Fat-Dissolving Injections — PECHE Clinic, Gangnam Station
Injections that use either a fat-metabolism formula or a fat-cell-eliminating formula, matched to each area · Face and body · Right by Gangnam Station Exit 4
Fat-Dissolving Injections
Fat-dissolving injections place medication directly where fat has gathered, reducing its volume. The needle targets the fat layer beneath the skin, with the depth controlled so it doesn't reach the muscle below.
They're grouped under one name, but they work in two broadly different ways — and the two produce results of a different character.
▲ The medication stays in the fat layer beneath the skin and doesn't reach the muscle below
When to Consider It
- Your weight is unchanged, but fat under the chin makes your profile look heavy
- You want to reduce areas that bother you in clothes — upper arms, abdomen, thighs
- Your face swells easily, and the puffiness is slow to settle
Two Ways They Work
| Method | What decreases | Does it come back? | Main areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boosting fat metabolism | The fat inside fat cells is broken down and cleared, so the cells shrink — and it helps lymph circulation, settling puffiness too | The effect itself is temporary, so it's continued in rounds, and weight gain brings it back faster | Facial contour and puffiness · body |
| Destroying fat cells | The cell membrane dissolves and the fat cell itself is eliminated | Eliminated cells don't come back, but if the remaining cells grow, the contour can change again | Under the chin |
▲ On the left, the method that shrinks cell size; on the right, the method that reduces cell count — not that either is better, they serve different goals
The ingredient that eliminates cells can only be placed in set areas. Deoxycholic acid (DCA) is a bile component that also exists in our bodies; like soap dissolving grease, it breaks down the fat cell's membrane. It's approved in Korea only for under the chin, for safety — under the chin the fat layer is thick and there are few structures at risk, while elsewhere on the face the fat layer is thin and nerves and muscles run directly beneath.
Face and body have different goals. On the face, left–right balance is considered too; on the body, broad areas are reduced in sections. The formulas are also split into face and body types (Edge Injection, Easy Cut Injection, Quick Body Spot Injection, Slim Core Fit Injection, Nose Contour Injection, OLIFIT Fat-Dissolving Injection), and which one fits is decided by the area and the cause.
Formulas With and Without Steroids
Blended formulas that mix several ingredients aren't a method Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has approved for "fat destruction," so there's no standard, and they vary from clinic to clinic. The biggest point of difference is steroids.
Steroids are primarily anti-inflammatory medications, but injected beneath the skin they shrink the fat and muscle at that spot. This property is used to reduce size over a short period.
| Formulas with a steroid | Formulas without | |
|---|---|---|
| Main ingredients | A small amount of an injectable steroid such as triamcinolone is mixed in | L-carnitine and aminophylline, which support fat breakdown, mixed with ingredients like hyaluronidase that help them spread through tissue · under the chin, a deoxycholic acid formula that breaks down the cell membrane |
| Right after | Almost no swelling, with reduction visible within days | The inflammatory response from fat clearing isn't suppressed, so for a few days it actually swells and feels achy · 2–4 weeks for the contour to settle |
| Points to watch | If it's absorbed into the bloodstream, menstrual irregularity or abnormal bleeding can occur, and if it pools in one spot, it can shrink the dermis too, leaving the skin dented and uneven | No change is visible until the swelling subsides |
PECHE Clinic carries both types of formula. The choice turns on whether your schedule needs a quick reduction, or whether you'd rather avoid the points to watch above even if it means a swelling period. We don't disclose product names, but which formula you'll receive is decided together before starting — and for a steroid formula, we explain the points to watch above separately and obtain your consent. Your menstrual cycle usually returns to normal once the medication clears.
How It's Done
1. Area check We check how much fat can be pinched at the area to be reduced. For the face, a 3D MetaVu photo is taken too.
2. Medication check and opening The day's medication is confirmed as genuine and opened where you can see it.
3. Cooling and injection The area is chilled, then the medication is placed in divided doses in the fat layer. Some formulas proceed without cooling.
4. Compression and guidance Light pressure stops any bleeding, and we go over the swelling and bruising course.
Results and Recovery
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Target | The fat layer beneath the skin |
| How it works | Breaking down and clearing the fat inside fat cells, or dissolving cell membranes to eliminate the cells |
| Areas | Face (under the chin, contour) · upper arms, abdomen, thighs, and other body areas |
| When results show | With a steroid formula, within days; without one, the contour settles over 2–4 weeks once the swelling subsides |
| Sessions and spacing | A basic cycle of 3–5 sessions at 1–2 week intervals · adjusted by area and formula |
| Pain | A sting as the needle enters, then a heavy, achy pressure as the medication pushes in between the tissues and the area puffs up tight |
| Pain control | The area is chilled with an ice roller before starting · tell us how it feels mid-treatment and we adjust the pace |
| Downtime | Swelling and bruising for a few days — formulas without a steroid can swell and ache more, since the inflammation isn't suppressed |
| Aftercare | Drink plenty of water — it helps the broken-down fat clear through the lymphatic vessels and out in the urine · avoid saunas and hard exercise on the day — faster circulation worsens swelling and bruising |
If you're having another treatment the same day, there's an order. The treatment that delivers heat into the fat layer goes first, and the injection goes last — swollen with injected fluid, the area can't be gripped properly by the device. If you've already had the injection, the other treatment waits 1–2 weeks, until the swelling has gone down.
Expected Reactions and Possible Side Effects
Common, temporary reactions — part of the normal response:
- Swelling and bruising for a few days
- With formulas without a steroid, more swelling and achiness for a few days, since the inflammatory response isn't suppressed
With a steroid formula: menstrual irregularity or abnormal bleeding can occur if it's absorbed into the bloodstream, and the skin can dent if it pools in one spot — we explain these separately and obtain your consent before treatment. Your cycle usually returns to normal once the medication clears.
If a reaction lasts longer than expected or worsens, contact us and we'll check it with you.
What We Check Beforehand
If any of these apply to you, let us know during your consultation. We adjust the formula or the timing.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- A condition where bleeding is slow to stop, or taking anticoagulants — bruising can be heavy
- Liver or kidney disease, or thyroid disease
- Inflammation, wounds, or a skin condition at the treatment area
- A history of drug allergies
- Another recent treatment at that area
- A goal of losing weight — this treatment addresses local contour and doesn't reduce body weight itself
How PECHE Clinic Does It
We open the medication in front of you. We confirm together that it's genuine, then open it right there.
The prep room is behind a glass wall, in full view. The preparation and hygiene routine is visible through the glass from the waiting area.
▲ The prep room, seen through the glass from the waiting area
We first check that fat is really the cause. The same double chin can come from fat, or from a sagging deeper support layer (SMAS), the salivary glands, or muscle. Inject where fat isn't the cause, and you go through the swelling with no change. For the face, the 3D MetaVu records contours and left–right balance, and whether fat is the cause is determined by examining and pinching the area by hand.
▲ For the face, we look at contours and left–right balance together before deciding
We're honest about what to expect. We tell you first what it can and can't do, and we don't push same-day payment or session packages. You're welcome to come in just for a consultation.
Pricing
The cost of fat-dissolving injections depends on the area, the formula, and the number of sessions. We confirm the cause and the extent of the area at your consultation, then give you a quote.
Location
PECHE Clinic 3F, 364 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Right in front of Gangnam Station, Exit 4
Since this treatment is received in rounds, the shorter the trip, the easier the spacing is to keep.
FAQ
Q1. Who performs the treatment? A: PECHE physicians who work to standards built from over 90,000 documented treatments. The formula and injection points are set after confirming the area and cause, and the standards stay the same even if your physician changes.
Q2. Will the fat in that area be gone permanently? A: It depends on the formula. With the method that reduces the fat inside cells, the cells grow again if you gain weight; with the method that eliminates the cells themselves, those cells don't come back — but the remaining cells can grow.
Q3. Is a steroid included? A: There are formulas with a steroid and formulas without. Which way to go is decided together, looking at the area, your goal, and your skin's condition. We don't disclose product names, but the day's medication is opened where you can see it.
Q4. How much will it swell? Can I go to work the next day? A: It varies a lot by formula. Formulas with a steroid cause almost no swelling, so they're less likely to interfere with your plans the next day; formulas without one swell and ache for a few days. If you have an important event coming up, tell us in advance — we'll set the formula and timing around it.
Q5. How should I choose a clinic? A: Three things. First, whether they first confirm that fat is really the cause — if the cause is different, injections won't change it. Second, whether they open the medication in front of you. Third, whether the clinic is easy to reach, since you'll be coming back in rounds.