Skin & non-surgical
Fat-dissolving injections in Korea
Fat-dissolving injections aim to shrink small fat pockets, for example under the chin, along the jawline or on the arms, over several sessions without surgery. In the US only one product, deoxycholic acid (Kybella), is FDA approved, for fat under the chin. Our partner clinic in Seoul numbs the area with cream; ask which product it uses.
Who is a good candidate for fat-dissolving injections?
- A small pocket of fat, such as under the chin or along the jawline, has not changed with diet or exercise
- You prefer injections to liposuction and accept a slower, smaller change
- You can plan more than one session, at least a month apart for the approved double chin product
- The area is one the clinic lists: the cheeks, the cheekbone area, jawline, double chin, arms, armpits, belly, flanks or thighs
When it may not be the right choice
- You want to lose weight or reduce a large area. Liposuction or weight loss fits that goal better
- The fullness comes from loose skin or muscle rather than fat
- Nobody can tell you the product name and what it contains
Which method fits you?
Fat-dissolving injections, also called injection lipolysis, are not one product. In the US, the FDA has approved one, deoxycholic acid sold as Kybella, and only for fat under the chin in adults. Other mixtures, often containing phosphatidylcholine and sodium deoxycholate, are sold under various brand names without FDA approval, and the FDA has received reports of scarring, infections and painful lumps after them. The clinic describes its injections as tailored to each person but does not name the product, so ask before you book.
| Method | What happens | Suits | Downtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deoxycholic acid (Kybella) | Injected into fat under the chin, where it breaks down the walls of fat cells, according to its label. | A double chin from fat, in adults | Swelling, bruising and numbness under the chin; up to 6 sessions at least 1 month apart |
| Other fat-dissolving mixtures | Mixtures such as phosphatidylcholine with deoxycholate, used on the face and body. | Ask the doctor what the product is approved for | Depends on the product; ask before booking |
| Liposuction | Fat is removed through small cuts under sedation or general anesthesia. | Larger areas, or more change in one session | A week or so, with a stitch check, at the partner clinic |
What happens on the day of fat-dissolving injections?
- Consultation and design. The doctor checks that the fullness is fat and marks the area to treat.
- Numbing cream goes on.
- Small injections are spread across the marked area in a short session.
- You return to your day. The clinic says changes appear within weeks, so further sessions are planned at intervals.
What is recovery like after fat-dissolving injections?
- Same day
- Swelling, redness, tenderness and sometimes bruising in the treated area.
- Days 1 to 7
- Swelling, numbness or a firm feeling can last some days. Avoid pressing or massaging the area unless the doctor advises it.
- Following weeks
- The clinic says changes appear within weeks of an injection.
- Months 1 to 6
- For the approved double chin product, sessions are given at least 1 month apart, up to 6 in total, so a full course runs over months.
How long should you stay in Seoul after fat-dissolving injections?
A single session fits into a few days in Seoul, with nothing to remove afterwards and no return visit on the clinic’s list. Because a course usually needs several sessions weeks apart, plan any later sessions as another trip, or ask the clinic what one session can do. Book early in your stay so swelling has eased before the flight. If you have trouble swallowing, get emergency care first, then tell the clinic. An uneven smile, or skin at the injection site that turns dark, sore or open, needs a doctor promptly.
What are the risks of fat-dissolving injections?
- Swelling, bruising, pain, numbness, redness and firmness in the treated area, the common reactions listed for the approved product
- Injury to a nerve near the jaw, causing an uneven smile. In trials of the approved double chin product this affected 4% of people, and all recovered on their own
- Trouble swallowing, which the approved product’s label lists as a warning
- Serious nerve, muscle and other problems when the approved product is injected outside the area under the chin, according to the FDA
- For products without FDA approval, reports to the FDA of permanent scars, serious infections, skin deformities, cysts and deep, painful lumps
- A smaller or less even change than you hoped for
What affects the cost of fat-dissolving injections in Korea?
The cost of fat-dissolving injections turns on the product, the amount, the size and number of areas, and how many sessions you plan, and our pages do not list prices for them. A patient coordinator answers first, then the surgeon at the partner clinic that fits your case reviews your photos and consults in depth. Ask to see the product name and its ingredients in writing before any injection is given. Our consultation is free for you, and you pay only the clinic’s own price for treatment.
More questions
Which fat-dissolving injection is FDA approved?
In the US, only deoxycholic acid sold as Kybella is approved to dissolve fat, and only for moderate to severe fat under the chin in adults. Other fat-dissolving products, including mixtures with phosphatidylcholine, are not FDA approved. The FDA is a US regulator, so ask what the clinic uses and whether it is approved in Korea for that area.
How many sessions of fat-dissolving injections are needed?
Usually more than one. The label for the approved double chin product allows up to 6 sessions at least 1 month apart. On a trip that means one session per visit, so ask what a single session is likely to change.
Is the fat loss from injections permanent?
The approved product destroys fat cells where it is injected, according to its label. Your weight and age still affect how the area looks, so ask the doctor how to keep the result steady.
Should I choose fat-dissolving injections or liposuction?
Injections suit small areas and change them slowly over several sessions. Liposuction removes more fat in one operation, with small cuts, stitches and about a week of recovery. The partner clinic offers both.
Related procedures
Sources
- Clinic figures as published by Urban Plastic Surgery, collected October 3, 2026. Your surgeon confirms your own plan.
- Using Fat-Dissolving Injections That Are Not FDA Approved Can Be Harmful. US Food and Drug Administration
- FDA approves additional information in labeling for Kybella (deoxycholic acid) injection to warn of adverse events. US Food and Drug Administration
- KYBELLA (deoxycholic acid) injection prescribing information. US Food and Drug Administration
Cases and clinic figures come from our partner clinic, Urban Plastic Surgery. The partnership does not change what we publish about risks and recovery.