Before and after: Botox jaw injections to slim your face

If you grind your teeth in your sleep and suffer from an enlarged jawline as a result, you may have read that botox injections can actually help treat both your pesky nighttime habit and slim your face.

Zoe Holloway is a habitual teeth grinder and she decided to put masseter injections to the test. 

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RELATED: Botox before and after

What treatment did you get and where?

I went to Dr. Naomi’s Paddington cosmetic clinic, The Manse, in order to have botox injected into my masseter muscles.

Due to habitual teeth grinding and jaw clenching (also known as Bruxism), my masseters were overdeveloped and enlarged. When this happens the blown-up masseter muscles gives the jaw a wider appearance; and if you’re like me, the constant jaw-clenching leaves you with a pretty nasty headache.

Ultimately, the treatment is designed to relax and shrink the masseters. This can result in a slimmed lower face, and hopefully no more teeth grinding.

How much does the treatment cost?

The cost of the treatment depends on how many anti-wrinkle injections are required. Each person's face is different, but it will average around $830.

From start to finish, what did the treatment involve?

First my makeup was removed and my face cleansed, then I sat down for the clinic to take before photos of my face.

Once I was with Dr. Naomi, we had a consultation where I was asked my family history (did they have square jaws?), what trouble my masseters were causing, and what I wanted to get out of the treatment. She then felt my face, and asked me to clench my teeth together – it was then that she confirmed that my masseters were, indeed, overworked and probably causing me a lot of stress.

There was no pain-relief needed for this treatment besides some ice and a reassurance from Dr Naomi that the procedure was almost pain-free. She wasn’t exaggerating either, as I’d honestly put the pain level at a two (at most).

How did the treatment feel on your skin?

I don’t mind needles, but I will admit that my first foray into cosmetic procedures had me a little nervous. I had two anti-wrinkle injections put into each side of my face, and almost felt nothing except for a small pinch.

How did your skin feel immediately after the treatment (ie. any redness, peeling etc)?

Besides some redness from the ice there was almost no way of telling I had had anything done! Dr. Naomi advised that you can develop some small bumps in the area that was injected, but I didn’t experience that.

What were the results like?

Following the treatment I was told that it would take up to four weeks to notice a change in my jaw clenching and bruxism; and up to eight weeks to see my face slimmed.

Around the third week I noticed that my teeth grinding had all but stopped, and around the fifth week I started getting compliments on my slimmer face! Each patient is told to come back at eight weeks for a follow-up appointment to assess how the treatment has worked, and I cannot stop raving about how much masseter injections have changed my life.

Who would you recommend this treatment for?

Anyone who suffers from teeth grinding and jaw clenching where a plate isn’t an option. I’d already ruined a few mouthguards and this is definitely the solution I have been looking for.

Anything else worth noting?

I was nervous about the face slimming, but I didn’t need to be! Looking back on the before and after photos I have been blown away by how much my face has changed, but I still look like me. Plus, no more bruxism-related headaches!

It is also worth noting that I required two treatments as I was still subconsciously clenching my jaw by the time my eight-week follow up arrived. Now, my masseter muscle has shrunk significantly and the jaw-clenching has finally stopped.