Masseter Treatment

Jaw Slimming for a Softer, More Feminine V Shape

A wide or square lower face is often down to muscle rather than bone. The masseter is the thick chewing muscle at the angle of the jaw, and when it is enlarged the jaw can look as wide as the cheekbones or wider, which flattens the natural taper of the face and makes the lower face look heavy.

Masseter treatment uses anti-wrinkle injections to relax that muscle. Over the following weeks the muscle works less hard and shrinks, narrowing the angle of the jaw. The cheekbones become the widest point of the face again, the jawline tapers towards the chin and the face reads as a softer V rather than a square. This is the most requested treatment for facial feminisation at the clinic and for anyone who feels their jaw looks bulkier than they would like.

The result is subtle and looks natural. Patients tend to say their face looks slimmer and more refined rather than visibly different, and that is the aim. Nothing is added and nothing is removed surgically; the muscle simply returns to a smaller size.

Why Does the Masseter Get Bulky?

The masseter is one of the strongest muscles in the body and does most of the work of chewing and biting. Like any muscle, it grows with use. Night-time grinding, daytime clenching, stress, chewing gum and simply genetics can all enlarge it, a condition called masseter hypertrophy. Some people are born with a naturally strong, square jaw; others notice their lower face widening over the years as clenching becomes a habit. Either way, the muscle responds well to treatment.

Teeth Grinding, Jaw Clenching and TMJ Pain

The same treatment that slims the jaw also relieves the symptoms that often come with a bulky masseter. Relaxing the muscle reduces the force of grinding, including during sleep, so patients typically notice less jaw ache on waking, fewer tension headaches and less wear on their teeth over time. Constant clenching also loads the temporomandibular joint in front of the ear; reducing that load can ease clicking, aching and the tight, tired feeling across the jaw. Many patients book for the jaw shape and find the relief from clenching is the benefit they value most.

Lower Face Asymmetry

If one masseter is larger than the other, the jaw can look uneven. Treating the larger side, or treating both sides with different doses, brings the two sides closer together. This is assessed at your consultation and the dose is planned for each side separately.

FAQs

Masseter treatment may be right for you if you have a wide, square or heavy-looking jaw you would like to slim, if you want a softer, more feminine V-shaped face without surgery, if your lower face is uneven, or if you grind or clench your teeth and wake with jaw ache or headaches. It is not suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or if you have a neuromuscular condition. Suitability is confirmed at your consultation.
Yes, if your jaw width comes from an enlarged masseter muscle, which Dr Karwal checks at your consultation by asking you to clench. If the width is mainly bone, the change will be smaller and chin and jawline filler or another approach may suit you better.
The muscle starts to relax within one to two weeks. Clenching and jaw tension ease first. The visible slimming builds over four to six weeks as the masseter reduces in size.
Four to six months. With regular treatment the effect often lasts longer, and some patients need fewer units to maintain their result because the muscle stays smaller.
Discomfort is minimal. Most patients describe a brief pinch. The treatment itself is very quick.
Around 15 to 30 minutes including consultation. The treatment itself takes less than five minutes.
We use Botox by Allergan and Relfydess by Galderma. Both are prescription-only medicines, UK-licensed and sourced directly from the manufacturer or licensed suppliers. Dr Karwal recommends the most suitable product for you at your consultation.
Mild bruising or tenderness at the injection points can occur and settles within a few days. Some patients notice their jaw tires more quickly when chewing tough food in the first few weeks; this passes as the muscle adjusts. Rarely, a temporary change to the smile can occur if the product spreads to nearby muscles, which is why accurate placement matters. All of this is discussed at your consultation.
Karwal Aesthetics is at 2nd Floor, 15 Dover Street, Mayfair, London W1S 4LP, a short walk from Green Park station. Please note the clinic is on the second floor with stair access only.