What should I do about my wide lower face? Buccal fat removal? Masseter botox? (Photo)

Hi AlexInThePalace! Thank you for your question.

The best option really depends on the main cause of the fullness in your lower face. If the roundness comes mainly from prominent jaw muscles, then Botox to the masseters can help slim and contour the lower face without surgery. The results are temporary but can last several months and be maintained with periodic touch-ups. If the fullness is due to excess buccal fat (the fat pads in the mid-cheek area), buccal fat removal may be more appropriate.

There are patients that can benefit from getting both treatments. I recommend an in-person consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can assess your facial anatomy, muscle activity, and fat distribution to help you choose the safest and most effective long-term approach.

it's hard to know for sure what this area correlates to from this one photo alone and without feeling in person. however, the two biggest culprits I can imagine are going to be the masseter muscle (in whihc case doing masseter botox can help - but you may have to do a couple of rounds before it has effect). it could also be parotid hypertrophy, in which case I suppose you could TRY parotid botox but that can get risky...

Hello,From your photo it looks like you would be a great candidate for buccal fat pad removal, which is a procedure that can be done under local anesthesia. Masseter Botox can also make an improvement but will need to be done periodically. When you clench your teeth your masseter muscle will contract and you may feel your muscle bulge. Overall, both are great options for your concerns and require no general anesthesia. Best of luck,Dr. Luck