Calvin T. Sung MD, et al, of the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine and University of California, Irvine, Department of Dermatology, performed a systematic literature search through PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL and Web of Science databases, to investigate the safety and efficacy of injectable deoxycholic acid (DCA; Kybella; Allergan) when used off-label to treat fat tissue in areas of the body other than the submental region.
The researchers identified 10 pertinent articles. Treatment areas included the face, brassiere line, foot and gluteotrochanteric region. Indications included facial contouring, paradoxical adipose hyperplasia, HIV/HAART-associated buccal fat pad lipodystrophy and reduction of lipomatous tumors. They found that off-label use of injectable DCA demonstrated a similar safety profile, effectiveness and overall patient satisfaction compared to U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved use for persistent submental fat and recommended larger-scale studies to explore further cosmetic and potential medical applications of DCA.
The study appeared in the July 2019 issue of Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.
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