Where the chewing muscle has enlarged, reducing it softens the width of the lower face and frequently eases the clenching behind it.
The masseter is the main chewing muscle, running from the cheekbone to the angle of the jaw. In some people it enlarges, either genetically or through years of clenching and grinding, and a bulky masseter widens the lower face and squares the jaw.
Treatment places botulinum toxin into the muscle to reduce its activity. Over the following weeks the muscle reduces in bulk through disuse, and the lower face narrows. Most patients also notice their jaw feels less tight, which is why this treatment sits across both cosmetic and medical territory.
At Dr Ellie Sateei’s London clinic both effects are discussed, because patients often arrive for one and value the other more. Results vary between individuals.
Doses here are considerably larger than facial areas, because the masseter is a thick, powerful muscle. Product is placed deep, in the lower posterior part of the muscle, avoiding the more superficial fibres that contribute to smiling and the structures at the front of the cheek.
Placement is what separates a good result from a poor one. Too superficial or too anterior and patients can develop an uneven smile or a hollow appearance when chewing. Assessment involves feeling the muscle contract while you clench, mapping where the bulk actually sits, and marking accordingly.
The contour change is gradual, because it depends on the muscle reducing rather than on the toxin itself. Expect two to three months for the visible narrowing, and a course of two or three treatments to reach the full effect in a substantially enlarged muscle. The tension relief comes considerably sooner.
Very significant reduction, over repeated treatments across years, can affect chewing strength and in some patients contributes to volume loss in the mid-lower face. Dr Sateei sets a maintenance interval rather than treating on demand, for that reason.
It may suit you if you are looking to:
It is not the right treatment where the width is skeletal, where the fullness is fat rather than muscle, or where a soft jawline is caused by laxity. Filler and collagen stimulators address different problems, and adding volume to an enlarged masseter makes the lower face wider.
It is not suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or with certain neuromuscular conditions.
Treatment takes around 15 minutes. Fine needles are used and numbing is generally not required, though the area can feel tender afterwards.
There is no expected downtime. Some patients notice mild chewing fatigue with tougher foods for the first week or two, which settles.
Jaw tension usually eases within two weeks. The visible narrowing develops over two to three months, and a substantially enlarged muscle typically needs a course of two or three treatments spaced a few months apart. Duration is longer than facial areas, often four to six months.
| Treatment | London | Sevenoaks |
|---|---|---|
| Masseter reduction | To confirm | To confirm |
| Anti-wrinkle injections, standard areas | From £495 | From £395 |
New patient consultation, £195 at both clinics. If you go ahead with treatment on the day of your appointment, this fee is deducted from the cost of your treatment.
Prices correct as published and subject to change.
“Half the patients who come to me about a wide jaw are grinding their teeth at night and do not know it. You treat the muscle, the jaw softens over a couple of months, and the headaches they had stopped mentioning to anyone go away. I am careful about how often I repeat it though, because a masseter reduced heavily over many years takes volume with it, and that is a slower problem to notice and a harder one to fix.”
Dr Ellie Sateei has over two decades of experience in dermatology and aesthetics.
This treatment uses considerably more product than a standard facial area and is priced separately. Please confirm the current fee at consultation, which is £195 and deducted from treatment on the day.
Tension usually eases within two weeks. The visible narrowing develops over two to three months, as it depends on the muscle reducing rather than on the toxin directly.
A substantially enlarged muscle typically needs a course of two or three, spaced a few months apart, before the full effect is reached.
Some mild fatigue with tougher foods is common for the first week or two. Significant, repeated reduction over years can affect chewing strength, which is why a maintenance interval is set.
Not always. Skeletal width, fat and skin laxity all present similarly and none responds to this treatment. Assessment involves feeling the muscle contract while you clench.
Often, yes. Reducing the muscle’s activity eases clenching and grinding and the tension headaches that frequently accompany them. A dental review is recommended alongside.
Following anti-wrinkle treatment for jaw slimming with Dr Ellie Sateei, most patients return to normal activity immediately. There is very little to see afterwards: small raised bumps at the injection points settle within about twenty minutes, and any redness goes shortly after. The important part of this aftercare is not what you do to the skin but what you avoid doing for the first few hours, because the product needs to stay where it was placed.
Anti-wrinkle treatment for jaw slimming works by reducing the activity of specific muscles, and for the first few hours the product can migrate if the area is pressed, rubbed or heated. Keep upright, keep your hands off, and skip the gym and the sauna until tomorrow. Beyond that, there is almost nothing to do except wait, because the effect develops over the following two weeks rather than appearing on the day.
To prepare for your appointment:
On the day, clinical photographs and consent are completed if not already done, and the skin is cleansed. Treatment itself takes around 10 to 15 minutes. Numbing cream is not usually needed, as the needles are very fine.
You may notice:
There is no visible change on the day. The effect develops gradually.
For the first four hours
For the first 24 hours
Beyond 24 hours
Anti-wrinkle treatment for jaw slimming does not work immediately, which is normal and not a sign it has failed.
Anti-wrinkle treatment for jaw slimming may not be appropriate if you have:
Suitability is confirmed at a full medical consultation before any treatment is carried out. When Dr Sateei judges that treatment is not the right approach, she will say so.
Please contact the clinic if you experience:
Mild chewing fatigue in the first fortnight is expected. Difficulty that worsens, or any change to your bite, should be reported rather than waited out.
Masseter reductions are often planned alongside these.
Masseter reduction softens a wide lower face and eases jaw tension, but only where the muscle is genuinely what is causing the width. If your jaw feels tight or looks square, an assessment will confirm whether this is your treatment. Dr Ellie Sateei sees patients at her London.
Our London clinic is located at London Pall Mall, The Medi Suites, 120 Pall Mall, St James’s
London, SW1Y 5EA
We serve patients from London, Kent and the home counties as well as from all over the world. Our London clinic sits in the heart of Pall Mall. The clinic sits at the eastern end of Pall Mall, by Waterloo Place, between Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square.
Piccadilly Circus (Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines) is a five-minute walk via Lower Regent Street. Charing Cross (Bakerloo, Northern and National Rail) is seven minutes via Trafalgar Square, and Green Park (Jubilee, Victoria and Piccadilly lines) around ten minutes along Pall Mall. Buses stop on Pall Mall, Haymarket and around Trafalgar Square. If you are driving, Pall Mall is inside the Congestion Charge and ULEZ zones and street parking is limited. The nearest car park is Q-Park Trafalgar Square on Spring Gardens, a few minutes on foot. Taxis can drop you directly outside. When you arrive, press the buzzer for The Medi Suites to be let in, then take the stairs down to the clinic on the lower ground floor.
