
This guide is general information, not medical advice; your treatment is decided at your consultation with Dr. Sara El Hamawy.