Fat-dissolving ingredient Cholic Acid (CA) fat-destruction injection, NUVIJU
Fat-dissolving ingredient Cholic Acid (CA)
Fat-destruction injection, NUVIJU
Sio Clinic::NUVIJU
Even with diligent exercise and diet management, some areas, particularly under the chin, may remain unchanged. Many people are concerned about a double chin that persists even after the face has slimmed down.
A double chin is often caused by a combination of fat distribution, skin elasticity, and genetic factors, rather than just weight gain. Therefore, weight loss alone may not always lead to satisfactory changes.
Recently, various non-surgical treatments have been used to improve submental fat, and NUVIJU, approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, is gaining attention as a new option.
Today, at Sio Clinic, we will take a detailed look at what NUVIJU is, the principle behind how it dissolves fat, and how it differs from existing fat-dissolving injections.
📌 Table of Contents
01. Why double chins don't go away even with exercise
02. What is NUVIJU?
03. The principle of fat dissolution: What is Cholic Acid (CA)?
04. Differences between Cholic Acid (CA) and Deoxycholic Acid (DCA)
05. Who should consider this treatment?
06. When will the effects appear?
07. Important precautions before the procedure
08. Sio Clinic's approach to double chin treatment
# 01. Why double chins don't go away even with exercise
"I've lost weight, but my chin is still the same." This is something we hear often in the clinic.
The rate at which fat is lost varies by body area. Submental fat, in particular, accumulates easily and often remains until the very end, even after weight loss.
When combined with reduced skin elasticity or structural characteristics of the jawline, a double chin can remain visible even after weight loss.
General dieting works by using the fat inside fat cells as energy, thereby reducing the size of the fat cells. However, it does not eliminate the fat cells themselves, so if weight is regained, the fat cells can grow again.
This is why localized submental fat often does not improve as much as desired through exercise or diet management alone.
# 02. What is NUVIJU?
NUVIJU is a submental fat improvement injection developed by the domestic bio-company Medytox through approximately 7 years of research and clinical trials.
It received approval as a new domestic drug (No. 40) from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2025 and is indicated for the improvement of moderate to severe submental fat in adults.
In other words, it is a prescription drug approved specifically for the purpose of improving double chins, rather than a procedure for reducing fat across the entire face.
# 03. The principle of fat dissolution: What is Cholic Acid (CA)?
The core ingredient of NUVIJU is Cholic Acid (CA).
Cholic acid is a type of bile acid that constitutes the bile in our body and is involved in the digestion and absorption of fat.
NUVIJU is designed to act on submental fat cells using this cholic acid.
Damaged fat cells are gradually removed through the body's natural metabolic processes, and you can expect changes in your jawline over time.
However, the fat does not disappear immediately after the procedure; changes appear gradually as the body's metabolic process progresses.
Results may vary depending on an individual's fat volume, skin condition, and lifestyle habits.
# 04. Differences between Cholic Acid (CA) and Deoxycholic Acid (DCA)
Most existing double chin fat-dissolving injections have used Deoxycholic Acid (DCA).
While Deoxycholic Acid is highly effective at destroying fat cells, it has a strong surfactant effect, which can sometimes lead to swelling, pain, or bruising after the procedure.
NUVIJU, while belonging to the same bile acid family, uses Cholic Acid (CA).
Cholic acid was developed to have a relatively lower surfactant effect, reducing irritation to surrounding tissues, and uses a formulation that considers a pH similar to that of the human body.
It is also characterized by a newly designed formulation that excludes certain chemical excipients that could potentially cause skin irritation.
Of course, the degree of swelling and pain can vary from person to person, and not all patients will have the same reaction.
# 05. Who should consider this treatment?
✔ Those whose submental fat does not go away despite exercise and diet management
✔ Those who are at a normal weight but are concerned about a double chin
✔ Those who want non-surgical improvement without surgery
✔ Those who were burdened by the swelling or recovery time of existing fat-dissolving injections
✔ Those who need a quick return to daily life due to important schedules
If skin sagging is the cause, lifting treatment may be more suitable than fat improvement, and it is important to evaluate both fat volume and skin elasticity.
# 06. When will the effects appear?
NUVIJU does not work by showing immediate effects right after the procedure.
This is because time is needed for the injected ingredients to act on the fat cells and for the damaged fat cells to be naturally metabolized by the body.
Generally, you can expect gradual changes over several weeks, and differences may occur depending on individual fat volume and metabolic rate. Since the number of sessions required also varies for everyone, it is important to establish a treatment plan after sufficient consultation with medical staff.
# 07. Important precautions before the procedure
Even as a prescription drug approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, there is a possibility of adverse reactions with any procedure.
Swelling, pain, bruising, and induration may occur temporarily after the procedure, and there are individual differences.
In the following cases, you must consult with medical staff before deciding whether to proceed:
✔ If you are pregnant or breastfeeding
✔ If there is inflammation or infection at the treatment site
✔ If you have a blood clotting disorder or are taking anticoagulants
✔ If you have experienced adverse reactions to previous fat-dissolving injections
The process of confirming whether the treatment is suitable for you through sufficient consultation and precise diagnosis is more important than anything else.
# 08. Sio Clinic's approach to double chin treatment
A double chin is rarely solved by simply removing fat.
To expect natural and balanced results, one must consider fat thickness, skin elasticity, jaw structure, and facial proportions together.
If there is a lot of fat, fat improvement treatment can be helpful, but if there is also skin sagging, combining it with lifting treatment can lead to more satisfactory results.
Recently, treatment has been evolving in the direction of finding "what is the most suitable method for the patient's face" rather than simply "how much fat should be removed."
This is because excessively reducing fat can make skin sagging appear more prominent.
Sio Clinic proposes the most suitable treatment plan after fully analyzing each patient's fat volume, skin elasticity, and face shape. Since the cause of a double chin varies from person to person, a precise diagnosis is the beginning of a satisfactory result.
