Choosing Contouring Injections for Cheek and Double Chin Fat: What to Watch Out For

Around the Chuseok holiday, people tend to consume more high-calorie foods than usual, which often leads to weight gain in the face. Cheek fat and double chins in particular affect the overall facial line, creating an appearance that looks older or more tired—a common concern for many. Here's what to know when choosing fat dissolving injections (Sunsak/contouring injections) to address these concerns.

What are Sunsak Contouring Injections?

These injections deliver fat-dissolving compounds directly into cheek fat, double chin, and nasolabial fold areas to break down fat cells and improve facial contour. While relatively simple, the effectiveness and safety vary greatly depending on the product's ingredients and application method.

Ingredient Safety: What to Watch For

The most important factor when choosing fat dissolving injections is selecting a product with safe ingredients. Key ingredients to avoid:

Steroids: Some products include steroids for their short-term swelling-reduction effects, but prolonged use can cause serious side effects including skin atrophy, vascular dilation, and immune suppression.

PPC (Phosphatidylcholine): Has fat-cell-destroying effects but can trigger strong inflammatory reactions and prolonged, severe swelling—its safety remains controversial.

Hyaluronidase: An enzyme that dissolves hyaluronic acid fillers. When added to fat dissolving injections, it risks unintentionally dissolving previously placed fillers.

Therefore, it is important to select a medical institution that uses products composed only of safe fat-dissolving compounds without these three ingredients.

Combining with Lifting Procedures

For cheek fat and double chin improvement, fat dissolving injections alone cannot address skin laxity or sagging. Consider combining with these lifting procedures:

Ultherapy: Uses ultrasound energy to act on the deep skin layer (SMAS layer) for lifting effects. Particularly effective for double chin improvement and jawline lifting.

Shurink: A lifting procedure using High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) technology for skin elasticity improvement and lifting effects.

InMode FX: A non-invasive body contouring procedure using radiofrequency energy that simultaneously improves fat reduction and skin elasticity, making it effective for cheek and double chin improvement.

Combining fat dissolving injections with these lifting procedures achieves fat reduction and skin elasticity improvement simultaneously, resulting in more natural and comprehensive outcomes.

Before deciding on any procedure, a thorough consultation with a dermatologist is essential to establish the optimal treatment plan for your specific skin condition and concerns. Choose a medical institution that uses safe and effective ingredients for satisfying results.

(Dr. Kim Hyun-soo, ReYeonK Clinic Apgujeong)