KYBELLA for Men: Helping Guys Loosen Their Ties

KYBELLA, the FDA-approved nonsurgical treatment that reduces the underjaw fullness known as the double chin, has been wildly popular since it became available a little over a year ago. As with many cosmetic treatments, women love KYBELLA because it subtracts years from the profile and allows low necklines and jeweled chokers. The treatment also removes the one stubborn accumulation of fat that has little to do with weight, and lots to do with heredity. If your parents’ and grandparents’ portraits feature double chins (or high collars to hide them), yours probably do, too.

But cosmetic dermatologists have been a little surprised at how quickly KYBELLA treatments have taken off with men. Interest in cosmetic treatments and products has grown sharply among men in recent years, though male patients still make up only about 10% of cosmetic dermatology patients. Some providers, however, have noted that the percentage is much higher — up to 40% — when it comes to KYBELLA treatments.

Stealth cosmetics

There are a couple of important reasons for KYBELLA’s popularity among men. For one thing, men generally prefer nonsurgical cosmetic treatments to cosmetic surgery, with its long recovery time and higher risk and expense. Today’s nonsurgical rejuvenation — BOTOX, injectable fillers, spa treatments, and fat reduction treatments like CoolSculpting — can generally offer natural, noticeable results with little or no downtime, allowing men to schedule treatment during lunch breaks and attract little attention. KYBELLA, which uses a series of injections to destroy the fat cells under the chin, fits this profile perfectly.