Fat-dissolving injections · Under the chin
Fat-dissolving injections: Compare practices from our network
A series of small injections that break down a pocket of fat under the chin, over several sessions. It is a prescription treatment, not a weight-loss method.
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Fat-dissolving injections providers from Adoreal's partner network.
Malmö · Sweden
Reformkliniken
Injectable treatment for fullness under the chin, with assessment and follow-up visits to judge whether further sessions are needed.
Malmö · Sweden
Reformkliniken
Injectable treatment for fullness under the chin, with assessment and follow-up visits to judge whether further sessions are needed.
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How to choose a practice for fat-dissolving injections
Board certification is the starting point. The details below are worth weighing carefully when you're choosing the injector who's right for your goals.
Here's what to look for before you decide:
A good injector checks what the fullness actually is.
Fullness under the chin can be fat, loose skin, neck muscle bands, or something medical such as an enlarged thyroid. A clinician who examines you and explains which it is, before recommending injections, is diagnosing rather than assuming.
They should name the product and say whether its use is approved.
In Sweden, you have a right to written information about the substances used, the risks and the expected course of treatment. Ask for it, wherever you are treated.
Injection technique matters for safety.
The main serious risk, an uneven smile from nerve injury, depends on where the injections are placed. Ask how the area will be mapped and how the nerve is avoided.
They should tell you when surgery would do more.
Injections suit a small pocket of fat. Loose skin and larger volumes are usually better treated with liposuction or a neck lift. A clinician who says so is being honest, not upselling.
Licensed professionals only.
In Sweden, aesthetic injections may only be given by licensed doctors, dentists or nurses, and the clinic must be registered with the Health and Social Care Inspectorate (IVO).
Before your consultation, prepare this question
“Is my fullness fat, skin or something else, how many sessions do you expect, and when would you suggest surgery instead?”
An injector who examines you before answering, and who is willing to say surgery or nothing, is treating your anatomy rather than selling sessions.
Find a Fat-dissolving injections ProviderAbout the treatment
About fat-dissolving injections
What are fat-dissolving injections?
Fat-dissolving injections are a non-surgical treatment for a small, defined pocket of fat, most often the fullness under the chin sometimes called a double chin. A series of small injections breaks down fat cells in the treated area, and the body clears them gradually over the following weeks.
The injection used for this is a prescription-only medicine based on deoxycholic acid, a substance the body also makes to help digest fat. In the US it is approved only for fullness under the chin in adults, and its label says it is not approved for fat elsewhere on the body. It should only be given after a medical assessment, by a licensed healthcare professional, if it is appropriate for you.
Fat-dissolving injections are not a weight-loss treatment. They treat a small area, and fullness under the chin can have other causes, such as an enlarged thyroid or swollen lymph nodes, which a clinician should rule out first.
Who it suits
Adults with moderate to severe fullness under the chin from fat, at a stable weight, with good skin elasticity, who understand that several sessions are usually needed. It may not suit people with difficulty swallowing, an infection in the area, bleeding problems, significant loose skin, or previous treatment under the chin.
What to expect
Assessment. A clinician checks the cause of the fullness and whether the treatment is appropriate.
Treatment. After numbing, many small injections are placed under the chin. A session takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Aftercare. Swelling, tenderness and numbness usually settle within a few days.
Follow-up. Sessions are at least a month apart, and your clinician decides whether another is needed.
Results
Change is gradual, usually visible from four to six weeks after the first session. Most people have two to four sessions. Results can be long-lasting if your weight stays stable. Injections do not tighten loose skin.
Risks and side effects
Side effects are common and usually temporary, but some can be serious. The US prescribing information lists:
- Swelling, bruising, pain, numbness, redness and firmness, which are very common and usually temporary.
- Nerve injury causing an uneven smile, which resolved without treatment in clinical trials.
- Difficulty swallowing, which also resolved without treatment in clinical trials.
- Hair loss, open sores, tissue damage, and lumps that may not resolve, which are less common.
Contact your clinician promptly if your smile becomes uneven, you have difficulty swallowing, or you notice sores, increasing pain or discharge.
Approved use
Under the chin only
In the US, this medicine is approved only for fat under the chin. Its label warns that serious side effects have been reported after unapproved injection elsewhere on the body, including vision problems when injected around the eyes, nerve damage, and lumps that may not resolve.
Ask exactly what product will be used, where, and whether the use is approved.
Common questions
Fat-dissolving injections questions, answered.
If your question isn't here, ask us directly. A real person answers, and we won't push you toward anything.
Talk to us →How do fat-dissolving injections work?
The injected substance breaks down the membranes of fat cells in the treated area. Over the following weeks the body gradually clears them.
How many sessions will I need?
Most people have two to four sessions about a month apart, according to Reformkliniken. In the US, the label allows up to six, at least one month apart. Your clinician will decide based on your response.
When will I see results?
Visible change usually begins four to six weeks after the first session, and builds over the course of treatment.
Are the results permanent?
Fat cells that have been broken down are not expected to return. Reformkliniken notes results can be long-lasting if your weight stays stable. Weight gain can still change the area.
Does it hurt?
Reformkliniken describes the discomfort as minimal, managed with numbing cream before treatment. Tenderness and swelling afterwards are common.
Can it be used on other parts of the body?
In the US, the medicine is approved only for fat under the chin, and its label warns of serious side effects after unapproved use elsewhere. Ask exactly what product would be used and whether that use is approved.
Will my skin sag afterwards?
If your skin is already loose, reducing fat may not improve the look, which is why skin elasticity is part of the assessment. Your clinician should tell you if a neck lift would suit you better.
Is it a weight-loss treatment?
No. It treats a small, defined pocket of fat and does not reduce overall weight.
Who can give the injections?
It is a prescription-only medicine and should be given by a licensed healthcare professional after an assessment. In Sweden, aesthetic injections may only be given by licensed doctors, dentists or nurses.
