Kybella recovery — week by week

What healing actually looks like — week by week — for kybella.

Recovery timeline

1. Day 0
   Series of injections under chin. 'Bullfrog'-like swelling immediately, peaks at 24–48 hours.
2. Days 1–7
   Severe swelling and tenderness — 'Kybella swell' is dramatic. Plan no social events.
3. Weeks 2–4
   Swelling resolves. First subtle changes visible in some patients.
4. Months 2–4
   Final result of session. May schedule next session.
5. After full series
   Permanent fat reduction in treated area.

Quick reference

Back to work

Most schedule treatments around weekends. Visible swelling for 5–7 days.

What's normal vs. what to call about

Some swelling, bruising, asymmetry, numbness, and tightness are expected in the first weeks. Sudden severe pain, fever above 101°F, drainage, spreading redness, or one-sided swelling that worsens after improving warrant a same-day call to your surgeon.

See kybella results across the recovery curve on the main Kybella page.