Botox For Slimmer Face: Procedure, Recovery, Cost, Side Effects

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HealthlineSubscribeCan Botox Give You a Slimmer Face?

Medically reviewed by Catherine Hannan, M.D. — Written by Sarah Kester on May 27, 2020

About Botox
Face contouring
The procedure
Potential side effects
Cost
Finding a qualified provider
Takeaway

Botulinum toxin (Botox) has a long list of cosmetic benefits.

You probably know that it smooths out fine lines and wrinkles and even treats certain medical conditions.

Did you know that Botox can also help you achieve a slimmer face — no gym or makeup required?

This article will explore everything there is to know about using Botox to achieve a slimmer-looking face, including price, procedure, and how to find a qualified doctor.

What is Botox?

Botox Cosmetic is a popular type of injectable neurotoxin. It uses botulinum toxin type A to temporarily paralyze muscle.

It can be used to treat medical conditions, such as hyperhidrosis and chronic migraine.

Botox got its start as a cosmetic treatment, specifically to treat muscles of facial expression, explains Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

This includes the “11 lines between your eyebrows, crow’s feet around your eyes, and horizontal forehead lines.”

Can Botox be used to slim and contour your face?

In addition to smoothing wrinkles, Botox can be used to slim and contour the face.

Doctors achieve this by targeting the masseter muscles at the back of the jaw. These muscles can give the face a square shape.

This procedure is referred to as masseter reduction.

“The masseters are a set of muscles that span the mid to lower face and are responsible for chewing,” explains Dr. Gary Linkov, a facial plastic surgeon practicing in New York City.

If you involuntarily grind your teeth at night, also called bruxism, these muscles can get bigger.

“Injection of Botox into these muscles helps to reduce their activity, which can have a dramatic effect on facial contour.”

Currently, Botox use in the lower face is considered off-label, meaning it’s not currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. However, research shows this procedure to be safe and effective.

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What’s the procedure like?

According to Dr. Will Kirby, chief medical officer at LaserAway, facial slimming via Botox Cosmetic is surprisingly simple.

“The healthcare professional will do a brief visual assessment of the area to be treated, he or she will palpate the area to be treated, manually isolate the muscles, and then do a series of two to three injections to each side of the lower face.”

The procedure shouldn’t take more than a few minutes and the pain level is low. “Most patients don’t even really notice much discomfort at all,” he says.

For those with a low pain tolerance, a numbing cream is available.

Recovery time is very minimal, as it’s a quick in-and-out procedure. However, patients are advised to avoid the following activities immediately after the procedure:

touching or rubbing the injected area
lying down
exercise
leaning down
taking pain relievers or drinking alcohol

Botox typically takes 2 to 5 days to start working, with full slimming results seen in a few weeks. This treatment wears off after 3 to 4 months, so to maintain a slimmer appearance, you’ll need to continue to get injections several times per year.

Are there any potential side effects?

While facial slimming with Botox is a relatively low-risk procedure, there are potential side effects that can occur.

In addition to bruising or discomfort, these side effects include:

headache
redness
muscle weakness
muscle stiffness
dry mouth
temporary smile distortion
dysfunction in speech or swallowing
temporary weakness when chewing

Potential complications

If you experience any of the following symptoms, call or make a trip to your doctor immediately:

facial swelling
fever
severe pain
signs of an allergic reaction, such as hives or shortness of breath

“In theory, any time a needle enters the skin a bacterial infection can occur,” adds Kirby, but that’s exceedingly rare.”

How much does it cost?

If you want to get Botox, you’ll have to pay for it yourself since it’s not covered under insurance.

The average cost for the procedure is typically around $400 to $600 for treatment on both sides of the face. However, this number varies, depending on where you live and who you choose to do the procedure.

For instance, Zeichner says that the cost can range from $600 to $1000 per treatment for a facial plastic surgeon or dermatologist performing masseter reduction in New York City.

Pricing also varies on how much product is actually injected, says Kirby. “Healthcare practitioners can price Botox Cosmetic one of two ways: either by the ‘area’ or by the number of units used.”

The average price per unit of Botox is typically around $10 to $15, depending on a practice’s pricing policies.

To give you the idea of the numbers, Linkov said that it usually takes 20 units of Botox on each side to achieve the desired effect.

How to find a qualified healthcare provider to perform the procedure

It’s important to find a qualified healthcare provider to perform the procedure. After all, this could be the difference between liking your results or not.

This is why it’s always recommended that you choose a board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon since they’re experts in facial anatomy.

To find the right doctor, you can look to social media and doctor’s websites to find the kind of results you’re looking for.

You can also use this link to find a provider in your area.

Your consultation visit

Once you’ve found a doctor that meets your criteria, the next step is to schedule a consultation.

Here’s a list of sample questions to ask during your initial consultation:

How often do you perform this procedure?
Do you have any before-and-after photos I can look at?
What will my results be like and how long will they last?
Do I need to reach an ideal weight before treatment?
If I lose weight, will it affect my fillers?
How much will this cost?
How often will I have to repeat the treatment?

Key takeaways

A slimmer, more defined face could be just a few Botox injections away.

Masseter reduction has even been said to give the appearance of a 5- to 10-pound weight loss.

Finding the right board certified doctor to perform the procedure is vitally important. Your face is in their hands, so choose wisely.

Lastly, be aware of any serious side effects that can occur. If these happen, be sure to either call or visit your doctor right away.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Kirby W. (2020). Personal interview.
Kwon K-H, et al. (2019). Application of botulinum toxin in maxillofacial field: part I. Bruxism and square jaw. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40902-019-0218-0
Liew S, et al. (2008). Nonsurgical reshaping of the lower face. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asj.2008.03.003
Linkov G. (2020). Personal interview.
Mariotti E. (2019). What's behind the cost of Botox and injectable fillers?https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/whats-behind-the-cost-of-botox-and-injectable-fillers
Park MY, et al. (2003). Botulinum toxin type A treatment for contouring of the lower face.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12752514/
Zeichner J. (2020). Personal interview.

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Medically reviewed by Catherine Hannan, M.D. — Written by Sarah Kester on May 27, 2020

Botox For Slimmer Face: Procedure, Recovery, Cost, Side Effects

What is Botox?

Can Botox be used to slim and contour your face?

What’s the procedure like?

Are there any potential side effects?

Potential complications

How much does it cost?

How to find a qualified healthcare provider to perform the procedure

Your consultation visit

Key takeaways

How we reviewed this article:

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