Adverse Events of Injectable Deoxycholic Acid

• Published in: Dermatologic surgery Vol. 46; no. 7; p. 942
• Main Authors: Pham, Christine T, Lee, Alfred, Sung, Calvin T, Choi, Franchesca, Juhasz, Margit, Mesinkovska, Natasha A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2020
• Subjects: Cosmetic Techniques; Deoxycholic Acid - administration & dosage; Deoxycholic Acid - adverse effects; Deoxycholic Acid - therapeutic use; Humans; Injections
• ISSN: 1524-4725
• DOI: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000002318

Injectable deoxycholic acid (DCA) may be used to remove excess submental fat and off-label for local adipose reduction. Despite DCA's widespread use, rare incidences of severe, systemic, long-term adverse events (AEs) have been reported. To evaluate the potential side effects associated with injectable DCA. A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Web of Science using PRISMA guidelines to gather the literature relating to DCA or deoxycholate-associated AEs and their management. Twenty-eight manuscripts were included after full article review. Most commonly, patients experienced mild localized AEs, whereas a small number of patients experienced severe pain, alopecia, nasopharyngitis, dysphagia, dizziness/lightheadedness, and gastrointestinal upset. Severe, long-term AEs were reported as rare in the evaluated literature. Deoxycholic acid injections in large volumes were more likely to cause severe adverse effects. Self-resolving, mild side effects and severe but rare adverse effects have been reported with DCA use making it a safe treatment for local adipose reduction. Further studies are necessary to determine its safety profile, especially when using DCA in off-label areas.