How Masseter Botox Ruined My Smile [Real Experience]

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Are you planning to get a masseter botox to get a symmetrical face with a balanced jawline? Then I beg you not to!

Please don’t! I got masseter botox a few weeks ago, and I repent for doing this to my face. 

Although Masseter botox helps fine line your face shape, it leaves you with a square cut and an artificial look. Honestly speaking, botox never looks real on your face. It gives an unnatural look and ruins your face charm completely. 

I lost my beautiful smile after getting masseter botox. 

So, if you are about to get one, please stop and give this article a keen read before coming up with the final decision. 

Masseter Botox: What Is It?

According to NCBI, Masseter is known as one of the four muscles responsible for the action of chewing (Source). It is a rectangular-shaped muscle in your face and jaw. 

On the other hand, Botox is a prescription medicine found in injectable powder for injection. This injectable muscle relaxer was discovered by a Belgian scientist, Emile Pierre van Ermengem. 

Now let’s know what Masseter Botox is. Well, it’s simple! 

When Botox is injected into the Masseter muscle, it is called Masseter botox. It is an FDA Approved process that relaxes the cheek muscles by blocking nerve transport.

The key ingredient of this Neuromuscular Blocker, Botox, is a type A neurotoxin. 

Since 1994 Masseter botox treatment has been used to treat masseter muscle hypertrophy (Source). A pharmaceutical company,  Allergan, is best known for manufacturing BOTOX® (OnabotulinumtoxinA). 

Masseter Botox Pros and Cons

Things you will like about masseter botox 

• Reduces teeth grinding 
• Helps treat and reduce temporomandibular joint disorder 
• Slims down the face 
• It gives a prominent jawline
• Helps manage bruxism

Things you will not like about masseter botox

• Trouble in chewing and swallowing
• Crooked smile
• Drooling
• Watery eyes or other eye infections 
• Bruising

How did Masseter Botox Ruin My Smile? A Complete Case Study of Real User

The masseter botox reduced the size and volume of the masseter cheek muscles. As a result, my face became slim with a square appearance and v-shaped jawline after Masseter Botox, leaving me with a crooked smile.

Also, it restricted my jaws’ movement, limiting my laugh. 

Actually, research shows that the botulinum toxin reduces the stiffness of masticatory muscles but increases the stiffness of temporalis muscles, thus limiting the smile (Source). 

Let’s have some case studies of a few users who tried masseter botox to treat their problem with masseter muscles. 

I found one user on Reddit who claimed that: My botox experience didn’t go well, so what happened was that botox diffused into my smile muscles, as a result of which, I couldn’t open my face wide open, and the sides of my mouth couldn’t lift. Also, it restricted my jaws’ movement, limiting my laugh.

Another user shared her experience with botox by saying, “botox ruined my smile.” She got injected on her left masseter. Still, unfortunately, her lips won’t turn up when she smiles after 2.5 weeks of injection, and she describes her experience as “Frustrating” even though she knows that things will return to normal in 3-4 months, which is too long to wait (Source).

One more user told us about her experience that she cannot smile straight and she cannot lift the corners of her mouth as she got 30 units injected on each side of the masseter 4 years ago and now 5 weeks ago she got 50 units injected on both sides which totally ruined her smile (source). 

Can masseter botox go wrong?

Yes!

Masseter botox can go wrong if not appropriately injected and precisely into the targeted area, resulting in a lopsided smile. Moreover, you can experience permanent redness of the cheeks, pain, swelling, and stiff jaws.

A rare case is that paradoxical bulging can occur in which half of the muscles relax, and the half function as they used to.

Therefore, it is recommended to also go for a certified cosmetic surgeon.

How does Masseter Botox work? 

In masseter botox, the doctor fills an extra thin needle with botulinum toxin A and inserts the needles into the masseter (jaw) muscles between the cheeks and jaws. 

Then slowly, the toxin is injected, which relaxes and weakens the targeted masseter muscle. As a result, the jaw has also become relaxed, thus preventing involuntary clenching, bruxism, and pain. 

Long-term effects of botox in masseter

Since the botox targets your chewing or jaw muscles, they become weak with time, making biting and chewing difficult. Moreover, the bone volume of the jaws decreases. 

A study done in 2017 showed a decrease in mastication force of nearly 30% of the people who got masseter botox. 

Is masseter botox dangerous?

No!

Masseter botox itself isn’t dangerous as long as it is injected properly. However, it changes the face look completely, giving a chubbier effect. 

Will my smile go back to normal after masseter Botox?

Yes!

Initially, the muscles are relaxed, and the jaw movement is restricted. But with time, the muscles start to regain their mobility, leaving you with your precious smile back.

And I waited for that time the most. Usually, the masseter botox lasts for 3 to 6 months.

Is 40 too late for Botox?

Simply No.

Whether you are 20 or 65, age is just a number and nothing more. You can get botox if you are fit and have no health issues restricting you from injecting botulinum toxin type A. 

How can you tell if someone has had Botox?

Although the best way to find out is to ask the person directly, here are the three surefire signs of checking if someone just got botox are:

• Clean, wrinkle-free skin
• A frozen face with no lines
• Gleaming and smooth face 

Does Botox affect your brain?

No, botox is not known to affect the brain directly. However, if the injected botulinum makes its way to the brain, it can degrade the protein in the brain stem.

As far as the mental benefits are concerned, botox is known to reduce anxiety in patients.

Can Botox cause permanent damage?

Mainly the FDA-approved botox doesn’t result in severe damage, but it can run down some permanent damage like:

• If you get botox repeatedly, it can lead to muscle weakness, resulting in permanent paralysis of the masseter muscle.
• The toxin can prove to be fatal if spread to other muscles of the body
• Severe allergic reactions can occur, leading to bleeding, difficulty in breathing, etc 
• Eyelid drooping 

What happened when I stopped getting Botox?

When I got masseter botox, my face was cut, and my look was ruined, leaving me with a crooked smile. So, I had to stop the procedure.

As a result, after 2 to 3 months, my original face symmetry and smile returned. However, some wrinkles were added to the face as an unwanted gift. 

Can masseter Botox make you look older?

No! Not at all!

Masseter botox reduces your jaw area and uplifts the targeted area, giving the face a shine and younger appearance. Moreover, it makes a face smooth and enhances the look, making you feel younger and regain your youthful vigor.

Who Should Avoid the Masseter Botox Treatment? 

Masseter botox treatment is itself safe for everyone. However, there are some situations in which you should avoid getting masseter botox like:

• If you are pregnant or you are breastfeeding
• Those who are allergic to botulinum toxin or cow’s milk protein
• People who have body dysmorphic disorder
• Suffering from skin infection or any other skin disease

My Final Verdict! 

Whether one should opt for Masseter Botox depends primarily on one’s story. But in my opinion, if you want to get Masseter botox to manage teeth grinding, pain, and bruxism, Masseter Botox is a good option. 

However, if you are trying to avail the aesthetic benefits of it like me, please don’t. It destroys the elegance and natural beauty of the face!