CoolSculpting
The applicator sits on the treatment area and cools the fat beneath it. The skin surface is protected.
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CoolSculpting vs Kybella
CoolSculpting is the easier choice for most double chins. One or two sessions, no needles, and swelling you can hide. It is also the only one of the two used anywhere else on the body. Kybella is a course of injections, for under the chin only. It suits a small or oddly shaped pad that a cooling cup cannot grip, and it usually takes three sessions with real swelling after each one.
At a glance
| The difference | CoolSculpting | Kybella |
|---|---|---|
| What you look like afterwards | Red and firm, not obvious | Visibly swollen for days |
| Cost | Priced per cycle | Priced per vial, and per session |
Kybella
Kybella is injected under the chin in a grid of small amounts.
Side by side
The differences that matter
What happens
CoolSculpting
A chilled cup holds the fat
The applicator suctions the pad under your chin against a cold plate and holds it there. Your body clears the damaged fat cells over the following weeks.
Kybella
Up to 50 tiny injections
The injector marks a grid on the skin and puts a small amount into the fat at each point. The medicine breaks open the fat cell walls.
Where it can be used
CoolSculpting
Chin and body
Under the chin, plus the belly, flanks, arms, back, bra area and thighs.
Kybella
Under the chin only
It is not meant to be used on other areas, and the maker says so plainly.
How many visits
CoolSculpting
Usually one or two
Spaced four to eight weeks apart.
Kybella
Usually three, sometimes up to six
At least a month apart. Most people who respond do so by the third session.
What you look like afterwards
CoolSculpting
Red and firm, not obvious
The area is numb and slightly swollen. Most people go straight back to work.
Kybella
Visibly swollen for days
Swelling under the chin is expected and is the whole point of the treatment. It settles over one to two weeks. Bruising and numbness are common.
How long until you see it
CoolSculpting
Six to twelve weeks
Kybella
After the second or third session
The main downside
CoolSculpting
Fat can rarely grow instead
Paradoxical adipose hyperplasia: months later the treated area becomes firmer and larger rather than smaller. It affects about 0.22% of people, roughly 1 in 455, and liposuction corrects it.
Kybella
Temporary nerve irritation
About 4% of people in the trials got an uneven smile for a while, because a nerve near the jaw was irritated. Every case settled on its own. Numbness lasting past a month was common.
Cost
CoolSculpting
Priced per cycle
Under the chin usually needs one or two cycles.
Kybella
Priced per vial, and per session
The total depends on how many vials each session takes and how many sessions you have, so ask for the price of a whole course.
The at-home or drugstore version
CoolSculpting
Freezer wraps are a different thing
A gel pack starts cold and warms up while you wear it. The clinic device holds one steady temperature for the whole session, and that is the part that damages the fat cell.
Kybella
Nothing you can buy is the same
Creams and chin straps do not reach the fat pad. Fat-dissolving kits sold online are not the same product and have no set strength.
Who each suits
CoolSculpting
- Best for — A clear pad under the chin with firm skin over it, or the same problem on the body.
- The mindset — One or two visits, then wait.
Kybella
- Best for — A small or awkward pad that an applicator cannot grip well.
- The mindset — Several rounds, a swollen week each time, and a moderate result.
They damage fat cells in two different ways
CoolSculpting
CoolSculpting uses cold. Fat cells are more easily harmed by low temperatures than skin, nerve or muscle, which is why a cold plate can thin a fat pad without hurting the skin above it.
Kybella
Kybella uses a detergent. Deoxycholic acid is a substance the body already makes to break down fat from food. Injected into a fat pad, it breaks open the cell walls.
What the result actually looks like
CoolSculpting
CoolSculpting results are described the same way. A thinner pad, a slightly cleaner line under the jaw, and a difference you see in photographs rather than in the mirror.
Common questions
Questions Patients Ask
Which works better for a double chin, CoolSculpting or Kybella?
Both give a moderate change and neither gives a jawline. CoolSculpting usually needs fewer visits and causes less visible swelling, so it is the easier option for most people.
Can Kybella be used on my stomach?
It is meant for under the chin only, and the maker says use elsewhere is not recommended. CoolSculpting is the one used on the belly, flanks, arms, back and thighs.
How swollen will I be after Kybella?
Swollen enough that people notice. Swelling under the chin is expected, is part of how the treatment works, and settles over one to two weeks. Bruising and numbness are common too.
How many sessions does each one need?
Under the chin, CoolSculpting is usually one or two cycles spaced four to eight weeks apart. Kybella is usually three sessions, at least a month apart, and sometimes up to six.
Does either one tighten the skin under my chin?
No. Both remove fat and leave the skin as they found it. If the skin is already loose, taking the fat out can make it look slightly looser.
Is the fat gone for good?
The fat cells destroyed by either treatment do not come back. The ones left behind can still enlarge, so the result depends on your weight staying steady.