Masseter Reduction Plastic Surgeon

Masseter reduction is a non-surgical procedure in which neurotoxin is injected into the masseters. The masseters are a set of muscles that span the mid to lower face and are responsible for chewing. Injection of neurotoxin like Botox or Jeuveau into these muscles helps to reduce their activity, and this reduction in activity can have both cosmetic and functional benefits.

One of the most interesting uses of neurotoxin is masseter reduction. It is well known that neurotoxins such as Botox and Jeuveau are injected just under the skin to reduce the appearance of facial lines and wrinkles. Sometimes, neurotoxin is directly inserted into the deeper muscles such as the masseters to have an even more pronounced impact on facial shape and function.

Masseter muscle Botox results vary based on the reason for the reduction. If the jaw surgery is performed for functional reasons such as improvement of TMJ symptoms, one can typically feel an improvement within 2 weeks of the initial injection and results last about 3 to 6 months. If the masseter slimming is performed for cosmetic reasons, it typically takes at least 2 treatments before a noticeable change in facial shape is apparent; however, these results can last longer than 6 months after repeated treatments.

This surgery performed in the office without any anesthesia. The first step in masseter muscle reduction is to mark the areas that will be injected. There are typically 2 injection points on each side of the face. Before injecting, the leading plastic surgeon in UES, Manhattan Dr. Linkov will clean the area with an alcohol pad. Local anesthesia is not used because the needle is very thin and there is minimal to no pain.

Dr. Linkov, as the best board-certified plastic surgeon in Manhattan, NY, will then inject the 4 marked areas with neurotoxin, injecting the neurotoxin first deeply and then superficially. Masseter reduction Botox or Jeuveau? Either masseter Botox or Jeuveau are effective neurotoxins for this procedure. A total of 20 units of neurotoxin on each side is typically required to achieve the desired effect.

Botox jaw reduction is a quick and minimally invasive procedure. People are able to walk out of the office after masseter muscle Botox having experienced little to no discomfort during the procedure. There may be a very small amount of bleeding or bruising, but this is rare and resolves within a few days. There are no restrictions on eating or other activity after the masseter reduction.

Masseter muscle reduction is a relatively low-risk procedure, however, there is a risk of muscles other than the masseter being affected by neurotoxin masseter Botox or Jeuveau injection. This can be due to direct injection into other muscles or local spread of the neurotoxin effect. If certain superficial facial muscles, such as the risorius, are involved, temporary smile distortion can occur. If other surrounding deeper muscles are affected, dysfunction in speech or swallowing can result. Jaw muscle reduction is an FDA off-label use of neurotoxin.

While it is a generally safe procedure, there are certain people who should not receive jaw slimming botox injections. The contraindications to the procedure are the same as the contraindications for all types of neurotoxin. These include:

• Known allergy or previous hypersensitivity reaction to neurotoxin such as Botox or Jeuveau
• Skin infection over the site to be injected

While they are not absolute contraindications to neurotoxin, Dr. Linkov generally does not perform masseter reduction or other procedures involving neurotoxin for the following groups of people:

• History of certain diseases that can affect the nervous system and muscles, such as myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease)
• Pregnancy
• Breast-feeding

Masseter muscle reduction cost varies based on the office location and the qualifications of the person performing the injection. For a facial plastic surgeon or dermatologist performing masseter reduction in NYC, the cost can range from $600 to $1000 per treatment.