Double-Chin Dissolving Injection Approved by FDA; 'Kybella' to Release this Summer

A new injectable drug proven to be safe and effective in treating double-chin fat has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

The drug, called Kybella, is expected to be released in the market on June and is made by Kythera Biopharmaceuticals Inc. Kybella, also known as ATX-101, is "for improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe convexity or fullness associated with submental fat in adults," according to Kythera in their website. The published press release adds that it is the "first and only submental contouring injectable drug."

Keith Leonard, President and CEO of Kythera said, "For the first time, people have access to an FDA-approved, non-surgical treatment for submental fullness, a condition that can negatively impact the overall appearance of the face and can result in a person feeling older and heavier."

The drug will be launched this summer through medical practitioners who completed a training program, LA Times reports. The Kybella drug procedure will last from 15 to 20 minutes and limited to six treatments per person. The company said that the drug effectiveness can be visible in two to four sessions.

The Kybella drug works by disrupting the fat cell, said Dr. Derek Jones during Kythera's presentation to the FDA via ABC News.  The treatment aims to burst the fat cell's membrane and the remaining fat cells will be taken back by the body "via normal metabolic pathways," Jones said.

Before Kybella, Dr. Susan Weinkle, a Florida dermatologist who has been testing the drug in trials since 2007, told ABC News that, "Options at the moment for submental fat [double chins] are [to] cut it out or suck it out." She adds, "However, this is going to be a noninvasive in-the-office procedure that can be performed by your dermatologist and [gets] excellent results." Weinkle said that it takes her five minutes to do the treatment and recovery only takes two to three days.

Kybella is a formulation of deoxycholic acid which is a "naturally-occurring molecule in the body that aids in the breakdown and absorption of dietary fat," according to its producer. Once it is injected and destroys the fat cells, those cells cannot "store or accumulate fat."

The drug has been thoroughly tested in 19 clinical trials that involved more than 2,500 patients around the world. Although clinically safe, there may be some side effects when administering the drug. Some include swelling, pain, and bruising around the treatment area.