<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-08-04</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001436304</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>KYTHERA BIOPHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>KYTH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001416180</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Leonard Keith R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>30930 RUSSELL RANCH ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3RD FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WESTLAKE VILLAGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>91362</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-08-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1828</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>35.0995</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>901274</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>49649</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>49649</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>189</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>189</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The sale reported on this Form 4 was effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan which expires April 30, 2015.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares held by Leonard Family Trust, dated August 28, 1996, Keith Richard Leonard, Jr. and Nanette LaRosa Leonard, Trustees.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Shares held by Keith Richard Leonard, Jr., Retained Annuity Trust, Dated 12 April, 2010, Keith Richard Leonard, Jr., Trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Shares held by Nanette LaRosa Leonard, Retained Annuity Trust, Dated 12 April, 2010, Keith Richard Leonard, Jr., Trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Shares held by Keith R. Leonard III.  Keith R. Leonard III is the son of the Reporting Person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Shares held by Nina R. Leonard.  Nina R. Leonard is the daughter of the Reporting Person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average sale price.  The shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $35.00 to $35.23, inclusive. The Reporting Person hereby undertakes to provide to the Securities and Exchange Commission staff, the Issuer, or a security holder of the Issuer, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each respective price within the range set forth in this footnote.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Keith Klein, as Attorney-in-Fact for Keith R. Leonard</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-08-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
