When you think of botox, usually things like Crow's Feet or worry lines are the first to come to mind. What about the word jaw? Does that ring a bell when you hear botox?
A new use for Botox has been introduced to help with the appearance of one's jaw line. Many patients, both male and female with strong or overly round jawlines are seeking a softer jawline, or a more angular facial shape. So how is it possible that Botox can successfully achieve this desired outcome?
The official name of this treatment is Botox Jaw Reduction, a highly specialized technique that helps to reduce the width and size of ones jaw by contouring ones masseter muscle, rather than more invasive procedures such as surgical jaw reduction or jaw resetting. One reason that a masseter muscle maybe enlarged or overly round is from elevated use of that muscle, such as chewing gun, eating chewing foods, or consuming tough meats. Patients with certain ethnic backgrounds are also particularly susceptible to enlargement of the masseter muscle, such as those of Asian descent. Using botox in specific areas to help target the masseter muscle, will weaken the muscle over time. The weakening effect will help lead to an overall reduction in the size of the muscle.
Dr. Anil Shah, MD FACS, considered one of Chicago's best plastic surgeons, who has crafted a special technique of injection. This injection makes the process not only pain free, but bruise free as well. The treatments take as little as 15minutes to administer With an initial phase of 2-3 treatments, most patients will not require additional treatments unless seeking a more contoured jawline. He has injected over 1000 patients for this procedure, making him the most experienced injector in the Chicago area for botox jaw reduction. As this is a specialized technique, Dr. Shah cautions to only go to an injector with experience in this.
One of the reasons not every botox injector can do this is that it requires specific knowledge of the face. Dr. Shah has seen patients who were treated by less qualified injectors who have caused temporary paralysis or weakness to the face. To date, in a series of well over 1000 patients, this has never occurred in any patient of Dr. Shah's, nor has any had a complication.
Now you can add jaw to your list of thoughts that pop into mind when you hear botox!