Unilateral Facial Swelling After 40 Units of Botox in Masseters, Is This Reversable?

asked 1 year ago by KitteNYC in Manhattan, New York
Latest answer by Ronald Shelton, MD
Question viewed 402 times
Tags: 1 month post-op, options, reversal

A month ago, I had a 2nd treatment of botox to my masseters. I had one 6 months prior, when my Dr. injected 42 units over 2 sessions. This time, I wanted the 40 units all at once. He also injected 10 units into each brow. I've been experiencing swelling of my left lower cheek ever since. Is this reversible? It's causing me extreme anxiety and depression. I didn't experience this last time. I've also had a persistent cough (no response to antibiotics) ever since. Please help, and be honest.

6 answers to Unilateral Facial Swelling After 40 Units of Botox in Masseters, Is This Reversable?

I agree with Dr. Khoobehi that it is not clear in these photos why you had masseter BOTOX.

You have a very narrow face. Generally people get masseter BOTOX to help narrow the width of the face. Regarding buccal fat herniation, this can sometime be seen after this type of BOTOX treatment. You did not receive an excessive dose of BOTOX. However, here I must disagree with Dr. Khoobehi. I believe that you must consider the cough a systemic side effect of the BOTOX treatment. You may have a slight alteration in how the muscles that help you swallow and... more

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD
Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

Botox to make a wide face narrower

Botox has been injected into hypertrophic masseter muscles (these are the cheek chewing muscles) to reduce there thick bellies temporarily. If you are more swollen in one area now, then possibly not enough of the muscle on that side was treated and there is a compensatory enlargement of part of the muscle, or the saliva gland (parotid) duct got blocked or is being inhibited to secrete its content and there is a back up or swelling of the gland, or there is a hematoma, or collection of blood... more

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologist

As the BOTOX slowly wears off, side effects such as swelling will resolve

Your swelling in the left lower cheek will go away with time. As the BOTOX slowly wears off, side effects such as swelling will resolve and usually do so long before the full amount of BOTOX is gone. If BOTOX usually lasts 3 months, the swelling will often resolve in 1 month. see video

Joseph A. Eviatar, MD
Bronx Oculoplastic Surgeon

Swelling in chek after Botox to Masseter

I'm wondering if the Botox injections, to the Masseter, touched the lower portion of the Parotid gland on the side that's swollen. You might have a consultation with an ENT surgeon for evaluation. This would account for the intermittent swelling that you are describing.

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

It will resolve in few months

I do not see the indication for the Botox injection to your face. You have Buccal fat herniation. The Botox injection has no relation to your cough. The result of the Botox will last 3 months.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Botox

If the botox was injected on the ouside of the brow (crow's feet) then some of the botox may have migrated downward affecting the muscles in the cheek that allow us to smile (zygomaticus) This is temporary and should improve with time. I cannot tell by your photos what is going on. I am offering possible explanations. A direct injection into the cheeks will affect the local muscles. Because this injection is deeper, the possiblity of brusing or hematoma is higher. Since the... more

Michael Hueneke, MD
Nashville Plastic Surgeon

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