Masseter Botox is likely a suggestion by a doctor to correct your jawline, the masseter muscles are large muscles located under the earlobe and near the cheekbones. They are one of the muscles that assist in the movement of the mouth when you are talking or chewing, and they connect your cheekbone to your lower jawbone. Working out these muscles could lead to an enlargement of the masseter, giving you a square-like jawline. This might make you consider getting a facial slimming procedure to reduce the enlarged masseter.
When you speak to your doctor about this, a masseter Botox is most likely to be suggested to correct your jawline. Botox is an injectable that uses onabotu linum toxin A, a neurotoxin that temporarily paralyzes the muscles, and is used as an anti-aging treatment to make forehead wrinkles disappear. But when injected into the masseter muscles, it can be used to change the shape of your face or to manage facial pain.
So what causes the enlargement of the masseter muscles, what is masseter Botox, how is it done, and are there any side effects? This article contains everything you need to know about masseter Botox, and you will find answers to your questions as you read on.
MASSETER BOTOX
When botox is injected into the masseter muscles, the process is known as masseter botox, or sometimes called Jaw botox. Masseter botox although is mainly used to slim down the jawline by relaxing the enlarged masseter muscles, and shrinking the jawline which results in the improved appearance of the jawline, the procedure is also used for managing teeth grinding, reducing jaw tension and pain, and relieving headaches.
CAUSES OF ENLARGED MASSETER
Enlarged masseter muscles are common who chew a lot of those who often grind or clench their teeth. These habits put on pressure on the muscles that the jawline begins to appear more muscular and square-like. Factors such as genetics and ethnicity (with Asians especially) could also be responsible for your enlarged masseter.
BENEFITS OF MASSETER BOTOX
1. Face Slimming
The botox injected in your masseter muscles relaxes, weakens, and reduces the size of the enlarged muscles, thereby creating a slimmer v-shaped jawline. When used for this purpose, masseter botox could also be called masseter reduction or jaw reduction.
2. Reduces Teeth Grinding
You could treat this typically by using mouth guards, but if you have severe teeth grinding, then you may consider getting a masseter botox as it may be more effective in stopping involuntary jaw and teeth clenching, and could also reduce symptoms such as the tight jaw, tooth pain and sensitivity, ear pain, dull headache, pain in the jaw, neck or face, and tooth damage.
3. Reduces Symptoms Of TMD
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is another muscle located in the mouth that aids in the movement of the mouth when you are talking or chewing, and it connects your lower jawbone to your skull. A problem with your TMJ could be a symptom of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD), which are often similar to those caused due to teeth grinding. Masseter Botox can help relax this muscle and relieve possible symptoms of TMD.
MASSETER BOTOX PROCEDURE
First things first, make sure you are getting the masseter Botox from a professional healthcare provider in a medical setting, to avoid or reduce the risk of complications after the procedure, then have a consultation session with him/her. During your consultation, your professional provider will ask you questions about your goals and concerns, then your face will be examined to determine the injection site and how many syringes you will need. You could learn more about the procedure and also ask questions on areas that aren’t clear to you.
You could ask about the benefits of the procedure, things you should avoid after the procedure, risks associated with masseter Botox, or even about your provider’s level of experience. You could ask to see before and after photos of patients, and how long he/she has been practicing for Before the actual procedure begins, the injection site will be cleaned to minimize any risk of infection, and sometimes topical anesthesia is used to numb the site.
A syringe with a very thin needle containing the botulinum toxinA is then inserted into your masseter muscle, and slowly, as the injection is being completed, the needle is withdrawn. Depending on the number of syringes that you need, more will be injected on both sides of the face.
MASSETER BOTOX COST
Masseter Botox is a cosmetic procedure, therefore will not be covered by your medical insurance policy. The cost however for the procedure depends on the level of experience your provider has, where you live, and how many units of Botox you will be getting during the procedure. For every unit of Botox injected, the average cost can range between $700-$2,500.
MASSETER BOTOX AFTERCARE
The procedure doesn’t require recovery time, so after getting your needed shots of botox in your masseter muscles, you could quickly return to your normal routine. However, you should avoid doing anything strenuous, drinking alcohol, wearing makeup, touching your face, or putting pressure on the treated area for at least 24 hours after the procedure.
Masseter Botox is not a permanent treatment and can only last for about 4-6 months, then the result begins to wear off as your body degrades the butilinumtoxin that was injected. But to make your result last a while longer, here are some things you can do and things you should avoid after getting a masseter Botox:
1. Avoid Getting Exposed to Excess Heat
For the first 24 hours after getting your Botox, you should stay away from doing hot yoga, taking hot baths, going to tanning beds, hot tubs, saunas, or doing any intense exercises or facial massages, as those things could potentially cause the Botox to move to other areas of your face which can result in your eyelids dropping, temporary facial paralysis or any unpleasant result.
Also, when going under the sun, always wear sunscreen on your face and neck every day, to protect you from UV rays of the sun that could damage the effect of the masseter Botox.
2. Do Not Engage In Strenuous Activities
Naturally, stress quickens the body’s aging process, making frown lines and wrinkles appear even when you are not that old. If you keep up with a strenuous routine after the procedure, the result from your masseter Botox will only last for a really short while. But to stretch the benefits of your Botox injections, you should consider minimizing stress and perform stress-relief exercises such as yoga and meditation.
3. Go For Maintenance Treatment
This is an ideal way to have a long-lasting result from masseter Botox, as they help train the targeted muscles to respond to the neurotoxin for an extended period. So, always schedule an appointment before the previous Botox injection wears off. However, be careful not to overdo the treatment as that can be damaging.
4. Zinc Supplements
Some studies have shown that zinc deficiency can affect the result of a Botox treatment, therefore, taking zinc supplements to boost the zinc level in your body might help prolong the result of a masseter Botox.
SIDE EFFECTS
Masseter Botox can be considered a safe procedure, however, some potential side effects can be associated with the procedure if Botox is not placed properly or is administered by an inexperienced provider, such as:
- Swelling of the treated site
- Bruising
- Headache
- Allergic reactions in individuals who are sensitive to Botox
- Fever
- Drooling
- Crooked smile
- Problem swallowing or speaking
HOW DO YOU SLEEP AFTER MASSETER BOTOX
After the masseter Botox, you shouldn’t sleep on your face for at least a night so that the injected Botox can settle into your muscles. Laying on your face when the Botox hasn’t settled into your muscles can lead to the Botox moving to other areas of your face and giving you a less perfect result. So for the first 24 hours after your masseter Botox, you should sleep on your back.
WHO SHOULD GET A MASSETER BOTOX
If you are looking at getting a slimmer V-shaped face, an asymmetrical jaw, or treating involuntary teeth grinding or clenching without any surgical treatment, then masseter Botox is for you.
However, if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have keloidal scarring, body dysmorphic disorder, neuromuscular disorder, or are allergic to cow’s milk protein, then you should avoid getting a masseter Botox.
WILL MY FACE GO BACK TO NORMAL AFTER MASSETER BOTOX
Masseter Botox causes muscle atrophy which is the decrease in size of the muscle tissue, but after some months or a year, this effect wears off and your face returns to normal.
CONCLUSION
Masseter Botox is an effective way of slimming down the jawline when it becomes enlarged due to excess involuntary teeth clenching or grinding, or any activity that puts much pressure on the masseter muscles. Always make sure that when receiving procedures such as this, they are done by a professional healthcare provider with good experience, because when the Botox is not injected correctly, it could lead to some complications such as temporary facial paralysis.
REFERENCES
Masseter Botox | Face Slimming | London Lip Clinic. www.londonlipclinic.co.uk
Masseter Botox | What Is It, What to Expect & Cost | Artistry Clinic. www.artistryclinic.co.uk