Fat dissolving injection vs Kybella —
how the Artner Injection in Cheongdam, Gangnam differs.

Patients from the US, UK and Australia arrive at ARTNER Cheongdam asking whether our injection "is Kybella". It is not, and the differences — ingredient, swelling, areas and cost — are large enough to change which one you should choose.

Side by side in Cheongdam

	Kybella (deoxycholic acid)	Artner Injection (ARTNER Cheongdam)
Active ingredient	Synthetic deoxycholic acid, single agent	Patented multi-component lipolytic formula; no steroids, PPC or hyaluronidase
Approved / used areas	Submental (double chin); off-label elsewhere	Double chin, face, abdomen, flanks, arms, thighs, knees, back
Sessions	2–6, 4–6 weeks apart	6, 1–2 weeks apart
Swelling	Marked; 3–7 days of visible "bullfrog" swelling per session	Mild; usually gone in 24–48 hours
Downtime	Often 3–5 social days per session	None — same-day return
Mechanism	Destroys fat cell membranes (adipocytolysis)	Breaks down and mobilises fat for metabolic clearance over weeks
Result timing	6–12 weeks after final session	Progressive across the course; final 3–4 months
Typical cost	US$1,200–1,800 per session; US$3,000–6,000+ per course	From ₩1,200,000 (≈US$850–900) for a six-session course per area

What deoxycholic acid does — and what that costs you

Deoxycholic acid is a bile acid that dissolves fat cell membranes on contact. It works, and it is permanent for the cells destroyed. The cost is inflammation: the body clears the debris with a strong inflammatory response, which is the swelling, tenderness and numbness patients describe for days after each session. Nerve injury to the marginal mandibular branch, causing a temporary crooked smile, is a known risk around the jaw. These are the reasons Kybella is approved only for the chin and why many providers limit it to two or three sessions.

What the Artner Injection does differently in Gangnam

The Artner Injection was developed and patented by ARTNER's director as a formulated protocol rather than a single agent. It deliberately excludes the three ingredients common in Korean "lipolysis" injections that cause problems — steroids (skin thinning, dents), PPC/phosphatidylcholine (severe swelling, nodules) and hyaluronidase (unpredictable spread). The result is a gentler mechanism: fat is mobilised and cleared metabolically over weeks rather than destroyed by inflammation in days.

Gentler means more sessions — six — but each session is a fifteen-minute visit with no downtime, which is why the course can cover the abdomen or thighs, areas where Kybella-level swelling would be unmanageable.

Double chin: the one area where both apply

For the submental area both work. Kybella delivers a larger change per session with more swelling; the Artner Injection delivers a progressive change across six gentler sessions. ARTNER Cheongdam's view: for an international patient on a one-week trip, the face Artner Injection course can be front-loaded with three sessions in Seoul and three on return or spaced at home-side intervals, with no visible downtime during the trip. For a larger double chin with good skin, awake liposuction of the chin in Cheongdam in 30 minutes often beats either injection.

Body areas: why Kybella rarely goes there

Off-label Kybella on the abdomen or bra fat requires many vials per session, costs rise steeply, and the swelling and tenderness scale with area. Most US providers decline it. The Artner Injection course is designed for body areas: a lower-abdomen pocket, inner thighs, upper arms, bra line and inner knees are routine six-session courses at ARTNER Cheongdam, Gangnam, each from ₩1,200,000 per area. Where volume is large, the director will say liposuction is the better value.

Safety record and what to watch for

Both approaches are safe in trained hands. With Kybella, the documented risks are prolonged swelling, nerve weakness around the jaw and, rarely, skin ulceration if injected too superficially. With Korean lipolysis injections generally, the risks come from the ingredients ARTNER excludes — steroid dents, PPC nodules. With the Artner Injection, expect mild swelling, occasional small bruises and tenderness for a day; the course is paused if any area reacts unusually. Ask any clinic for the ingredient list; a refusal is an answer.

Which one should you choose?

Choose Kybella if you want the chin only, can accept a week of swelling per session, and prefer treatment at home. Choose the Artner Injection course in Cheongdam if you want no downtime, want body areas treated, are combining with a trip to Seoul, or want a lower total cost. Choose liposuction if the volume is large and you want one session. ARTNER Cheongdam, Gangnam offers the last two and will tell you plainly when the first is the right call.