Kybella

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have a small lipoma on my stomach that I’m interested in having removed without a scar. I found some of your posts relating to this issue and LipoDissolve (Kybella) seems like a viable alternative. Your post mentioned that it might take multiple injections, do these injections have to be within a certain amount of time? I work outside the US most of the year and only travel home to Indy a few times per year so I might have to spread the injections over a long period of time. 

A: The only non-surgical alternative to surgical excision of a lipoma is injection therapy. While one known as Lipodissolve, it is now known as Kybella injections. These are pure deocycholic acid injections which help break down the lipoma by disrupting the cell walls of the adipocyutes within the lipoma capsule. Over the years I have treated a fair number of lipomas with injections and it almost always takes ore than one injection treatment to get the maximal reduction. While I usually space these as close as 6 weeks apart, there is no harm in having much longer periods between the injection sessions. It does not adversely affect the injection’s effectiveness.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana