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Botox to Contour Jawline?

Approximately, how many units of Botox are necessary to contour thejawline? I've called a few plastic surgeons & have gotten different responses.

One doctor said it would take approximately 10-15 units per one side of the jawline & regular follow ups would be necessary to upkeep the look every 4 months or so.

Another doctor said it would take a whole box or 50 units per one side of the jawline & just one more follow up session in 6 months to upkeep the look because it would permanently weaken the jawline muscle.

So, which route will lead me to the best results of having a contoured mandible? How many Botox units are needed to make my face appear smaller? Also, what is the appropriate Botox follow-ups? Thank you!

Doctor Answers (15)

Jawline Botox depends on masseter muscle size

February 23rd, 2009
+2

Dear Shery,

Jaw line Botox is injected into the Masseter muscle, which is used to close the mouth and chew. The technique is probably most popular in the Asian community. A bulky masseter muscle makes the lower face look full and heavy. Just a small amount of Botox in this muscle on both sides will cause loss of mass in this muscle and help improve the shape of the lower face. The dose used should not be so great that it interferes with the actual function of the muscle.

One can always do more Botox. Over doing it with too much can lead to a very unpleasant several month interlude waiting for excessive treatment to wear off. Therefore, it is much better to be safe and do less. I typically start with 8 units of Botox per side. I treat the masseter muscle where it inserts into the Jaw bone. A big part of the treatment results comes from muscle atrophy. So treatment effects should not be judged until about a month after treatment. The effects last a little longer than forehead Botox as the jaw line volume takes time to return. 4 to 5 months is realistic before retreatment.

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD


Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 14 reviews

It depends on your masseter muscles

June 1st, 2014
+1
Botox for the masseter achieves temporary results that last a few months. The exact dosing for your masseter reduction can be determined in consultation with your cosmetic physician, as it is important to see how strong your muscles are with an in-person evaluation. However, to give you an idea, you may require approximately 30 units of Botox per side. Multiply 30 with the average cost of a Botox unit, which would range from $300-$400.

Web reference: https://www.edelsteincosmetic.com/procedures/botox-toronto.php

Jerome Edelstein, MD

Jerome Edelstein, MD
Toronto Plastic Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 51 reviews

Botox to Contour Jawline

April 14th, 2014
+1
Reducing the bulk of the Masseter muscle helps to change the shape of the face from a square on to a round one. Typically 20-25 units per side is what is commonly done
Naveen Somia, MBBS, PhD, FRACS

Naveen Somia, MBBS, PhD, FRACS
Sydney Plastic Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 24 reviews

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Botox to contour the jawline

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+1
The jawline is composed of 3 separate tissues: skin, muscle, and fat. Botox will have no effect on the skin or fat in the jawline which would require a facelift or neck lift. Botox can be injected into the platysma muscle when there are bands present in the front portion of the neck, but the amount of Botox it takes can be quite cost prohibitive. Since the platysma muscle is also quite wide it will take a significant amount of Botox to help the lines go away and it will not last very long.  In our practice, the best uses for Botox are the corrugator lines between the eyebrows, the horizontal lines of the forehead, and  the crows feet.

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Botox can work very well on the neck and some contours but the amount and effect is different and is performed on a case by case basis.  I often use a combination of Botox and Restylane to best contour the jaw and give a clean, younger looking jawline.  You need to find an extremely experienced injector to do this technique.
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Botox to masseter muscle for jawline slimming

December 30th, 2012
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There is no set dose for slimming the jaw/face with masseteric Botox injections. I choose the dose depending on the muscle mass and patient desires. A general range is 15-40 units per side.

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Botox jaw reduction number of units?

April 19th, 2011
+1

There is not a standard dose of botox (# of units ) for treating a masseter muscle for hypertrophy.  Most patients require around 25 units per side with considerable amount of variation based on size of masster muscle itself.  

Web reference: http://www.shahfacialplastics.com/botoxjawreduction.html

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Botox to contour jawline

March 27th, 2011
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The amount of Botox into the masseuse muscle depends on how bulky the muscle is. 20-50 units per side is possible. Make sure you are properly examined by a physician who has experience with massager injections. Sincerely, Martin Jugenburg, MD

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Botox and jawline

July 6th, 2010
+1

If you have masseteric muscle hypertrophy repeated Botox injections of the area every 4-6 months will probably help. You will most likely not see changes over 1or 2 treatments.  It will take several.

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No significant jawline definition from Botox

February 23rd, 2009
+1

Sheryl,

I reiterate one of my colleagues' statements that you should not expect much jawline definition from Botox treatments. Loss of jawline definition in the aging process is not caused by muscle pull. It is caused by gravity's effect on the soft tissues of your cheeks (jowling) and neck. Regardless, the effects of Botox are never permanent, so avoid door number 2. Good luck!

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These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.