I am sure you are wondering why #3- I will cover #1 and #2 later.

Yesterday I went for my first Kybella treatment in Honolulu. When approaching any of these personal improvement projects my feelings alternate between excited and nervous. Nervous because these cosmetic procedures have potential to wrong leaving what I am trying to improve worse off than before starting. Nervous because after reading the side effects one wonders how anything might go right anyway. I was also excited because the problem I am addressing this time has bothered my since my exchange student year when I gained 15 pounds and senior prom photos (after I returned from eating the world’s best chocolate daily on the way home from school) when I realized the shape of my face matched my father’s and my grandmother’s. I had and would continue to grow a double chin. My mother, fit healthy and the owner of a beautiful jawline suggested chin exercises. They did not work and make anyone doing them feel silly.

The appointment went well and as expected. Having read several hours worth of internet accounts, I felt like I knew what to expect. The doctor numbed my face with ice for about 5 minutes. Her assistant prepped the needles. The both worked together to apply the temporary tattoo template to my chin. Then, possibly since this was a special of 2 treatments for 2k, did some dot counting and adjusting (until I believe) they settled at 20 or so injection sites with the last 2 corners receiving 1 unit instead of 2. This is where anxiety took hold and I practiced slow, relaxing yoga breathing so as not to tense my body and make what the anticipated pain levels higher.

It was injection time. This went much better than I expected. The needles reminded me of my allergy testing where the arm or back is dotted and injected with all those irritants that will cause either itching or swelling. About 5-7 seconds after each prick, there was a warm, burning sensation. I only began to feel the burning on the right side of the marked area when the doctor was more than halfway through. At the 3/4 mark, the right side felt more uncomfortable than the side receiving the shots. Then, it was done. Immediately, after the injections were complete, ice packs were placed under my chin for a few minutes. My chin was swabbed with antiseptic on each side and the dots removed. And the underside of my chin and my neck went mostly numb. Thank goodness.

On the way home, and I had a 45 minute drive or so- I noticed or felt 3 things. First, although partially numb, there were these little, explosive buds of pain occurring directly under what I supposed to be were injection sites. It seemed as if it was possible to feel the liquidation of the fat cells, which should be impossible. It was like a bubble, swelling, bursting but instead of a release of pressure a sort of release of heat. That sort of heat and the increased swelling was the second sensation. Finally, with no painkillers and the cold effect gone, I just felt sore and tender. The combination was sufficiently discomforting that I did not feel like going anywhere else except home for an icepack and Tylenol. The doctor explained NSAIDs would reduce the swelling but increase the bruising. Not sure, which was the lesser evil, I took Tylenol and found an icepack.

From noon until about 8pm, my chin began to develop the “bullfrog” or Ally McBeal waddle (if one remembers the show.) I did not understand what was meant by this when reading about others experiences. I thought it meant the circumference of my neck would swell and be more resistant to touch. For me, the swelling was more vertical in the injection area and wiggly. Swollen, squishy, jello and the skin seemed very soft, not pulled especially tight. If people know me, then they would notice the swelling, but if a stranger saw me, I think they would just assume I had grown my grandmother’s chins.

It has now been 30 hours since injection time. I have taken no medicine and iced my chin 1 time since wakening. The swelling is still there and I am bruising. Darn. There is no way, people won’t see a problem if the underside of my chin is brown. Good thing there is one more day left in the weekend. My advice save, the 3rd day for stay-at-home activities.