Used by many to cure “selfie chin,” Kybella is the latest in a lineup of next-generation noninvasive cosmetic procedures. Recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, Kybella has exploded in popularity, particularly with millennials and generation X-ers as social media and rising incomes have boosted spending on physical appearance. The drawbacks, however, aren’t pretty: patients’ jaw lines can appear battered and bruised for a short period afterward, and sometimes temporary nerve damage can occur.
“The face of cosmetic surgery is changing,” said Dr. Jess Prischmann, owner of Prischmann Facial Plastic Surgery in Edina. “Twenty-, 30- and 40-year-olds are seeking nonsurgical treatments now to avoid surgery later.”
Kybella treatments increased by 18 percent in 2016, while decades-old liposuction is down 34 percent since 2000, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
