Seoul
Chief MD, Gangnam
Duk-ha Kim
The trust our patients have placed in this clinic was built on conviction and principle. We intend to hold to both, unchanged, through the next hundred years.
Fat-dissolving injection menu guide — body areas
GPC Injection
A GPC Injection on an Abijou menu is a small-area, body fat-dissolving injectable sold in 12cc and 24cc units. Every fat-dissolving drug approval documented on this page — the U.S. Kybella label, Korea's V-OLET injection and China's Rongzhi approval — covers submental fat in adults only, and the review cited here states that GPC's own FDA approval is limited to intravenous or oral use, not injection for fat reduction. Body-area use sits outside every one of those approvals, which makes it an off-label decision rather than an illegal one, and the FDA's September 2026 safety update describes real adverse events tied to that kind of off-label use. The menu name for this item states a volume, not a registered ingredient — confirm the product name, manufacturer, labelled ingredient and strength, and the approved indication with the clinic before treatment.
- What it is
- Small-area fat-dissolving injection sold in 12cc and 24cc units
- Approved use of this drug class
- Submental (under-chin) fat in adults only, in every country documented here
- Body-area use
- Off-label everywhere; no FDA, MFDS or NMPA approval covers arms, abdomen or thighs
- Ingredient in this menu item
- Not stated by the menu name; confirm the product name, ingredient, strength and approved indication with the clinic
Is a fat-dissolving injection approved for use anywhere on the body?
Only one area is covered, and it is not on the body. Every fat-dissolving drug approval documented on this page covers submental fat — the fat under the chin — in adults. The FDA's own consumer guidance states that Kybella is "the only fat-dissolving injectable drug that is FDA approved to reduce the amount of fat under the chin," which places arms, abdomen, thighs, flanks and every other body area outside that sentence. Treat this gap as the fact to understand before booking a small-area injection, not a detail to skip past.
Sources: FDA — using fat-dissolving injections that are not FDA approved can be harmful
What is GPC, and is it approved to dissolve fat?
GPC is shorthand for glycerophosphocholine, a choline-containing compound reported to activate fat metabolism. A 2024 review of lipolytic agents states that "its approval by the FDA is currently limited to intravenous injection or oral therapy," and that injecting it under the skin for fat reduction is "not yet an approved method and falls outside the scope of authorization." GPC does have a recognized approval — it is simply not the injectable, fat-dissolving use this menu category is selling.
Sources: Skin Res Technol 2024;30(2):e13601 — review of lipolytic agents for submental fat reduction
Which single body area do approved fat-dissolving drugs cover?
The area under the chin, and nothing else, across every national approval documented on this page. The U.S. Kybella label states the drug is indicated for "improvement in the appearance of moderate-to-severe fullness associated with submental fat in adults." Korea's V-OLET injection carries the same anatomical limit, and the review cited here places China's Rongzhi approval in the same category. Three countries, one ingredient family, one approved location on the body — submental fat, in adults.
Sources: DailyMed — KYBELLA (deoxycholic acid) injection prescribing informationMFDS drug product record — V-OLET injection (deoxycholic acid), approved indication and administration areaFront Med 2026;13:1865071 — review of injection lipolysis in aesthetic medicine, including approval status by country
What does the U.S. Kybella label actually say?
It approves deoxycholic acid injection for submental fat in adults, and it explicitly closes the door on body use. The label states that "the safe and effective use of KYBELLA for the treatment of subcutaneous fat outside the submental region has not been established and is not recommended." The clinical trials supporting the approval enrolled adults aged 19 to 65 with a body mass index of 40 or below, and safety and effectiveness in patients under 18 have not been established. None of that describes an arm, an abdomen or a thigh.
Sources: DailyMed — KYBELLA (deoxycholic acid) injection prescribing information
What does Korea's V-OLET approval say about body use?
It does not extend to the body at all. The MFDS record for V-OLET injection lists the approved indication as improvement of moderate-to-severe protruding or excessive submental fat in adults, dosed at 2 mg per square centimetre of treatment area. The administration instructions state the drug is injected into the subcutaneous fat tissue of the submental area, and that it is injected only within the targeted treatment area of submental fat. There is no separate Korean approval, dose or administration instruction for any other body area.
Is a fat-dissolving injection approved in China, or in Japan?
In China, yes, for the same single area: the review cited here documents Rongzhi, a deoxycholic acid product approved by China's NMPA in 2025 for moderate-to-severe submental fat in adults — again, not for the body. Approval is decided country by country and product by product, so a Japanese approval would be its own separate record with its own indication; the same discipline that applies to the United States, Korea and China here applies equally to Japan, and an approval granted in one country never extends treatment scope to another. What stays constant across every approval this page documents is the anatomical limit: submental fat only.
What did the FDA add to the Kybella label in September 2026?
A warning built from adverse-event reports tied to injection outside the approved submental area. The FDA's 15 September 2026 safety communication updated the Kybella label after reviewing reports of deoxycholic acid injected off-label into other body areas, describing 129 adverse events involving damage around the eyes and to facial nerves and muscles — including reduced or blurred vision around the eyes, facial paralysis and abnormal sensation — plus 117 reports of nodules or masses that had not resolved after an average of roughly 143 days, or about five months. These figures describe reports the FDA received about off-label injection of this drug outside the chin; they are a regulatory record of that drug and that use pattern, not a rate published for any specific clinic's labelled product.
What has the FDA said about unapproved fat-dissolving products?
Separately from the Kybella label update, the FDA has long warned that products combining phosphatidylcholine (PPC) and sodium deoxycholate (DC) are not FDA approved at all. Its guidance names brands including Aqualyx, Lipodissolve, Lipo Lab and Kabelline, and states that reports associated with these unapproved products include "permanent scars, serious infections, skin deformities, cysts, and deep, painful knots." This is a distinct regulatory story from the Kybella label update above — different ingredients, a different warning, and a separate question from what any specific clinic's own menu item is labelled to contain.
Sources: FDA — using fat-dissolving injections that are not FDA approved can be harmful
Why has one review said a PPC-DC combination is prohibited?
Because the available evidence did not support its safety for the purpose it was being sold for. The international review of injection lipolysis cited here states that "due to insufficient evidence regarding the safety of the PPC combination with DCA compound for cosmetic fat reduction, its usage has been prohibited" in at least one jurisdiction it surveys. That sentence is about a specific ingredient combination, not about every fat-dissolving injectable, but it directly illustrates the point made throughout this page: approval status tracks the ingredient, and it can change.
Does using an approved drug outside the submental area mean it is illegal?
No. Off-label use is legal for a physician to perform, but it means the use has not been reviewed by any regulator for safety or effectiveness in that location. A licensed doctor can decide, based on clinical judgement, to inject an approved drug into an area the approval does not cover. What that decision does not come with is the safety and efficacy review behind the approved submental indication, or a label describing what to expect for that area. The FDA's own September 2026 update exists precisely because reports of harm from that kind of off-label body use had accumulated.
Sources: FDA drug safety communication (2026-09-15) — labelling update for Kybella (deoxycholic acid) injection and adverse events outside the submental areaDailyMed — KYBELLA (deoxycholic acid) injection prescribing information
What evidence actually supports using these injections on body areas?
Not much, by the standard used to approve the submental indication. The review cited here concludes that "high-quality clinical trials supporting body contouring use are lacking; efficacy and safety data come mainly from case reports and small case series." The body-area cases it cites are small — a group as small as 11 patients treated over two to four sessions is typical of what has been published. That is a meaningfully lower evidence bar than the trials behind the submental approvals documented above, and it is worth weighing on its own terms rather than assuming body use rests on the same footing.
How is a fat-dissolving injection meant to act on tissue?
By damaging fat cell membranes at the injection site rather than by blocking a nerve signal, which is why placement and depth matter as much as they do. Deoxycholic acid is described as acting directly on the cell membrane of fat tissue, and its action is not confined to fat cells alone — part of why the approved label limits it to a single, carefully defined treatment area under the chin. None of the sources documented here describe a mechanism for a GPC-based product used this way: as the review cited above states, injecting GPC under the skin to dissolve fat falls outside the scope of its FDA authorisation, so this use sits outside the approved-drug literature entirely.
Sources: DailyMed — KYBELLA (deoxycholic acid) injection prescribing informationSkin Res Technol 2024;30(2):e13601 — review of lipolytic agents for submental fat reduction
How long does the effect last?
None of the approvals or reviews documented on this page state how long a reduction in submental fat is expected to last. The one timeline that does appear here measures something different: the FDA's September 2026 safety communication reports that nodules from off-label injection outside the chin took an average of roughly 143 days, or about five months, to resolve — that describes how long an adverse event took to clear, not how long a fat-reduction effect lasts. What differs by product is the exact active ingredient, its approved concentration and dose, and whether the treatment area sits on-label or off-label; if a clinic states a duration for the effect itself, ask what it is basing that figure on, since none of the sources on this page state one.
Does the word GPC on this clinic's menu tell you what is being injected?
No. A menu name for a small-area injection states a volume and a marketing term, not a registered ingredient. Treat the ingredient as an item to confirm at consultation rather than a detail the menu settles for you: ask for the registered product name and manufacturer, the active ingredient and strength stated on its labelling, which country has approved that product and for what indication, and whether the treatment area you are considering falls within that approved indication. None of the approvals documented on this page cover a body area, so that last question carries as much weight as the first.
Sources: FDA — using fat-dissolving injections that are not FDA approved can be harmfulMFDS drug product record — V-OLET injection (deoxycholic acid), approved indication and administration area
What does a 12cc or 24cc listing on the menu actually describe?
A volume of solution offered for sale, not a treatment result. Booking menus for this category sell small-area injections in 12cc and 24cc units, and that number states how much liquid is planned for the session — it says nothing about the ingredient, the concentration, the approved area, or what change to expect. Two listings with the same cc figure can involve completely different substances with completely different regulatory histories, so cc volume is not a basis for comparing safety or comparing clinics.
Sources: FDA — using fat-dissolving injections that are not FDA approved can be harmful
What should you confirm before agreeing to a small-area injection?
Confirm the ingredient first, then the approved area, then whether the treatment area proposed to you falls inside or outside that approval. Ask the clinician to name the product and its active ingredient, state which regulator has approved it and for what indication, and say plainly whether your treatment area is on-label or off-label. Disclose your medical history, current medicines, pregnancy or breastfeeding, and any prior procedures in the area. Ask, too, what symptoms should prompt a call afterward — the FDA's 2026 update describes nodules that had not resolved after months, not days, so understanding the expected timeline matters as much as understanding the ingredient.
Sources: FDA drug safety communication (2026-09-15) — labelling update for Kybella (deoxycholic acid) injection and adverse events outside the submental areaMFDS drug product record — V-OLET injection (deoxycholic acid), approved indication and administration area
Which country has approved which product, and for which area?
This table compares national approval records for deoxycholic acid products, not clinic menu items. It does not state what any specific menu entry contains, and it is not an efficacy ranking.
| Country / product | Regulator and approval | Approved indication | What this means for body-area use |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States — Kybella (deoxycholic acid) | FDA approved, 2015 | Improvement of moderate-to-severe fullness associated with submental fat in adults | Label states use outside the submental region "has not been established and is not recommended"; no body-area indication exists |
| Korea — V-OLET injection (deoxycholic acid) | MFDS approved, 2021 | Improvement of moderate-to-severe protruding or excessive submental fat in adults, at 2 mg/cm2, injected only within the submental treatment area | Administration instructions confine the drug to the submental target area; no body-area indication is listed |
| China — Rongzhi (deoxycholic acid) | NMPA approved, 2025 (per the review cited here) | Adults with moderate-to-severe submental fat | Same anatomical limit as the U.S. and Korean approvals; no body-area indication documented |
| Any country — body areas (arms, abdomen, thighs, etc.) | No regulatory approval covers this scope | None | Off-label everywhere; supporting evidence comes mainly from case reports and small case series, per the review cited here |
Approvals are national and anatomy-specific. This table lists approval records for the deoxycholic acid drugs documented here; it does not identify the ingredient in any specific clinic's menu item, and it does not rank effectiveness.
Sources: DailyMed — KYBELLA (deoxycholic acid) injection prescribing informationMFDS drug product record — V-OLET injection (deoxycholic acid), approved indication and administration areaFront Med 2026;13:1865071 — review of injection lipolysis in aesthetic medicine, including approval status by country
Medical care at Abijou
Care is provided by the medical team at the branch you select. These clinicians lead the three branches linked from this guide; confirm the doctor assigned to your visit with that branch.
Chief MD, Myeongdong
Cheol-su Yoon
I want to be thinking about how the patient feels right up to the last moment of the procedure.
Chief MD, Hongdae
Jae-wook Kim
I will give my best with the attentiveness to catch even the smallest change.
Listed branch medical team — not a medical-review byline for this article.
Frequently asked questions
Is this small-area body injection the same drug as Kybella?
Not necessarily. Kybella is a specific, FDA-approved deoxycholic acid product indicated only for submental fat, while the ingredient behind this clinic's small-area injection menu is not stated by the menu name. Ask the clinic to name the exact registered product and its active ingredient before you decide whether the two are the same.
What does GPC stand for, and is it a regulated drug name?
GPC is read as glycerophosphocholine, a choline compound reported to activate fat metabolism, and that reading describes the compound generally rather than any specific clinic's product. A 2024 review states GPC's FDA approval is limited to intravenous or oral use, and that injecting it under the skin to dissolve fat is not an approved method.
Is any fat-dissolving injection approved for arms, abdomen or thighs?
None of the approvals documented on this page cover those areas. Every approved indication documented here — in the United States, Korea and China — covers submental fat in adults only; none extends to arms, abdomen, thighs or any other body area.
What did the FDA's 2026 safety update actually change?
It added label language based on adverse-event reports tied to injecting Kybella outside its approved submental area. The update followed reports of 129 adverse events involving the eyes, facial nerves and facial muscles, and 117 reports of nodules or masses still unresolved after an average of about 143 days.
What adverse events were reported for off-label use outside the chin?
Reduced or blurred vision around the eyes, facial paralysis and abnormal sensation from nerve or muscle injury, and nodules or masses that took an average of roughly five months to resolve, according to the FDA's September 2026 safety communication. These figures describe reports tied to off-label injection of this drug class, not an outcome rate for any specific clinic's product.
Are Aqualyx, Lipo Lab or similar products approved?
No. The FDA names these brands, along with Lipodissolve and Kabelline, as unapproved products combining phosphatidylcholine and sodium deoxycholate, and states it has not evaluated their safety or effectiveness. Reported events linked to these products include permanent scars, serious infections, skin deformities, cysts and deep, painful knots.
Is this treatment approved in Korea for body areas?
No. Korea's MFDS approval for V-OLET injection covers only improvement of moderate-to-severe protruding or excessive submental fat in adults, dosed at 2 mg per square centimetre and administered only within the submental treatment area. No Korean approval documented here covers any body area.
Is this treatment approved in China?
For submental fat only. A deoxycholic acid product called Rongzhi was approved by China's NMPA in 2025 for moderate-to-severe submental fat in adults, per the review cited here, with the same anatomical limit found in the U.S. and Korean approvals.
Is this treatment approved in Japan?
The approvals documented on this page are for the United States, Korea and China, and each one is limited to submental fat in adults. Approval is a national, product-specific decision, so coverage in Japan or any other country depends on that country's own regulator approving a specific product for that use — confirm this directly with the clinic or the relevant regulator.
Is off-label use of an approved drug illegal?
No, a licensed physician can legally decide to use an approved drug outside its labelled indication based on clinical judgement. What off-label use does not come with is a regulator's safety and efficacy review for that use, or a label describing what to expect — which is exactly the gap the FDA's 2026 update addressed for body-area injection of deoxycholic acid.
How strong is the evidence for body-area use of these injections?
Weaker than the evidence behind the submental approvals. A review of injection lipolysis concludes that high-quality clinical trials supporting body contouring use are lacking, and that the available efficacy and safety data come mainly from case reports and small case series — in some published cases, as few as 11 patients over two to four sessions.
How can I find out exactly what ingredient is in this clinic's small-area injection?
By asking the clinician directly, since the menu name states a volume and a marketing term rather than a registered composition. Request the registered product name and manufacturer, the active ingredient and strength stated on its labelling, which country has approved that product and for what indication, and whether your treatment area falls within that approved indication.
What does 12cc or 24cc mean on the menu?
It states a volume of solution the clinic plans to use for that session, not a result, a concentration, or an approved area. Two menu items listing the same cc figure can contain entirely different substances with entirely different regulatory histories.
What should I ask before booking this treatment?
Ask for the product name and active ingredient, which regulator has approved it and for what indication, and whether the area you want treated is on-label or off-label for that product. Also ask what follow-up symptoms should prompt a call, since reported nodules from off-label use took months, not days, to resolve.
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We started in Gangnam in 2006 and the network now runs 17 branches across Korea. The line we work to is skin transformation woven into everyday life — care you can keep up with, rather than one dramatic change.
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