Mabrie Facial Institute 166 Geary Street Floor 1300 San Francisco, CA 94108 Phone: (415) 445-9513 Text/SMS: (866) 618-9459 Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
If you have ever wondered how to slim your face without surgery, you’ve found the right place. If your face is wide at the bottom or squarer than you’d like, you may have enlarged masseter muscles or parotid glands. This can add fullness to your lower face and keep your cheekbones from really “popping.” If you’re a woman, you may be looking for how to get a more feminine jawline without surgery. At Mabrie Facial Institute in San Francisco, we create a more V-shaped face using BOTOX or another neuromodulator to shrink the masseters or, in some cases, the parotid glands.
ABOUT OUR PATIENT Many of our patients come in with complaints of TMJ disorders, which appear as jaw pain and frequent clenching and grinding. These symptoms are caused by overactive jaw muscles, or masseters. Strong masseters can also make the lower face appear overly wide, which is another reason why masseter BOTOX to relax these muscl... Read More
ABOUT OUR PATIENT This beautiful patient in her early 30’s, experienced continuous jaw tension from grinding her teeth. This led to sleep disruption and created bulky masseter muscle bulk creating a boxy/square facial shape.MFI TREATMENT PLAN BOTOX was used to treat her masseter muscles (our Facial Slimming treatment).... Read More
ABOUT OUR PATIENT Let me introduce you to our delightful 35-year-old patient, who exudes vibrancy and charm. She grappled with the frustration of a square-shaped face, a feature she felt was exacerbated by the persistent tension she held in her jaw. Years of clenching and grinding her teeth had inadvertently sculpted her masseter muscles... Read More
ABOUT OUR PATIENT This patient in her mid 20s wanted to lessen the bulk of her overactive jaw muscles, which contributed to headaches from clenching.MFI TREATMENT PLAN Dr. Mabrie administered BOTOX to the masseter muscles along the sides of the patient’s face in order to relax them. Over the course of six wee... Read More
ABOUT OUT PATIENT This patient in her mid 30’s, noticed the shape of her face looked very athletic and boxy. She wanted to soften her features to have a more heart-shaped face and create a subtle contour to compliment the project of her cheeks. MFI TREATMENT PLAN Our injector used BOTOX to the masseter muscles, whi... Read More
ABOUT OUR PATIENT This gorgeous nutritionist from the Bay Area came into our office looking for help in alleviating her TMJ. She found herself clenching her jaw and grinding her teeth, causing her headaches. MFI TREATMENT PLAN After examination, injector Kimberly PA-C decided that she was a great candidate for neuromodul... Read More
ABOUT OUR PATIENT This busy mom wanted to contour/slim her face and keep looking fresh and vibrant.
MFI TREATMENT PLAN Our Facial Slimming with BOTOX was a perfect procedure to get started. To amplify her results, we added fillers to her cheeks, chin, and nose. BOTOX to the upper face (forehead, glabella, and c... Read More
ABOUT OUR PATIENT This patient had been grinding her teeth at night for the past 10 years and would often wake with headaches. After receiving a personal referral, she decided to visit Dr. Mabrie at his San Francisco office for TMJ treatment using neuromodulators (like BOTOX or Dysport).MFI TREATMENT PLAN This patient is not... Read More
How To Slim Your Face: Your Treatment Options at MFI
Masseter BOTOX
The masseters are the large facial muscles toward the back of each side of the jaw. They are the main muscles used in clenching the jaw. If you grind your teeth or clench your jaw, you may have overdeveloped masseter muscles.
If an enlarged masseter muscle is contributing to your lower face fullness, we inject a neuromodulator (BOTOX, Dysport®, or XEOMIN®) into the muscle to weaken it. The muscle then shrinks, resulting in a more V-shaped face. For many people, this also helps with symptoms of TMJ.
Before
After
Masseter BOTOX and filler to the under eye and cheekbone area transformed this woman's square face shape to a more feminine V-shape with defined cheekbones.
Before
After
BOTOX injections shrunk this young woman's masseter muscles, which de-emphasized the look of bottom-heavy cheeks. The result is a subtle, heart-shaped contour and enhanced cheekbones.
Before
After
This woman's masseters were overdeveloped due to nighttime teeth grinding/clenching. BOTOX not only slimmed her lower face, but it also improved her comfort and sleep.
Parotid Gland BOTOX
In some cases, the parotid gland is visibly enlarged, adding bulk to the face at the rear jawline. This saliva-producing gland is about the size of a walnut, and injecting it with BOTOX is a safe and effective treatment for jaw slimming.
Before
After
This man wanted a more defined and angular appearance. In addition to lacking strong cheekbone and chin contours, he had enlarged parotid glands. We were able to improve his look with a combination of fillers to his cheekbones and chin, and BOTOX to his parotid glands.
How Much Does Masseter BOTOX Cost?
The price of masseter BOTOX at MFI in San Francisco varies depending on how much product is needed. Visit our site’s dedicated pricing page for updated price information on all our procedures.
Qualified borrowers may be eligible for 0% financing for 6 to 12 months through CareCredit and Alphaeon medical financing.
The MFI Advantage
MFI focuses exclusively on injectables, and has set the bar in the art and science of fillers for more than 15 years. Dr. Mabrie, trained as a facial plastic surgeon, has dedicated thousands of hours to carefully selecting and training our talented Injectors in the most innovative, effective, and safe techniques for injectables. There is no other practice in the Bay Area with the level of experience, education, and passion for injectables you'll find at MFI.
You may have been born with an angular jaw and a square face shape, which we typically associate with masculinity. Your chin shape—whether broad, small, or receded— may also be preventing you from having a V-shaped jawline.
Overdeveloped Masseter Muscles
The masseters are two large muscles on the side of the face that are used for chewing. These muscles can become enlarged due to overuse by excessively chewing gum or involuntary clenching and grinding your teeth during sleep. This can be a problem for women who want to have a more feminine face shape.
Enlarged Parotid Glands
The parotid glands are two large glands on the sides of the face that help create saliva. Some individuals’ parotid glands may become enlarged over time and create a diamond face appearance on frontal view. Some individuals that have Sjogren’s have been found to have large parotid glands.
Aging
With time, fat breaks down, collagen production slows, and facial ligaments lose their elasticity. This results in volume loss and tissue descent (sagging). As the face ages, a once oval or heart-shaped face may become more round as jowls form and volume shifts to the lower cheek, jaw, and neck. This is best addressed by our Marionette Lines/Jowling package.
Facial Slimming
Consultation and Planning for Your Masseter BOTOX
Your First Visit
When you come in for your consultation at our stunning San Francisco office, you’ll meet right away with your Injector. They will talk with you to discuss your aesthetic goals and expectations and answer any questions you might have. Next, we take professional-level photographs of your jawline from all angles. We refer to these photos at every visit to monitor your progress. The photos help us develop a treatment plan tailored to your anatomy and goals.
Face slimming BOTOX for the masseter and jaw is a relatively quick treatment, but we ask that you plan to spend approximately 90 minutes in the office for your first visit. This includes consultation, prep, treatment, pre- and post-treatment photography, aftercare education, and scheduling your next appointment. The injections themselves only take a few minutes and cause minimal discomfort.
Your Face Slimming Procedure
We begin by mapping the outline borders of your masseter muscles, parotid glands, and injection safety zones and determining the appropriate neuromodulator dosage for you. We then make a series of targeted injections (about 6 injections per side) using a small syringe, being careful not to inject the smile muscles.
Preparing for Your Procedure
For the best experience, follow these tips in advance of your appointment:
A few days before your appointment, restrict blood thinners, such as anti-inflammatories, fish oil, and alcohol. Limiting these will reduce your risk of bruising from BOTOX injections.
DO NOT discontinue prescribed, medically necessary medications.
Eat and drink a normal breakfast or lunch prior to your appointment; low blood sugar can make patients lightheaded during treatment.
Recovery & Aftercare
With little-to-no downtime, you can return to normal activities after treatment. Discomfort during treatment is minimal. Immediately after treatment, you may experience tenderness, redness, and possibly bruising at the treatment site. Side effects can be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers like Tylenol or Aleve. Ice can also enhance comfort and reduce swelling. These symptoms are mild and typically resolve within 24 to 48 hours.
Swelling
While swelling from BOTOX is typically minimal, it peaks the day after treatment
This may cause temporary asymmetry, lumps, or bumps
Bruising
Bruising may occur but should resolve within a few days
Redness & Discomfort
Often minimal and lasting just a few days
Your treated areas may be tender to the touch
Downtime
No downtime required
May return to work immediately after treatment
May resume normal exercise the next day
Because we know you have questions about your recovery process, we created an entire page dedicated to BOTOX and dermal filler aftercare.
Aftercare Pro Tips
Face Slimming FAQs
When will I see my jawline slimming results?
The neuromodulator will improve teeth clenching, grinding, and TMJ symptoms by about 14 days after treatment. At that time, you’ll notice you’re not able to clench your teeth or bite down hard. It takes slightly longer for the muscles to shrink and the face to appear slimmer. Most patients can see jaw slimming by the 30-day mark.
How long will my masseter BOTOX results last?
Your results should last 3 to 6 months. If you maintain a regular treatment schedule, you’ll see continued improvement and may need smaller quantities of product over time. How frequently you schedule your touch-ups also has an impact. Patients who come in at 6-month intervals usually require more product to maintain their results than those who get touch-ups every 3 months.
Do I have to be at my “ideal weight” before treatment?
No! You can have the benefit of slimming the face with or without weight loss. Masseter reduction can give the appearance of a 5 to 10-pound weight loss (no gym required)! As a matter of fact, many patients find that after facial slimming treatments, they are more motivated to achieve their fitness goals.
The MFI Advantage
MFI focuses exclusively on injectables, and has set the bar in the art and science of fillers for more than 15 years. Dr. Mabrie, trained as a facial plastic surgeon, has dedicated thousands of hours to carefully selecting and training our talented Injectors in the most innovative, effective, and safe techniques for injectables. There is no other practice in the Bay Area with the level of experience, education, and passion for injectables you'll find at MFI.
If you’re interested in face slimming or jawline feminization with masseter BOTOX, request a consultation online, or call us at
(415) 445-9513 to schedule your appointment. If you’ll be visiting us from outside the area, you’re in good company, and our Fly in for Your Procedure page was created just for you to help make planning your trip as smooth as possible.
A Reputation Built on Results
Quick visit to Dr Mabrie before the holidays. I want to give a shout out to Rochelle “Ro” for taking...
I have been a loyal patient of Dr. Mabrie at the Mabrie Institute for over 4 years, and no one compares...
I love MFI! Dr. Mabrie is a master when it comes to enhancing and sculpting the gorgeous features we...
I had an incredible experience with Dr Mabrie and his team from start to finish. Over the course of...
