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Botulinum Toxin can help with face slimming by injecting into the masseter muscle. Botulinum Toxin is a brand name for botulinum toxin, that works by diminishing the contraction of muscles. The masseter muscle is located in front of your earlobe and contracts when you clench your jaw. If you place your fingers on the muscle and clench and unclench your jaw, you can feel the contraction of that muscle, and in some people you can see it flex. 

In some people that muscle is big, either on both sides or one, and can be the result of unknowingly clenching the jaw repeatedly or grinding the teeth during the night resulting in TMJ problems. Large masseter muscles can also be genetically prominent. Botulinum Toxin in the mass of the muscle helps us prevent clenching which will reduce size of the muscle and slim the face.

How much does Botulinum Toxin or botulinum toxin thin your face?

Botulinum Toxin can greatly thin the face as the masseter muscle ceases to clench, cousin it to atrophy. To slim the face we diminish the size of the masseter muscle by injecting it with botulinum toxin which creates lateral slimming of the face. It doesn’t change the bone andor the other ther soft tissues, but it changes the volume of the muscle. 

How does Botulinum Toxin make your face slimmer? 

Botulinum Toxin slims the face by diminishing the size of the masseter muscles, and with less prominent masseter muscles, the face looks less wide. Very often, Asian patients do not like the fact that their jaw is very square. Botulinum Toxin is a great treatment to address this.

 How does Botulinum Toxin reduce the size of massive muscles? 

The masseter muscle is a very strong muscle. In fact, it’s been said that the reason that dogs have such a powerful clench is due to the force of their massive masseter muscles. These muscles have the strongest contracting force per square centimeter of any muscle in the body. Reducing the clenching reduces the size of the muscle and consequently the width of the face.

How long does face slimming with Botulinum Toxin last? 

Face slimming with Botulinum Toxin typically lasts up to four or five months. After injecting the masseter muscles, I have my patient’s return three weeks later to see if we need additional Botulinum Toxin to further slim the face. A typical dose is usually twenty units per side, totaling about forty units of Botulinum Toxin, but it may require 60 to 70 units per side in a person with very big masseter  muscles.

How much does Botulinum Toxin cost for face slimming? 

The cost of Botulinum Toxin for face slimming is charged by the unit.  The average cost is between $13 to $16 per unit. If we use 20 units per side, that’s 40 units, which could cost between $520 to $640. During the second visit, I may not use as much, depending on how the first injections went.

With an average cost of $600, you could get a fair amount of slimming, with a second visit costing half that. I require an initial consultation, so I can assess the size of your face, the squareness of your jaw, etc. Occasionally, I might suggest bony surgery instead of botulinum toxin, based on the individual patient.

If you have questions, call me or email me any time. I’d love to see you in my office.

Have questions?
Email Dr.Sykes at [email protected]

About Dr. Jonathan Sykes

Dr. Jonathan Sykes is a world-famous expert plastic surgeon who performs all cosmetic and functional plastic surgery procedures on the face and neck. He is a past president of The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and served on their Board of Directors for over 10 years. He is also a Professor Emeritus in Facial Plastic Surgery from UC Davis Medical Center, and the former Director of Facial Plastic Surgery at that institution.

He is known as the expert’s expert, and is often called to consult and advise other plastic surgeons in both Northern California and Beverly Hills. He has a special interest in eyelid and browlift surgery, facial rejuvenation surgery including facelifts, and rhinoplasty. He also has a particular interest in facial feminization surgery. Have questions? Email Dr.Sykes at [email protected].


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