A square jaw can actually look good on some men. In fact the band of muscle below the eye also gives a somewhat manly character. But it’s a different matter if it is too square, especially if you are a woman.
Very often the squareness is due to increased strength and volume of your jaw muscle, called the Masseter, and Botox can be used to weaken it, giving a less square jaw with a softer angle. By blocking the action of selected muscles with Botox we can reduce their power and cause a reduction in muscle size over time , very much like the process in treating wrinkles. Patients generally notice softening of the masseter muscle at 2 weeks and softening of the jawline over the next 4 weeks. Researchers have observed that with continued treatment the reduced power of the muscle can actually allow the body to remodel the bone shape, so that your softer jawline is due both to muscle volume reduction and a change in your jaw shape to a more feminine line. The effects can be truly remarkable.
Dr Blatchley’s method for Botox injection into the masseter is quick and painless, and with no downtime. The Botox takes about a week to begin to take effect, when you will first feel some softness of the masseter muscle at the site of the injections when you clench your jaw. Then over the next 4 weeks the softened muscle will reduce in size because it is no longer being used (a bit like being weightless in space), and you will see a lessening of the squareness of your jaw. You may require a second initial treatment at 6 weeks, but generally this is not necessary. The effects of the botox in weakening the muscle last about 3-4 months, and after this the muscle volume will begin to increase again. Having said that, some people have found that they still have a good effect for up to a year, but generally it is better to assume you will need a repeat treatment every 4-6 months to keep the optimum effect.
