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Recently Had Botox for Jaw Slimming - One Side of Face is Now Tighter

asked 1 year ago by iu2247 in Berkeley, CA
Latest answer by Ronald Shelton, MD
Question viewed 453 times
Tags: jaw, contracture, overfilled, slimming, tightness

and now one side of my face is contracted tighter than the other side. Does that mean that the Dr. injected more to one side?

8 answers to Recently Had Botox for Jaw Slimming - One Side of Face is Now Tighter

+1

Botox for Masseter (Jaw) Muscle

Hi IE. It's difficult to say exactly what's going on without asssessing you, but there are a couple possibilities. One is that the "tightness" is just the ability to more effectively clench the jaw on that side. This may mean that not enough Botox was injected or that this side may need additional units to relax the muscles to the same extent as on the other side. The other issue is that we often hear patients describe a "tightness" or... more
Harold J. Kaplan, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.celibre.com

+1

Asymmetry of jaws after Botox

One of your chewing (masseter) muscles might have been larger than the other before treatment with Botox and compensation now can be done to equalize the muscle mass. There is a possibility that one side is compensating by trying to clench harder since the other has started to show its relaxation. Depending on when the Botox was injected, you may feel a relaxation on the side that bothers you in a few days. If however it has been more than three weeks since your Botox, you should... more
Ronald Shelton, MD

Manhattan Dermatologist
+1

Botox to masseter muscle to reduce jaw prominence

Hi, In order to achieve the appearance of a slimmer jaw, your injector most likely injected your masseter muscles which sit along the sides of your jaw and face. With repeated use and contraction, the masseter can become thick  and prominent. By placing Botox into the masseter muscle, we are able to make this muscle relax and as a result, create a softer appearance at the sides of the jaw. While it is possible that your injector placed more Botox on one side than the other, it... more
Sarmela Sunder, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Tight Face After Botox for Jaw Slimming

The masseters are the muscles that our jaw uses to chew. In some races or individuals, jaw clenchers, or teeth grinders, the masseters hypertrophy, becoming thick and heavy. By weakening the muscle with Botox, its size reduces from relaxation. It is rare that these muscles would be completely symmetric to begin with. Differences in relaxation or tightness may result from initial differences in the muscle, differences on the rate of onset and maximal effect, differences in dose, and effect on... more
Karen Vaniver, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox to Jaw maybtake adjustment doses

Botox can reduce the size of facial muscles, like the large Masseter muscle of the jaw, but the actual size of one muscle may be different than the muscle on the opposite side. I would have follow up injections of Botox to each Masseter at 4-6 months intervals adjusting the dose as needed to each side. Most likely it will take 3-4 treatments to get the muscles permanently reduced.
Francis R. Palmer, III, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox for jaw slimming

Most people are asymmetric to begin, and the bulk of the masseter muscle is no exception.  I would encourage you to follow up with your practitioner to evaluate you in person.  Perhaps some pre-treatment photos were taken for comparison purposes.  If an even amount of Botox was injected to both sides, maybe you are seeing an accentuation of the asymmetry that was there to start with.
Bryan K. Chen, MD

San Diego Dermatologist
+1

Botox for Jaw Slimming

Dear iu2247, It's possible that your doctor injected more Botox on one side than the other. It's also possible, however, that the Botox is having a different onset of effect or different total effect on one side versus the other, and/or that your jaw muscles were uneven to start. I would return to your doctor. You may need a little bit more Botox on one side. Warmest wishes, Larry Fan, MD
Larry Fan, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon
+1

Sure this is possible.

However, it is also just as likely that the exact same amount was used but that it diffused and was taken up a bit differently on the two side to account for the differences.  Please see your doctor and let them assess what is going on.
Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD

Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

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