Masseter Botulinum Toxin (Jaw Slimming)

What it is

The masseter is one of the muscle groups in the jaw. It sits at the side of the jaw and it is the strongest chewing muscle.

When it becomes prominent enough to show from the outside, the condition is called masseter hypertrophy, meaning an enlarged masseter. The leading cause is clenching and grinding the teeth. Eating a lot of meat and chewing gum often contribute.

Why it is done

Clenching, grinding and chewing a lot of gum enlarge the jaw muscles. The result can look unwanted. In women above all it gives the face a very masculine look.

People have the treatment to remove that look, and also to be free of the headache and jaw pain that clenching causes.

Before the procedure

The first thing to check is which medicines you take. Tell your doctor about them. Stop blood thinning medicines and herbal teas before the procedure. If you have any condition, tell your doctor about that as well.

How it is done

The area over the masseter muscle is sterilised first, with cleaning agents. Special creams are then applied for local anaesthesia. Once the area is numb, the points for injecting the botulinum toxin are marked over the muscle. The toxin is then injected into the chewing muscle, at a depth of about 8 mm.