Patients opt for quick fix to wipe out double chin

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - More people are trying to put their best face forward, in this phase of snapping selfies. A new neck injectable is helping a young woman from the Houston area "say cheese" more comfortably, by getting rid of what she calls her double chin. 

Melissa Dobey recently underwent a non-surgical treatment called Kybella. 

"Hoping to get rid of that pocket of fat under my chin and have a better side profile," explains Dobey. She's fit and takes great care of herself, but says she was just unhappy with her full chin. While on a mission to make her face look slimmer, she allowed FOX 26 News to follow her into the treatment room while she was undergoing Kybella injections. 

"She'll start seeing it the first couple of weeks," says Dr. Mirwat Sami with Houston Oculofacial Plastic Surgery.  "We usually try to wait a full four weeks and then re-evaluate for second treatment."

Dobey says it only feels like a slight sting during the injections and says she didn't find it painful. 

Six weeks after her treatment, Dobey allowed FOX 26 to view her results. She's very proud of her new look and considering one more round of injections.

"About a month into it, I saw a noticeable difference," adds Dobey. "A week or two afterwards, I saw a little bit, but a month was the ideal test."

Dr. Sami says she's excited about the quick results and says her patients have come to expect that from a lot of procedures. 

"In keeping with cosmetic trends right now, where everything is about little downtime, quick office procedures and good results," adds Dr. Sami. "It's also very good for people starting off at younger age to keep them aesthetically looking pleasant." She also says this treatment is made from a naturally-occurring enzyme in the body, which is an acid that breaks down fat and cholesterol and says it causes permanent fat loss.

"I feel great about it -- I've been enjoying it," says Dobey.

It's always important to know and understand side effects of any procedure. Dr. Sami says side effects can include bruising, swelling, and temporary numbness. She also says this can last up to a few weeks. Dr. Sami adds that she carefully marks her patients before the procedure and strategically injects to help avoid some of the side effects, like numbness. The procedure can cost between $1,200-to-2,000 per treatment. Patients can undergo the procedure up to five times, one month apart, depending on the results they're looking for.  The average time is three procedures.

For more information, visit http://houstonoculofacial.com/.