Botox Injections for Jawline Slimming?

Thank you for your question. Botox in the masseter region usually takes longer than in the standard areas to take effect. I tend to use anywhere from 15 units (conservative treatment) to 50 units (for someone with really strong masseters) on each side to get the desired result. It may start within the first week but I tell my patients to wait three weeks before doing a more thorough evaluation. The treatment typically lasts longer than the forehead/crows feet/frown regions. It is also a gradual onset of the return of masseter function. I have tried the masseter injections myself and space the treatments around 4 months apart, but use smaller doses to maintain the effect. I normally know the effects are wearing down when I start to clench my teeth more heavily at night when asleep. Once you stop using Botox, the masseter muscles will return to their original baseline when the effects of Botox wears off completely.

Botox every 3 months to the masseter muscles can reduce the squared nature of a face and reduce muscle bulk.

Botox does treat the masseter muscles and can provide for a long-term pleasing facial contour-if your jaw is more square. Consult with a well-trained and experienced injector for all options available to you.

It is becoming more common to inject the masseter muscle to decrease  its thickness and make your face more narrow. It will take several injections over a year to start to see the effect.

Botox can definitely help with a contouring your jaw.  This is done by gradually reducing the masseter muscle mass over time.  This treatment requires repeated Botox treatments approximately every 6 weeks.  With time, you will need less frequent treatments to maintain the tapered jaw appearance.  I would NOT recommend altering your hairline.  Wait and see how your facial appearance changes with the Botox for your jaw.  Once you get the result you like in terms of your jaw appearance, then you can look at altering other aspects of your face as required.  Make sure you see a board certified plastic surgeon.

Best,

Asif Pirani, MD, FRCS(C)

Hi Vivian.  We have had excellent results for jaw slimming using Botox and Dysport.  These injections weaken the masseter muscle, reducing it's bulk and softening the jawline.  Before and after pictures at the link below.  Good luck.

Botox for masseter reduction (jawline tapering) is extremely popular with Asian women (and men) because it is an easy, nonsurgical way to get significant tapering of the jawline with minimal to no discomfort.  Each treatment last from 3-6 months, depending on your anatomy and the dose administered.  Treatments and doses become necessary less frequently with continued treatment.   

There are several things that you can do to enhance your appearance without disrupting your hairline (altering your hairline can be fairly involved).  Common adjuncts to masseter reduction are forehead fillers or fat grafting to the forehead to create a more rounded, less flat appearance, and fillers, fat grafting or Sculptra to the cheeks to create greater anterior projection and a more "3-D" look.  

Botox can definitely help with jawline slimming. This is done by slowly reducing the size of the masseter muscle. You will need to get botox treatments every 2-3 months. As time goes on you will need less treatments to maintain the appearance of your slim jawline.

Bulky masseter muscles can be aggravated by clenching, making the jaw line appear bulky. Botox is one of the best options around for reducing the size of this muscle and creating a slimmer jawline. Rather than "plumping" like collagen and fat, Botox blocks the impulses that nerves send to muscles, essentially paralyzing the muscles and diminishing their ability to tense. Using a very fine needle, the surgeon injects botox in small doses where the facial muscles are most active. After receiving treatment, you're forbidden to lie down for several hours, because the medicine can absorb unevenly. It takes one to three days to see the effects, and the treated area will continue to improve for up to two weeks. That's when I schedule my patients to return, to see if a touch-up is needed.

Your masseter muscles need to be assessed to see if you are a good candidate for Botox injections to slim your jawline.  Consult a dermatologist or plastic surgeon.  Do not change your hairline, but you can definitely change your hair style.  See a good stylist to discuss your concerns.