Home / Injectables & Fillers / Kybella
Kybella in Jacksonville
Fullness under the chin is stubborn: it often has more to do with genetics than weight, and no amount of dieting targets it. Kybella is an FDA-approved injectable that dissolves fat cells under the chin without surgery. At Jacksonville Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery, Kybella is performed in a dermatology office under the medical direction of Dr. Brandon T. Beal, a double board-certified, fellowship-trained dermatologist with unusual depth of experience with this product.
Double board-certified
Dr. Beal holds board certification in dermatology and Mohs micrographic surgery.
Fellowship-trained
Advanced training under Drs. Zitelli and Brodland.
Physician-owned
Independently owned small business, never a corporate chain.
Southpoint, Jacksonville
Off I-95 at Southpoint, minutes from most of Jacksonville and the beaches.
What Is Kybella?
Kybella is a synthetic form of deoxycholic acid, a substance your body already makes to break down dietary fat. Injected into the fat beneath the chin, it destroys fat cells, and destroyed fat cells do not come back. It is the only FDA-approved injectable for reducing submental fullness, the fat pocket most people call a double chin.
Submental fullness is common in both men and women, and it is often not a weight problem. Genetics and aging play a large role, which is why the pocket can persist through diet and exercise that slim everything else. Before injectables, the only real options were liposuction or surgery. Kybella treats the same fat without an incision, in an office visit.
Kybella removes fullness; it does not add structure. If your jawline concern is about definition or balance rather than fat, dermal filler may be the better tool, and some plans use both. Your consultation sorts out which applies to you.
What Kybella Results Look Like
Kybella works gradually, treatment by treatment. Most patients notice meaningful improvement after the second session, and a typical plan runs three to four treatments, spaced at least a month apart. As the treated fat cells are cleared, the chin profile sharpens and the jawline reads cleaner.
The honest part: treated fat cells are gone for good, but the cells that remain can still enlarge with significant weight gain, so results last best with a stable weight. And expect swelling. Swelling after Kybella is normal, can be noticeable, and can last from several days to a couple of weeks after each session; it is the treatment working, not a complication. Results vary.
Dr. Beal’s Experience With Kybella
Most offices offering Kybella learned it from a product rep. Dr. Beal’s experience with deoxycholic acid runs considerably deeper. While at the Cleveland Clinic, he led the treatment of a patient with Madelung disease, a rare disorder that causes painful fatty growths, using deoxycholic acid in a novel application; the case was published in Dermatologic Surgery. The treatment improved the patient’s condition enough that he was able to go longer without surgery than at any point in the prior decade.
That history matters for a simple reason: how well Kybella works, and how comfortable the process is, depends on injector judgment, dosing, and placement. This is a product Dr. Beal knows at the research level, applied in a dermatology office with medical standards.
Your Kybella Visit, Start to Finish
1
Consultation
Your provider examines the area under your chin to confirm the fullness is fat rather than loose skin or another cause, listens to your goals, and maps out a realistic plan: how many sessions to expect and what the swelling timeline looks like for your schedule.
2
Treatment day
The area is iced for 5 to 10 minutes to minimize discomfort, then marked and cleaned. The injections themselves take only a few minutes, placed in a pattern individualized to your anatomy. Expect swelling to start within hours; most people plan treatment before a quiet stretch.
3
Repeat and results
Sessions are spaced at least a month apart. Most patients see meaningful change after the second session, with a typical plan running three to four. Once the fat is gone, it is gone; there is no ongoing maintenance schedule the way there is with filler or Botox.
Is Kybella Safe? Who Is a Candidate?
The most common side effects are temporary and local: swelling, bruising, pain, numbness, and redness in the treatment area. Rare reported side effects include temporary trouble swallowing, an uneven smile, facial muscle weakness, and nerve injury. These rare effects relate to the anatomy around the jaw, and they are the reason Kybella belongs in the hands of a physician-directed team that knows exactly what sits beneath the skin. We review risks, benefits, and alternatives at your consultation, before anything is scheduled.
Good candidates are healthy adults with moderate fullness under the chin caused by fat. If the fullness is mostly loose skin, Kybella will not fix it, and we will tell you so honestly rather than sell you a treatment that will disappoint you. Treatment is typically deferred during pregnancy and breastfeeding. A consultation is required to determine candidacy, treatment plans are individualized, and results vary.
Schedule a Kybella Consultation in Jacksonville
If fullness under your chin bothers you in photos and mirrors and you want it addressed without surgery, start with a consultation. We welcome patients from across the Jacksonville area, including Nocatee and St. Johns, at our office at 6817 Southpoint Pkwy, Suite 101. Send a request through our contact page, or call (904) 420-7372 to speak with our team. Current pricing is on our pricing page.
Common questions
Kybella FAQs.
Does Kybella actually work?
Yes, for the right problem. Kybella destroys fat cells under the chin, and studies going back to 2007 show durable improvement in chin profile. What it does not do is tighten loose skin; if skin laxity is the main issue, it is the wrong tool, and your consultation will tell you which situation you are in.
How many Kybella treatments will I need?
Most patients notice meaningful improvement after the second session, and a typical plan runs three to four treatments spaced at least a month apart. The number depends on how much fullness you start with and the result you want; you will get a realistic estimate at your consultation.
Are Kybella results permanent?
The treated fat cells are destroyed and do not come back, so there is no maintenance schedule. The honest caveat: the fat cells that remain can still enlarge with significant weight gain, so results hold best with a stable weight.
How bad is the swelling? Is there downtime?
Swelling is the side effect to plan around. It starts within hours, can be noticeable, and can last from several days to a couple of weeks after each session. It is a normal part of how the treatment works. Most people schedule sessions before a quieter stretch of their calendar. Bruising, numbness, and tenderness are also common and temporary.
How much does Kybella cost?
Cost depends on the number of vials per session and the number of sessions your plan calls for, which depends on your anatomy and goals. You will get a clear plan and pricing at your consultation before anything is scheduled, and current information is on our pricing page.
A sharper profile, without surgery.
Kybella performed in a dermatology office, with research-level product experience and honest guidance. Physician-owned and independent, in Jacksonville.