Pittsburgh Facial Plastic Surgeon Appears on KDKA-TV to Perform a KYBELLA Double Chin Reduction Treatment

PITTSBURGH, PA--(Marketwired - Dec 1, 2015) - The accumulation of excess fat under the chin is a common condition that can even be experienced by people who are in the best possible shape. Dr. Paul Leong, a facial plastic surgeon in Pittsburgh, says the most effective way to eliminate the appearance of a "double chin" caused by excess fat has traditionally been liposuction... but that may be changing. A new non-surgical procedure called KYBELLA™ has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reduce submental fullness (excess fat under the chin), and Dr. Leong was recently asked to talk about the treatment -- and even perform the procedure on camera -- on Pittsburgh's CBS Television affiliate, KDKA Channel 2. "There is a huge amount of interest in KYBELLA™ because it is a genuinely unique product that addresses an unmet need to non-surgically reduce fat under the chin. Being able to talk about it on KDKA was a great opportunity to demonstrate this new and exciting tool that can address an area of great frustration to many patients."

KYBELLA™ is an injectable solution that contains a chemical similar to deoxycholic acid, a naturally-occurring substance in the body that destroys fat cells. Once the KYBELLA™ solution has been injected into targeted areas under the chin, the excess fat cells should break down and be gradually filtered out of the body through natural processes. Dr. Leong says the KYBELLA™ treatment involves no surgery, can typically be completed at the office in under 20 minutes, and usually does not require an extensive recovery period. In fact, Dr. Leong notes, many patients are able to resume normal daily activities the same day. In the KDKA-TV segment, Dr. Leong discussed what to expect during the procedure, how long it takes for optimal results to appear, basic cost information, and potential downtime. "In our experience to date with patients we have experienced modest or no downtime. Another advantage of KYBELLA™ is that we expect the results to be long-lasting or permanent once the fat under the chin has broken down. Retreatment is not expected to be necessary. Having said this, if a patient gains a good deal of weight in the future, naturally, the double chin could appear once again."

Dr. Leong says, while many patients will likely be candidates for KYBELLA™, it's important to note that individuals who have an excess of inelastic skin rather than fat under the chin may benefit more from another procedure. "For patients who have too much skin in the chin area, it might be necessary to perform a neck lift or face/neck lift. I feel that if the patient has some doubt about whether they are strong candidates for KYBELLA™ because of excessive neck skin, it is very useful to seek out the opinion of a plastic or facial plastic surgeon that is fully trained and prepared to perform a surgical procedure. It only makes sense that the physician who is going to be the most objective about whether KYBELLA™ is the right treatment approach needs to be able to perform alternative treatments as well." 

Dr. Leong says patients should be aware that, even though KYBELLA™ is a non-surgical treatment, complications can sometimes occur. Given that KYBELLA™ works by dissolving fat, many of the complications associated with KYBELLA™ treatment involve simply injecting the KYBELLA™ in the wrong location. For example, if KYBELLA™ is injected too superficially, the skin can break down and skin ulcers can form. Temporary nerve paralysis can occur if KYBELLA™ is injected too close to important nerves. While complications with the use of KYBELLA™ are rare, Dr. Leong says it's very important that KYBELLA™ be injected by someone with expert understanding of neck anatomy. As a facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Leong notes that he operates on the neck on a regular basis and therefore understands the unique anatomy of this area.

Some patients have experienced a fairly extended recovery after their KYBELLA™ injections, Dr. Leong says. Patients who opt for non-surgical treatments are frequently doing so to avoid the longer recovery associated with surgical procedures. Given this, Dr. Leong explains, when patients hear about "bull frog neck" -- a very substantial swelling of the neck sometimes caused by KYBELLA™, they naturally have some concerns. Dr. Leong notes that he has had a good deal of success avoiding, or at least greatly reducing this sort of excessive swelling through a combination neck dressings after KYBELLA™ treatment, the application of ice, and a short course of steroids around the time of treatment.

Ultimately, Dr. Leong says, the problem of stubborn excess fat collecting under the chin has afflicted millions of people for many years. With his appearance on CBS Pittsburgh, Dr. Leong says he has been able to show viewers what this new treatment experience is like and provide them with useful information on one of the most advanced -- indeed revolutionary -- procedures to come along in a long time. "Like all new products, it is possible that patients and consumers may have certain misconceptions about who is the best candidate for the treatment, possible complications, cost, etc. I feel that speaking clearly and honestly about the pros and cons of treatments such as KYBELLA™ on a show as widely viewed as the CBS news can only be helpful for patients to make more informed decisions."

About Paul L. Leong, MD
Dr. Paul Leong is a board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon and a member of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He earned his medical degree from the Yale University School of Medicine and completed his General Surgery internship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Leong later completed his residency in Otolaryngology (head and neck surgery) and a Fellowship in Advanced Head and Neck Surgical Oncology at that same institution, followed by a Fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Oregon Health Sciences University. Dr. Leong is the head of Sistine Facial Plastic & Laser Surgery, a comprehensive facial plastic surgery and cosmetic enhancement practice offering both surgical and non-surgical procedures such as facelift, neck lift and liposuction, KYBELLA™ double chin reduction, injectable dermal fillers, laser skin resurfacing, and other options. Dr. Leong is available for interview upon request.

For more information about KYBELLA™, Dr. Leong, and Sistine Facial Plastic & Laser Surgery, please visit sistineplasticsurgery.com and facebook.com/sistineplasticsurgery.

To view the original source of this press release, click here:
 http://www.sistineplasticsurgery.com/latest-news/pittsburgh-facial-plastic-surgeon-appears-on-kdka-tv-to-perform-a-kybella-double-chin-reduction-treatment