Target stubborn fat without surgery.
Injectable fat-dissolving treatments offer a minimally invasive option for reducing small, localized pockets of unwanted fat that may persist despite a healthy diet and regular exercise. At Ivy Wellness & Aesthetics, every treatment begins with a physician consultation to determine whether injectable fat dissolving is the right option for your anatomy and goals.
Treatment options may include FDA-approved deoxycholic acid (Kybella®) or other physician-selected deoxycholic acid formulations when clinically appropriate. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach, we customize treatment based on the area being treated, the amount of fat present, and your desired outcome.
Injectable fat dissolving may be appropriate for carefully selected areas including:
Deoxycholic acid is a molecule that helps break down fat cells in targeted areas. Once treated, the body gradually clears the disrupted fat cells over the following weeks. Multiple sessions may be recommended depending on the treatment area and your goals.
Injectable fat dissolving is often combined with other aesthetic procedures to enhance overall contour and skin quality. Depending on your goals, your personalized treatment plan may also include PDO threads, Sculptra®, RF microneedling, laser skin tightening, PRP/PRP Gel, or medical weight management. Weight-loss medications reduce overall body fat, while injectable fat dissolving is intended for small, stubborn fat deposits that remain despite healthy lifestyle changes.
Every patient receives a personalized evaluation to determine the most appropriate treatment strategy. Our physician-led approach focuses on natural-looking contour enhancement, safety, and selecting the right treatment—or combination of treatments—for your individual goals.
The submental area is a small space with real anatomy in it, which is one reason this treatment is performed here by Dr. Ivy Lawson, MD, a double board-certified vascular and interventional radiologist, rather than delegated. Where imaging helps clarify what is actually being treated, the Ivy Ultrasound Center is on site. You will also be told honestly when fat dissolving is not the right answer — a jawline that has lost definition to laxity rather than fat is a different problem, and filler or threads may serve you better. Patients come to our Flamingo Road practice from Cooper City, Davie, Weston, Pembroke Pines and Southwest Ranches, and multi-session contouring plans are covered by Ivy Wellness memberships.
This is one of the more demanding injectable treatments, and it is fair to know that before you book it. Deoxycholic acid is delivered as a grid of small injections across the treatment area. The response to it — a warm stinging or burning that builds during the injections and for a while after them — is part of how the treatment works rather than a sign that something has gone wrong, and it eases over the following minutes to hours.
Swelling in the treated area afterward is expected, can be pronounced, and is often tender to touch for several days. Later sessions are frequently reported as easier than the first. Comfort measures are commonly used for treatments of this type where appropriate. What the sensation is likely to be for your area, and how to plan the week around it, is covered at your consultation.
Cost here tracks two things: how much product an area takes, and how many sessions it takes to clear the fat that is there. Deoxycholic acid works gradually, with the body clearing the disrupted fat cells over the weeks that follow, so a single visit is rarely the whole plan.
One honest caveat. This treatment is for small, stubborn pockets. If the real goal is overall body fat, medical weight management is the appropriate route, and we will tell you that rather than inject a wider area. That conversation happens at your complimentary consultation, along with the session plan and what it costs. Memberships carry member pricing on advanced treatments and Cherry, Affirm and CareCredit are available.
It is a minimally invasive treatment that uses deoxycholic acid to reduce selected localized fat deposits without surgery.
Kybella® is an FDA-approved injectable form of deoxycholic acid indicated for reducing submental (under-chin) fat.
Treatment options are individualized and may include FDA-approved or other physician-selected deoxycholic acid formulations when clinically appropriate.
The double chin is the most common treatment area. Other small, localized fat deposits may be appropriate after physician evaluation.
The number of sessions varies depending on the treatment area, the amount of fat present, and your desired result.
Swelling, tenderness, bruising, and temporary numbness are common after treatment and usually improve over time.
No. Injectable fat dissolving is designed for localized pockets of fat and is not a substitute for weight-loss medications or a healthy lifestyle.
Yes. It is frequently combined with PDO threads, Sculptra®, RF microneedling, skin tightening procedures, and other customized treatments.
Cost depends on the size of the area, how much fat is present and how many sessions are needed, because the treatment works gradually over the weeks after each visit. If overall body fat is the real goal, medical weight management is the more appropriate route and we will say so. The session plan and its cost come from your complimentary consultation.
This is one of the more demanding injectable treatments. Deoxycholic acid is given as a grid of small injections, and a warm stinging or burning during and shortly after them is part of how the treatment works. Swelling afterward is expected and can be tender for several days. Later sessions are often reported as easier than the first. What to expect for your area is covered at your consultation.
Book a consultation with Dr. Ivy Lawson and find out whether injectable fat dissolving is the right treatment for the area that bothers you.
Reviewed by Ivy Lawson, MD · Physician — Vascular & Interventional Radiology · Last reviewed September 2026. About Dr. Lawson
