Can Botox Create a Thinner-looking Face?

Thank you for your question. Botox can be a very effective way to contour the jaw line by reducing the masseter shadow through the outer jaw skin. In addition, it can reduce symptoms of jaw clenching or grinding of teeth at night time. This is an advanced technique that requires a strong understanding of the underlying anatomy. Some side effects can results in some very unintented effects. This can include affecting the smile due to diffusion of the Botox into neighboring smile muscles. Over treatment can also overweaken your jaw muscles making it harder to chew food and causes your jaw muscles to relax too much when you sleep.The injection technique does vary by physical exam and the goals of the treatment. Facial contouring goals may change the injection sites themselves to affect different portions of the masseter as well as the dose. The strength of the masseters can be felt by palpation and also helps me to determine dosing. In general, I start with 15- 25 units per side for most patients. If the have very strong masseters, then I may increase the dose, but more commonly ask them to return in three weeks for a touch up. Once you get the desired result, I let patients know that future treatments may require less to maintain the look or the jaw clenching symptoms, especially if they get treated as soon as they notice the symptoms return.

Botox is injected directly into the jaw muscle, known as the masseter,  to relax it, softening your jawline and giving you a thinner appearance.  

Botox, when properly applied, can reshape a face to make it look less square or thinner.  There are a few important factors in deciding on an injector for this area:


Facial anatomy- The injector should have knowledge of facial anatomy which is in depth.  The nerve that controls the face is located near the masseter muscle and should not be injected

Facial aesthetics- The face needs to be reshaped by placing botox in the proper location to create a softer appearing face

Experience- The injector should have treated a minimum of 500 patients with this technique.  This is an advanced use of botox.