Are fat dissolving injections safe?

Would you like to eliminate a double chin or shape your jawline? Do you have stubborn pockets of fat around your chin, jowls, or neckline? It may sound too good to be true, but there are injections out there that will quite literally dissolve fat. The secret ingredient is deoxycholic acid, which is produced by the body and is a constituent element of bile. It works by breaking down fat cells, which can then be carried out of the body through the lymphatic and renal systems. So, what results can you expect from fat dissolving injections and are they safe? Read on for everything you need to know…

How do fat-dissolving injections work?

Fat dissolving injections target fat by dissolving the outer covering of the fat cell, bursting it like a tiny balloon. The fat from the cells is released into the bloodstream and carried out of the body by your lymphatic and renal systems.

Belkyra, the fat-dissolving injectable we use in our clinic, has been shown to be highly effective at reducing and eliminating the double chin and excess fat on the jowls and neck area. Once destroyed, these cells can no longer store or accumulate fat, as they are broken down and flushed out by the body. The treatment can be used on its own or in combination with injectable fillers or Botox, and skin tightening devices such as Profound RF and Sofwave.

Are fat-dissolving injections safe?

Naturally, there has been a reasonable amount of cautious scepticism regarding the idea of introducing a fat-dissolving acid into the body. After all, the last thing you’d want is for it to start dissolving anything other than fat, right? The initial version of fat-dissolving injections (containing phosphatidylcholine) was taken out of circulation due to a lack of reliable data confirming its effectiveness and safety. The current generation of formulations, which employ deoxycholic acid and are in use today, are grounded in clinical research and boast a commendable safety track record.

However, it’s crucial to note that improper usage of deoxycholic acid could potentially lead to it breaking down not only fat but also other adjacent tissues – a phenomenon referred to as ‘non-specificity’ in medical terms – so it is vital that you only entrust this treatment to someone who knows precisely what they’re doing. This significantly reduces the risk for complications. In experienced, medical hands, fat-dissolving injections are a very safe treatment.

Where can you have fat-dissolving injections?

These injections are only designed for small areas of stubborn fat. Double chins, wobbly jowls, and ‘axillary puffs’ are all good candidates. It can and has been used for treating ‘love handles’, but over a larger area you would need more injections and it would be followed by a month’s worth of swelling. For this reason, we’re more likely to recommend a treatment like CoolSculpting for larger areas, which uses the technique of precisely controlled cooling, known as cryolipolysis, to focus on the fat cells under the skin, leaving the surface unaffected. It works by destroying the subdermal fat cells in particular areas using a cooling applicator. Once these fat cells have been treated, the body begins to process the frozen matter, which is eliminated over a few months.

When will I see results?

Results begin to become apparent after two to three sessions – and these sessions should be at least four weeks apart. But depending on the size and severity of the area, you may require up to six sessions.

If you’d like to learn more about fat dissolving injections, click here to enquire or to book a consultation.