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The Kythera company is creating a buzz with their new product Kybella. Kybella is an injectable agent made of Deoxycholic acid that can break down fat deposits under the chin. Kybella currently is only approved by the FDA for use in the submental region to shrink down fat deposits there. Kybella’s nitch will be as a non-surgical option to decrease the fullness patients have under the chin. Kybella will require numerous injections into the fatty deposits (10 to 20 injections) under the chin and most patients will need several treatments separated by a month or so to get adequate results. Patients with much larger thicker fat deposits will need more injections obviously.

Deoxycholic acid is a natural product made by bacteria when the metabolize cholic acid a type of bile acid. Our livers make bile acids to help us break down and absorb fats we eat in food. We naturally produce cholic acid and bacteria in our digestive systems modify cholic acid to Deoxycholic acid. Deoxycholic acid and other bile acids emulsify fats and break them down. Our own fat cells have fats in the cell membranes so injections of Kybella (Deoxycholic acid) will break down and destroy the fat cells and our body’s natural mechanisms will remove the damaged fat cells and fat released by those cells. This is how Kybella shrinks down the area of fats where it is injected. It is important to make sure the Kybella isn’t injected into non fatty tissues for it can injure nerves, vessels, or glands if injected into or next to those important structures. Kybella is a new kid on the block and will be a great addition to the other options we have to help shrink and tighten the area under the neck so people can improve those double chins.

It’s amazing how often patients suggest… “If I exercise more my loose skin will get tighter right?”  Boy don’t we all wish it was as simple as that.  Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way.  Without getting to scientific about it all let’s discuss skin changes with weight, child birth, sun damage, and other aspects of mother nature.

Exercise is a great thing, most of us could use more of it and it’s great in assisting weight control, muscle tone, maintaining bone density, and keeping our heart strong and our blood pressure down.  Exercise cannot tone your skin your skin however.  Good muscle tone will show nicely “under the skin” but the skin itself doesn’t change as much as we’d like with fitness alone; some just not much.

In fact, if your fitness means being outside swimming, hiking, biking, running, gardening, playing tennis, or golfing the fact is the Arizona sun may be aging your skin significantly while you’re getting more fit everywhere else.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m an Arizona boy and I love my time outdoors in the sun.  It is why we all choose to live here.  Just make sure you are vigilant with quality sunblock, consistent with hydration and try to do the outdoor activity when the sun isn’t beating you down with noontime intensity.  Quality sunscreen contains ingredients that are physical blockers i.e.; titanium dioxide and or zinc oxide.

Moderate exercise does improve blood flow to tissues balances our blood sugar lowers our blood pressure and can smooth out our hormone/endocrine physiology.  Some of these physiologic parameters are good for the skin physiology, but again watch the sun damage.  A significant component of skin aging is genetically driven and exercise can’t compensate for your genes.  Excessive exercise is not necessarily good for you either.  Remember your parent’s adage “everything in moderation.”  Excessive exercise can lead to low grade inflammation in the body, the joints, the organ systems and that’s not a good thing.  So be smart and be consistent with steady moderate exercise and in the long run you’ll be better for it.

Unfortunately if there is stretching of the skin from pregnancy, weight changes, whatever the cause you may need the tricks of our trade with surgery, lasers, truSculpt or other skin tightening procedures to accomplish your goal.  Don’t stop exercising; jsu don’t think you can exercise your “skin” back to youth.

Sometimes guys feel a bit left out of the plastic surgery world; this couldn’t be the farthest from the truth.  In general terms men account for fifteen percent of cosmetic surgery.  In our experience this number is on the rise, especially since there are more options to help a guys self image.

When it comes to treatments above the neck guys are great candidates for neurotoxins like Botox Cosmetic, Dysport, or Xeomin.  Men have bulkier facial muscles that can make them look stern or irritated and quieting down muscles at the corners of the eyes(crow’s feet) or between the brows (glabellar area) can make a guy look friendlierand more relaxed.  Botox Cosmetic, Dysport and Xeomin as a group are called neuomodulators.  These injections into over active muscles decrease the squinting lines, the “11’s” between the brows and can soften forehead wrinkles.. Facial fillers are also great adjucts for men to consider to maintain a more virtal look.  As we age we lose volume in our faces and the folds around our mouth deepen, cheeks can deflate, and our jowls sag.  Addng volume to different zones of the face can give energetic contours back without downtime.  There are many different types of facial fillers each with it’s own advantage depending on where or how it is used to revolumize & contour the face.  Restoring your your youthful self.  The neuromodulators and the facial fillers are superb options for men looking for a more vital appearance without a surgical downtime or more signifigant facial changes.  Of course many menmay need to consider some surgical options so keep an eye out for upcoming blogs on specific surgeries for the male patient.