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Who’s an Ideal Candidate for Kybella®?

A pocket of fat below the chin—commonly referred to as a “double chin”—is often believed to be caused by weight gain, but that isn’t always the case. Yes, gaining excess weight all over your body can cause more fat to be deposited in the chin and face area, but people who aren’t overweight at all can also sometimes have this issue. This is because genetics determine where the body stores fat. So-called double chin exercises that claim to reduce fat in this specific area might be able to strengthen your neck muscles, but they probably won’t have any effect on the localized fat, because targeting specific congregations of fat cells doesn’t work that way. Even with a strict diet and good exercise routine, it may seem nearly impossible to get rid of persistent double chin fat. A more reliable option is Kybella®, an injectable form of deoxycholic acid that gradually dissolves isolated fat below the chin to create a sharper jawline without harming other tissues in the body. Not sure whether double chin reduction at the Tucson and Oro Valley area’s Ironwood Dermatology is right for you? Here’s what makes a good candidate:

You Prefer a Non-Surgical Approach

Patients who are frustrated by the appearance of submental fullness but want to avoid the long recovery times, invasive nature, incisions, and anesthesia involved in plastic surgery can avoid all of those drawbacks with Kybella®.

You’re at a Stable Weight

Patients get optimal results when they remain at or close to their ideal body weight, because future weight gain could cause any remaining fat cells below the chin to become enlarged and create a bulkier look once again.

You Have Good Skin Elasticity

Is your double chin caused mainly by loose skin or by fat? Kybella® is ideal for reducing fat cells specifically, but tightening loose skin requires other strategies. That means fat-reduction injections produce better results on patients who only have mild to moderate skin elasticity. People who have dramatic skin elasticity may have better results with other procedures.

Kybella® is a convenient injectable treatment for removing stubborn fat below the chin without invasive surgery. Sculpt a more defined jaw area with double chin reduction from Ironwood Dermatology, or find out about other cosmetic treatments available. Call 520.618.1630 or submit a contact form to request an appointment and find out whether you are eligible.

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CoolSculpting® vs. Kybella

When choosing between Kybella® and CoolSculpting® treatments, Tucson-area men and women who want to address a double chin may find themselves wondering which option is best. Since every case is unique, the ideal treatment depends on the patient, with deciding factors that include body type, desired levels of results, and more.

That said, it can be helpful to compare the available options in order to get a better idea of what it possible.

Both CoolSculpting® and Kybella® are nonsurgical fat-reduction treatments, but the similarities pretty much end there. CoolSculpting® works by chilling unwanted fat cells so that they rupture. The process does not break the skin, but does involve suction pulling the targeted tissue between two cooling plates. Kybella®, on the other hand, works via a series of injections that introduce a modified form of a digestive chemical—deoxycholic acid—into the fat cells marked for destruction. This acid causes them to no longer be able to maintain their integrity.

At this point, the treatment begin to resemble each other again. Whether destroyed by cold or acid, the fat cells are no longer viable, which means the body works to get rid of them efficiently. In the days and weeks after a treatment, volume in the area reduces, leading to new contours.

Neither treatment requires post-treatment downtime, as neither treatment involves incisions or sutures, which need time to heal.

Perhaps the best way to determine which fat-reduction strategy is best is to schedule a consultation with a professional experienced in both options and with a range of body types. A dermatologist can assess a double chin, learn more about the patient, answer questions as necessary, and recommend the best course from there.

To learn more about CoolSculpting® and Kybella® and determine which one is right for you, contact the Tucson-based Ironwood Dermatology online or call 520.618.1630.

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Why “Targeted Fat Loss” or “Spot Reduction” Cannot Be Achieved with Diet & Exercise

The internet is rife with certain “fitness gurus” touting claims of reducing fat on the arms, thighs, or belly through various kinds of focused exercises. Unfortunately, this is not how the body functions.

While eating a nutritious diet and exercising regularly can yield significant physical and mental health benefits, and are key to maintaining a healthy weight, all they ultimately do are reduce the size of fat cells – they do not get rid of them.

As for focused exercises, the most they might do is improve muscle tone and definition in those areas to make fat look less obvious. While overall slimming down of the body is possible, it generally does not yield the extent of reduction we would like in specific areas.

This is part of what makes medical-grade, non-invasive fat reduction treatments so popular. CoolSculpting® offers Tucson, AZ, patients a pain-free alternative to surgery that is much more effective than diet or exercise at reducing fat in specific areas of the body.

The FDA-cleared device comes with a variety of applicators, each uniquely shaped and sized to accommodate almost any type of fat pocket on the body. The device cools down the area the applicator is attached to, causing fat cells to crystallize and die while leaving skin and other types of tissue in the areas unharmed.

Fat cells are much more sensitive to temperature changes, which is why they are much easier to damage with cold than other types of tissue. Once they die, the leftover matter from these cells is flushed out of the body through its natural processes.

With the right applicator, settings, and number of treatment sessions, CoolSculpting® is a quick, comfortable, and effective way to treat specific areas of fat. To learn more about the treatment, contact Ironwood Dermatology online or call 520.618.1630.