I have a problem with the muscles of the jaw. Each side is bigger than the other arm (Photo)

Thank you for your question and for sharing your
photograph ergyshida. I understand your concern. Botox is a purified protein
used to address wrinkles associated with facial expression. When injected into
the skin Botox will relax the muscles and smoothen out the overlying wrinkles. The
most common areas of treatment are in the upper face. These include the
horizontal lines seen on the upper forehead when one raises the brows, the
vertical lines seen between the brows when one frowns (frown lines), and the
crow's feet seen around the eyes when one smiles.It is difficult to make an assessment without a
formal exam in the office where I can view the skin in multiple angles and observe
wrinkles formed with facial expression. However, I hope the information
provided here is useful.Botox can be placed in the masseter muscle in
the lower face to contour the lower face and address pain associated with TMJ.
In this area 20-40 units of Botox are used per side. Depending on the reason
for the enlargement of the muscle, permanent results may be achieved. For
example, some people have a habit of grinding, clenching, or biting their teeth
subconsciously. Often times this happens in their sleep when they are not aware
of it. Botox placed in this muscle will relax the muscle and the grinding, clenching,
and/or biting will decrease. This will reduce the size of the muscle. If the
brain gets accustomed to this and the person stops grinding, clenching, or
biting, then the muscle will not become enlarged or as enlarged again. However,
if the habit starts again, the muscle will likely get larger.The safety record of Botox is well established.
The product has been used for over 20 years for a variety of treatments with
minimal side effects. Botox is amongst the safest treatments for treating
facial wrinkles. While Botox is one of the safest treatments
offered, there are some situations where it is not appropriate. These include
anyone who has an allergy to any of the inactive ingredients or who has had an
allergic reaction to any botulinum product including Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, or
Myobloc. The safety and efficacy of Botox has not been established in women who
are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breast feeding. Therefore, women in
these categories are advised to wait until breast feeding is completed prior to
having a Botox treatment. Botox should not be placed in the skin on the site of
an infection. Those who are taking an
aminoglycoside antibiotic, an anesthetic, D-penicillamine, antimalarials, or
immunosuppressants should not be treated, nor should those who have undergone
chemotherapy within the previous six months. It is important to avoid blood
thinners before and after a treatment. These include both prescription and
non-prescription medications such as warfarin (coumadin), aspirin, ibuprofen,
alcohol, fish oil, vitamin E, and ginko biloba. Those with conditions that affect
muscles and nerves such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou
Gehrig's disease), myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome should not
undergo Botox treatments.With any injection, there are risks such as
pain, bleeding, bruising, redness, swelling, tenderness, and infection. We take
special precautions to minimize these risks such as using a painless technique.
We also treat bruises with a laser as early as the next day. Bruises usually
resolve within two weeks if untreated. After a laser treatment bruises usually
resolve in 1-3 days, but may still take two weeks for full resolution. In
addition to these risks, with Botox there is also a risk that the product spreads
or diffuses to nearby structures. Spread to nearby muscles can lead to side
effects such as the temporary appearance of droopy eyelids or a temporary
asymmetric smile.After a Botox treatment, I recommend that my
patients avoid heat exposure, alcohol consumption, and strenuous exercise for
24 hours and not lie down flat for four hours. This is because all of these
activities may possibly lead to the movement of the product and consequent side
effects such as droopy eyelids as described above. Although there have been no
definitive studies shown that these actually occur and some physicians do not
provide such aftercare instructions, in the absence of data I err on the side
of caution and recommend that my patients avoid such activities.Please consult with a doctor for specific
recommendations. Good luck!

All faces are asymmetrical to certain extent. Almost always the left side of the face is wider. However, looking at you photo the asymmetry is beyond just a masseter muscle. I also suspect that you bite is not optimal. Your best approach would be a consult with Plastic Surgeon. It would be helpful to him to have some info from your Dentist or Oral Surgeon. Good luck!

Even though Botox may be able to reduce the masseter muscle on the left side of your face, you need to be evaluated for the causes of any facial asymmetry, which by the way is present in almost all people. The flatter side of your face is probably lacking everything, as in fat muscle and bone. You need an in-person evaluation with a plastic surgeon like myself. Good luck from New York City

Hi ergyshida,No face is perfectly symmetrical and in your case, it is not disfiguring. You can consult your doctor for Botox for the masseters. However, this is not for everyone. Obviously, only those with enlarged muscles can benefit. You may also consider fillers that are subtly placed so that your face appears more balanced.All the best,Justin Harper, M.D.

Hello, Most common cause of enlargement of lower face / angle  of jaw  is masseter muscle hypertrophy . Botox injection can reduce the muscle size . Botox injection will need to be repeated every 4-6 months. One must identify the cause , why muscle is large on one side , is there a dental issue? Sometimes the cause of enlargent is not the muscle but fat, parotid gland or bone. This needs to be assessed too .