Zygomaticus hit with Botox - Help! (photos)

It can take a few months for Botox to wear off, but your smile and facial shape will return to normal. It may take a series of treatments to contour the jawline. See an expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Sorry to hear about your experience with Botox to the masseters. It does look like either the zygomaticus or risorius muscles were affected by your injections. Hopefully not all 30 units were injected into these muscles by mistake. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do except wait for the Botox to wear off which may take 3-4 months. However, you may notice some function return around 2 months or so. There will be no long lasting complications from this and things should return completely back to normal. Best wishes.

Thanks for your question! This is a tough one. It's hard to really tell what your full smile looks like from this snap shot but it does appear that your zygomatic complex was involved in the treatment. From the jaw picture it does appear that your left side is slimmer than the right. That said, botox to the masseter can take a bit longer to work than in other areas. 

Returning to your injector would be a good place to start and see if they can offer any more information- often results can be palpated or felt prior to seen. 

As far as how long- was it 30units per side or total? I will often start with 15U per side and titrate up as needed. This too will last between 2.5mo a 3.5mo. 

Hope this helps!

Dr. Robb

Botox works by blocking signals from the nerves to the muscles. The injected muscles can no longer contract, which then causes the wrinkles to relax and soften. Botox injected into the masseter can create a slimming affect to the face. If Botox is injected into the zygomaticus muscle it can affect your smile. It will take 3-4 months for Botox to wear off. Unfortunately there is no way to speed this up. I suggest having an in person evaluation to by an expert injector.

Masseter injection site is not close to Zygomaticus major or Zygomaticus minor. Jaw shaping takes a series of regular injections. Good news is all these should revert to normal in 3-4 months.

Botox will last for 3-4 months.  Injection into the masseter is not a one and done procedure. It might take a series of injections every 3-4 months to begin to see the change.

Botox is a medication that is injected into muscles to selectively and temporarily weaken them. Frequently it is used to make wrinkles less apparent. It may also be used to shrink the muscle along the jaw (masseter muscle). Botox may be injected into the masseter muscle to create a slimming effect to your lower face. This is effective if the masseter is large, but the results take 6+ weeks to be seen. It may take a repeat series. If Botox is injected into other muscles (zygomaticus or risorius) in that region, it will affect your smile. This will last 3 months and should not affect your other facial features. There are no current treatments to speed the process. I recommend informing your doctor about your situation, so it does not happen again. Safety comes first.

Your face will return to normal but there is no way to speed this up. It may take 3 to 4 months to see the change. 

The most likely muscle hit during this injection is the risorius muscle. It will take 3-4 months to improve. It will all reverse to normal at that point. To actually determine which muscle is hit, it would take a video or in person evaluation, but that's academic.

Thank you for
your question wee_nip_tuck. I am sorry to hear about your situation. Botox is
a purified protein used to address wrinkles associated with facial expression. In the lower face Botox can be placed in the masseter to help contour the face. With any Botox injection there is a risk of spread to nearby muscles. Here the nearby zygomaticus muscles pull the corners of the mouth up and out when we smile. If Botox spreads to the muscles this motion will be affected when one attempts to smile. Most people enjoy their Botox results for 3-4 months. However this may last longer with higher doses such as those used in the masseter. Botox will not affect the bone structure in the face nor will it cause volume loss, which are what contribute to signs of aging. Please follow up with
your doctor for specific recommendations. Good luck!