Do you have a protruding-looking jawline? If so, you may have it due to enlarged masseter muscles. Enlarged masseter muscles are a condition that some people have, and it can be bothersome in terms of appearance and health aspect.
Fortunately, there are treatment options that can help relax the masseter muscles, one of which is botox injections into the jaw. Botox injections in the jaw are a common procedure that many medical aesthetics doctors perform on their patients.
You can better understand jaw botox by reading the information in this article!
Explanation of enlarged masseter muscles
For starters, we’ll be explaining to you what are masseter muscles. According to NCBI, masseter muscles refer to the muscles responsible for supporting the action of mastication or chewing. For that reason, we can conclude that masseter muscles lie around the jaw area.
Some people may have enlarged masseter muscles. NCBI explains that this condition is typically idiopathic and results in enlargement of either one or both masseter muscles.
When this condition occurs, people frequently claim problems with facial asymmetry. Some of them may also have issues with their jaw movements.
So, how can people with enlarged masseter muscles solve their problem? According to the University of Iowa Healthcare, several procedures could help solve this problem, which includes:
- Use of muscle relaxants
- Bite adjustment using splints on the teeth
- Surgical muscle reduction
- Botulinum toxin (botox) injections
We’ll talk about botulinum toxin (botox) injections since it’s one of the procedures that can help reduce enlarged masseter muscles. Continue reading to understand botox injections for the jaw area better.
What is jaw botox?
According to Healthline, jaw botox is a procedure that involves injecting botulinum toxin type A into the masseter muscles. Patients who receive the injections will have their muscles paralysed temporarily.
What occurs from temporarily paralysed masseter muscles? Patients will have their jaw muscles relaxed, resulting in a narrower appearance of their jaws. However, since it’s a temporary solution, the effects will usually last 3 – 4 months.
The function of jaw botox
We previously mentioned that jaw botox is an effective treatment option for patients with enlarged masseter muscles. However, saying that this treatment will reduce masseter muscles enlargement would be too general.
So, to give you a better comprehension of jaw botox, we’ll go over the specifics of how this treatment will benefit you from multiple perspectives.
Aesthetic function
For starters, jaw botox can be a solution to improve a patient’s facial appearance. Since enlarged masseter muscles can make a face appear asymmetrical, relaxed muscles will make their jaws appear narrower and more symmetrical.
Patients will benefit not only from the treatment’s ability to narrow down jaw muscles. Instead, the botox injections may also help slim down the face, making it appear younger.
Additionally, patients can also undergo this treatment for square jaw reduction with the current beauty trends centred on the V-shaped face.
Furthermore, this treatment only requires injections, which uses non-surgical methods. Patients who wish to improve their facial aesthetics cannot worry about the extended downtime and possibly higher risks from surgical procedures.
Non-aesthetic function
Patients who undergo jaw botox may also improve their jaw health besides getting the aesthetic benefits. It’s common in patients with enlarged masseter muscles to experience issues relating to their chewing movements, including jaw tension, teeth grinding, and trismus or restricted jaw movements.
The solution will temporarily paralyse masseter muscles from the botox injection itself. Patients may eventually reduce the painful sensations related to their chewing movements by undergoing this treatment.
The procedure of jaw botox
As you probably notice, there are several advantages to having jaw botox. You may become interested in receiving this treatment and know what the procedure entails.
Let us go over the injection procedure for the masseter muscles without further ado. That way, you can plan ahead of time and know what to expect before undergoing this procedure.
Is it painful?
The first most common question that patients have is whether or not this procedure is painful. To give you the answer to that question, Healthline notes that botox injections to the jaw area will commonly cause minimal discomfort, similar to bug bites.
However, your medical aesthetics doctor may apply numbing cream to reduce any potential painful sensations. That way, if you intend to undergo this procedure, you may have a more comfortable experience.
Preparation
Anyone interested in jaw or masseter botox must first consult a medical aesthetics doctor. The medical aesthetics doctor will thoroughly examine their patient’s facial skin while inquiring about their patient’s treatment objectives.
Furthermore, a medical aesthetics doctor will examine a patient’s face, especially the jaw area, to determine the number of injection sites. Each patient will have a different condition, which requires different approaches. Knowing the exact injections will help the medical aesthetics doctor deliver the most appropriate results.
Before receiving the injections, patients should also thoroughly cleanse their faces and refrain from wearing makeup. Makeup’s composition may interact with the botox and cause skin irritation.
Process
The process itself is the next step after preparation. According to Healthline, a medical aesthetics doctor may perform several actions, including:
- Cleansing patient’s skin to reduce the risk of irritation or infection,
- Applying numbing cream to reduce the discomfort,
- Preparing a syringe with the botulinum toxin (botox),
- Injecting the needle into the masseter muscles, and
- Repeating the procedure depending on the patient’s treatment goals.
Healthline also notes that this procedure will not last for a long time. Patients will only need to remain still for about 15 minutes.
After procedure treatment
After getting the procedure done, patients can return to their activities without any problem. However, they will need to properly care for their newly treated jaw for the next 24 hours as the botox injections may not be fully set.
Failing to care for the newly injected jaw properly may result in botox movement into another part of the skin; as a result, Healthline suggests that patients may need to refrain from engaging in certain activities for 24 hours, such as:
- Excessively rubbing face
- Putting pressure on the treated area
- Exercising
The expected result of jaw botox
If you choose to undergo this treatment after learning about the procedure, you may be curious how long you will have to wait for the results. According to Healthline, many patients will notice an improvement within 1–3 days, while others may see an improvement one week after treatment.
How many jaw botox treatments are needed to get your ideal result?
Typically, patients will only require one botox treatment to the jaw. As previously stated, botox takes time to set in your skin, so you must be patient and take proper care of your jaw area until the botox has fully developed.
However, since jaw botox is only a temporary solution for your enlarged masseter muscles, you may want to repeat the procedure after your body has dissolved it. Repeating the treatment will allow you to maintain the ideal result for a longer time.
How long does jaw botox last?
Healthline states that jaw botox will commonly last 3 – 4 months in your skin. However, since everybody has different skin conditions, longevity may vary from person to person.
The side effect of jaw botox
Although the treatment has several benefits, ranging from aesthetic to non-aesthetic, it doesn’t mean that it has no side effects. According to Healthline, the procedure may cause:
- Pain or swelling on the injection sites
- Bruising
- Headache
- Flu-like symptoms
- Drooling
- Crooked smile
However, you won’t have to worry about it too much. According to Medical News Today, the side effects from botox injections are usually only temporary and last for a few days to weeks.
Furthermore, if you receive treatment at a licensed clinic, you won’t have to worry about side effects because you’ll have a medical aesthetics doctor on hand to assist you.
Am I a suitable candidate for jaw botox?
Almost anyone who wants to improve their jaws, either aesthetically or medically, would be a good candidate for the treatment.
However, because of the potential for side effects and increased risk, Healthline states that it is best to reconsider your decision if you fall into one of the following categories:
- Pregnant
- Breastfeeding
- Lactose intolerant
- Suffer from a neuromuscular disorder
- Prone to develop keloid scars
- Have body dysmorphic disorder
Jaw botox costs in Singapore
The price of jaw botox in Singapore will differ from one clinic to another. Besides, each individual will also have a different condition, which necessitates a varying number of botox injections.
At our clinic, Celevenus Aesthetics Clinic offers treatments starting at $600. You might want to consult our medical aesthetics doctor first to get a more accurate cost estimate based on your condition and treatment goals.
Final thoughts
We hope we’ve been clear in informing you about jaw botox, so you can make an informed decision about whether or not to undergo this treatment to improve your jaw, either aesthetically or medically.
If you wish to get the treatment, please don’t hesitate to reach us. Our medical aesthetics doctor, Dr Dylan Chau, will be glad to help you out and deliver the most suitable outcomes based on your concerns.
So, what are you holding out for? Contact us today to schedule an appointment with Dr Dylan Chau for proper jaw treatment!
