LAUSR

BACKGROUND Deoxycholic acid (DCA; ATX-101) injection was approved for the treatment of mild-to-moderate convexity associated with submental fat in 2015. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the experience with DCA injections in a clinical practice setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS This ongoing, prospective, single-center, single-arm, observational study evaluated 100 consecutive patients treated with subcutaneous DCA (2 mg/cm2) injections (maximum 6 sessions at ≥1-month intervals). Treatment response was assessed using the clinician-reported submental fat rating scale (CR-SMFRS) and confirmed by independent physician review of photographs at 1 and 5 to 7 weeks after treatment. RESULTS Since the previous published report, 17 patients have undergone additional treatment sessions, with a total of 100 patients having undergone 195 treatment sessions: 41, 36, 14, 6, 2, and 1 patient underwent 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 sessions, respectively. Overall, 91.7% of patients in the single treatment session group and 100% in the multiple treatment session group had an improvement of ≥1 point on the CR-SMFRS. The mean (SD) duration of local edema, numbness, and tenderness after treatment was 7.1 (5.1), 27.9 (11.3), and 3.5 (3.5) days, respectively. CONCLUSION Deoxycholic acid injections were generally well tolerated, and ≥2 treatment sessions were required to achieve the desired aesthetic goal in a private practice setting.