Chief Director’s Skin Column｜Seongdong-gu Dermatology: What Are the Real Uses of Fat-Dissolving Injections Such as V-OLET?

About Fat-Dissolving Injections

Hello, this is Raon Dermatology in Seongdong-gu :)

Many people are dealing with concerns caused by excess facial fat, such as a double chin and buccal fat. In particular, as the weather has continued to get warmer lately, more people have been working to improve facial fullness. Many may think the easiest solution is a "fat-dissolving injection." So today, let’s take a look at the real effects and practical uses of fat-dissolving injections. This post was created based on a skin column by Chief Director Baek Jong-heon!

About Fat-Dissolving Injections

What is today’s topic?

No matter how diligently you manage it, there are some facial concerns that are not easily resolved. A double chin / buccal fat / nasolabial folds are representative examples. Among them, today’s topic is the double chin and buccal fat.

When people think of a double chin and buccal fat, many first think of excess fat. Of course, fat is part of the problem, but decreased skin elasticity also has a significant effect! Then can fat-dissolving injections such as V-OLET and Bellacolin address both fat and elasticity? We’ll look into that in detail below as well.

What is today’s topic?

Deoxycholic Acid

The main ingredient of the fat-dissolving injections we’ll discuss today is deoxycholic acid. You can think of it as a substance similar to bile acids secreted in your body! It has a highly effective ability to destroy fat cells. Rather than simply reducing the size of fat cells, it induces complete destruction.

In addition, it stimulates collagen regeneration at the injection site, contributing in part to improved skin elasticity. Because the effects are good, many people also worry about side effects. However, since it is similar to a substance naturally secreted in our body, it is safe without any special immune reaction, so there is no need to worry :)

<What kind of ingredient is it?>

• Composed of deoxycholic acid

• Similar to bile acid components secreted in the body

• Effective at completely destroying fat cells

• Improves elasticity through collagen regeneration

Deoxycholic Acid

V-OLET, Bellacolin, etc.

As mentioned earlier, injections such as V-OLET and Bellacolin are FDA-approved injectables. They differ in many ways from the fat-dissolving injections commonly used in the past! First, there were many cases where clinics compounded and used them by combining the necessary ingredients as needed. There was also the drawback that they only temporarily reduced the size of fat cells. As a result, facial fullness often returned after just a few months.

On the other hand, injectable products containing deoxycholic acid are commercialized injections for the purpose of fat dissolution, and in practice they produce semi-permanent effects. This is because fat cells that have been destroyed do not naturally regenerate. Therefore, unless there are issues such as weight gain, the effect can be maintained for quite a long time.

Q. What is the difference from existing injections?

• Commercialized injections, not custom-compounded

• Complete destruction of fat cells

• Semi-permanent effect, no recurrence

V-OLET, Bellacolin, etc.

Overseas Applications

These are used much more widely overseas than in Korea, and are mainly used for double chin treatment. The photo below may be helpful to look at: it shows a before-and-after comparison after a total of five injections at one-month intervals. Even at a glance, you can see that the fat under the chin has been greatly reduced. As the firmness along the jawline returns, sagging also appears to have improved noticeably, right?

However, in Korea, interest in double chin procedures using fat-dissolving injections is not very high. This is due to the various discomforts that can occur during the procedure, so they are not particularly preferred. In many cases, they are used only as a supplementary treatment alongside laser lifting. So today, I’d like to introduce ways they can be used in areas other than the double chin.

Overseas Applications

Uses Beyond the Double Chin

Jowl fat refers to the so-called bulldog cheeks or buccal fat. It is caused by aging and is one of the skin concerns that Korean people worry about most. Rather than being caused simply by sagging fat, it can be understood as occurring due to overall changes in the facial structure. Because of this, management needs to be done across the entire face, and the care itself is very difficult.

For this bulldog cheek and buccal fat concern, deoxycholic acid injections, including V-OLET, can be a solution. That is because they not only effectively reduce fat at the injection site, but also improve elasticity. Depending on the situation, combining them with laser lifting such as Ulthera may lead to even more positive results, right?

<Today’s conclusion>

• Fat-dissolving injections with deoxycholic acid as the ingredient

• Effective for improving double chin, buccal fat, and bulldog cheeks

• Improves both fat and elasticity issues at the same time

Uses Beyond the Double Chin

How to Use Fat-Dissolving Injections

Located in a prime area near Wangsimni Intersection

-Exit 9 of Wangsimni Station, Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu- ​​​

👉 Four subway lines available directly ​​

Line 2 (Sindang, Sangwangsimni, Seongsu)

Line 5 (Singeumho, Haengdang, Majang, Dapsimni)

Gyeongui–Jungang Line (Oksu, Eungbong, Cheongnyangni)

Suin–Bundang Line (Seoul Forest)