The lowdown on the TikTok-viral jawline treatment.
I have a vivid memory of watching my first episode of Sex and the City. In it, Miranda is subjected to a savage ego beat-down by Kat Dennings’ pedal pusher-clad friend about her very uncool adult braces. Miranda explains to the teasing girls she’s wearing braces to remedy something called a temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ.
It’s a condition that can cause pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement. Thanks to the writers of Sex and the City, I learnt it had been targeting anxiety-prone jaw clenchers like me unknowingly for years. Evidently, the uncertainty and stress of living in a post-pandemic world have made itself known in my jaw. For the most part, I don’t even notice that I’m clenching my jaw or unconsciously tongue-thrusting.
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But over time, this can become a habit that creeps up – particularly while we’re sleeping. If you wake up in the morning with pretty gnarly tension headaches and discomfort, you might have a case of TMJ or bruxism. Many different solutions have been looked into to combat this condition, with one of the most talked-about being masseter Botox.
It’s a kind of Botox injected into the jaw’s masseter muscle to shape the area or to relieve tension, and it’s become the topic of a lot of internet conversation. Before and after clips of people raving on about masseter Botox’s ability to calm their tense jaws have amassed millions of views.
If you’re interested in some pain relief or a potential jawline reshape, I’ve enlisted the help of Caz, an aesthetic nurse from Sydney’s clinic Metica. With over twenty years of experience in the field, I thought there was no better person to help answer my face-tingling questions about how it all works.
What is masseter Botox?
The masseter is a muscle on the side of your face and it’s one of the strongest muscles in the body. We use it to speak, chew and bite. The masseter also moves your jawbone around and is connected to many other structurally important facial muscles. When there is jaw tension, the masseter becomes enlarged. You [can] get painful jaw aches and headaches, and the look of the jawline can even shift, getting wider.
How is masseter Botox performed?
As professionals, we are very conservative in this area and take each client on a case-by-case basis. What we have learnt over the past few decades of performing this treatment is that a smaller dose will be ideal for pain relief and if necessary, slimming the lower face. We aim for slow, spaced-out results.
To begin, we use a small needle to inject the Botox solution into this muscle. Usually, clients will require between three to five injections into each side. I usually leave time between the appointments by about two to three weeks, and the majority of people who come in for their follow-up appointment are satisfied with the smaller dose and will require no more.
What does the procedure feel like?
It is very quick and relatively painless. Of course, no one loves the idea of injections, but it’s all over and done with before you know it. We use calming methods to distract you from the injections, like a cool compress and a vibrating beauty bar which distracts you from thinking about the process.
What are the benefits of masseter botox?
In my practice, the majority of people who seek this treatment are hoping to gain pain relief from bruxism, caused by either clenching their teeth as they sleep or grinding overnight. The results are long-lasting and in most cases, provide this relief quickly and effectively.
In other cases, clients are looking for an aesthetic lift. Maybe the masseters are uneven [and] one side is predominantly larger than the other. The benefit… [of masseter Botox] to treat these issues is pain relief and symmetry or a slimmer lower face, returning the jawline to the way it was before we suffered from these symptoms.
Are there any risks?
While generally considered a safe and effective treatment, there are always risks involved and it’s essential to have a thorough consultation… before deciding if this is the right treatment for you. Always follow all post-treatment advice and take your time… to fully understand what the risks involved are. It is important we are only relaxing the muscle, not completely knocking it out. All muscles serve a purpose!
How long is recovery?
There usually is no downtime at all, and people return to their usual activities straight after the appointment. However, it takes up to three weeks to fully see the effects of the treatment.
Any other post-appointment tips?
Avoid rubbing or massaging the treated area for at least 48 hours, as we don’t want to move the product around. We also recommend cancelling your gym sessions for at least 24 hours – this includes sauna sessions or any sweaty activities. We like to say keep the area cool, calm and clear.
For more on masseter Botox, head here.