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 a round face shape, you may be wondering how to slim your face and add definition. Celebrities with round faces may have face slimming surgery—procedures like buccal fat removal—but that’s a drastic step, and one most facial plastic surgeons don’t recommend. That facial fat is precious, and you’re going to want it when you’re older.
At MFI in San Francisco, we use BOTOX and filler to augment the cheekbones and refine the chin and jaw to create a more elongated, angular facial appearance.
ABOUT OUR PATIENT This patient has been impressed with our great reviews on RealSelf and was super excited to come and receive treatment at our San Francisco office. Her main goals were to feel her best and enhance her appearance. Looking at her photos we saw she had a great foundation to start with and that dermal fi... Read More
ABOUT OUR PATIENT This lovely patient in her 20s was looking for subtle enhancements to achieve a more sculpted and defined appearance. She had always felt that her naturally round, "baby face" lacked the structured angles she desired. Her goal was to soften the roundness and create a more mature, contoured look while still mai... Read More
ABOUT OUR PATIENT This amazing patient, in her late 30s, traveled from out-of-state seeking a rejuvenated appearance. She wanted a brighter, fresher look as she felt her facial features made her look tired. She also wanted to address facial asymmetry.MFI TREATMENT PLAN Our comprehensive approach involved... Read More
ABOUT OUR PATIENT Our Bay Area patient in her 30s found us while browsing on RealSelf. She was interested in defining her cheeks and having more definition and angular contour in her face. She believed that going into her 30s, her cheeks and lower face were becoming a little saggy and she wanted to refresh her looks with the help of derm... Read More
ABOUT OUR PATIENT This man in his early 40s came to us wanting a refresh and some extra definition. One particular concern was that he felt his face was too round, when he preferred a more contoured, chiseled look. He hoped to achieve more defined, masculine features without having to go under the knife.MFI TREATMENT PLAN Usi... Read More
ABOUT OUR PATIENT Ms. L is a hair stylist in San Francisco and a close friend. Wowed by all the before/after results she sees from Dr. Mabrie, she asked him to treat her under eyes. Learning about Illumination 360 Full Face Treatment, she was ready to take her results to the next level.MFI TREATMENT PLAN Ms. L is an illustrat... Read More
How To Contour a Round Face: Your Treatment Options at MFI
Face Slimming With BOTOX
We want to slim bottom-heavy cheeks using a neuromodulator, such as BOTOX. This makes the face appear less round and subtly makes the cheekbones pop.
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 symptoms of TMJ.
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Jaw tension from teeth grinding led to sleep disruption and created a bulky masseter muscle and boxy/square facial shape. Treating this 30-something patient's masseters not only decreased the severity of overactive jaw clenching, it also created a slimming effect.
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This is a great example of combining BOTOX for facial slimming with cheekbone filler to contour a round face. This patient also had fillers to the under eye, nose, and lips to complete her look.
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To relieve the patient’s persistent jaw tension and reduce its bulk, Dr. Mabrie carefully administered BOTOX into the masseter muscles, using different dosages on each side to counter the asymmetry.
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We injected BOTOX into this young woman’s masseter muscles to relax them. Over the course of 6 weeks, the muscles visibly shrank down in size, making her cheekbones pop and relieving headaches caused by clenching.
Non Surgical Cheek Augmentation With Filler
We use filler to go in and add volume and definition to the cheekbones. When combined with masseter BOTOX, this ensures the most prominent part of your cheek is your gorgeous, lifted cheekbone, not the bottom of the cheek.
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After
As part of a full face refresh, Dr. Mabrie used JUVÉDERM VOLUMA to bring up this young woman's cheekbones and give her bone structure natural highlights
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This handsome, stylish gentleman wanted chiseled, high-dimension, contoured features, which we created with cheekbone filler.
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Not everyone wants cheekbones that "pop." Subtle yet strategic application of JUVÉDERM VOLUMA to this woman's cheeks gave her the lift and contour she wanted, elongating and slimming her lower face without a dramatic transformation.
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Dr. Mabrie used dermal fillers to sculpt and elevate this man's cheekbones, adding the height and definition needed to help him look more chiseled and sophisticated.
Chin Filler
We use filler to build and sculpt the chin and elongate and contour a round face. The chin needs to be evaluated in multiple planes (height, width, projection) and overall shape. Depending on your goals, we either sculpt it to appear more feminine and v-line or stronger and more chiseled and angular.
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Facial slimming created a "V-shaped" face for this lovely patient in her 20s. We added masseter treatment as part of her Full Face treatment, which included fillers for additional contour to the cheeks and chin.
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This gentleman wanted a more athletic-looking, squared chin and angular jawline. We used filler to take his lower face from rounded to chiseled, achieving significant projection and shape definition.
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We used JUVÉDERM VOLUMA to improve this woman's chin projection and shape Restylane Lyft was added to contour the anterior jawline and create a smooth transition from the chin. Lastly, we used BOTOX to relax her mentalis muscles and allow for maximum chin projection.
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We used a combination of RADIESSE and hyaluronic acid-based fillers to sculpt a more pronounced chin to balance this young woman's features. We also injected filler along the anterior jawline and marionette lines. We injected BOTOX into the mentalis muscle to stop the dimpling in her chin.
Jawline Filler
By creating a well-defined, streamlined jaw, we more clearly separate the face from the neck. This helps frame the face from multiple angles and adds shape to the face, making it less round. It can also improve jowling, which can make the face look rounder and bottom-heavy.
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Masculine angles were created for this handsome patient in his 20s. Filler was placed at his cheeks, chin, and jawline to create strong facial contours.
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Restylane to the chin and jawline took this young woman from looking soft and rounded to having a sleek, angular lower face that looks more sophisticated and elegant.
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Lower face rejuvenation, including anterior and posterior jawline contouring, gave this woman an uplifted, V-shaped face that helped her feel more vibrant and confident.
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We used Restylane Lyft to sculpt and define this man's jawline while adding chin shape and projection. Precise application in targeted areas adds volume, ensuring balanced and harmonious facial proportions for men.
Double Chin Treatment With KYBELLA®
You don’t have to be overweight to have a double chin. This is an area where many people store fat, and that can make your face look even rounder. We use an injectable product called KYBELLA to melt the fat beneath your chin (submental fat) for a sleeker contour. Chin filler for a small or under-projected chin can also improve the appearance of a double chin.
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We used KYBELLA injections to dissolve this woman’s submental fat, giving her a slim, contoured chin and neck that helps her look and feel more youthful.
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In addition to a chin augmentation with filler, we added KYBELLA injections to help achieve a refined look by eliminating fat from the chin and neck line—all without surgery!
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We used KYBELLA injections to dissolve this woman’s submental fat, giving her a slim, contoured chin and neck that helps her look and feel more youthful.
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In addition to a chin augmentation with filler, we added KYBELLA injections to help achieve a refined look by eliminating fat from the chin and neck line—all without surgery!
How Much Does BOTOX and Filler for a Round Face Cost?
At MFI in San Francisco, BOTOX and filler to contour a round face is priced based on the areas treated and how much product is used. This includes your first appointment and the neuromodulators and fillers used, as well as your second appointment. If additional syringes are needed, those are priced at a discount.
We also offer facial slimming with BOTOX as a standalone treatment. Please visit our dedicated pricing page for the most current cost information.
Once your face contour is exactly how you want it, you’ll enter into the maintenance phase of treatment. This means you only need to come in about every 9 to 12 months for filler touch-ups, which require significantly less filler than your initial treatment. Neuromodulator touch-ups should be scheduled every 3 to 6 months.
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 inherited what some people call a “baby face”—a round face shape with soft features. Some hereditary factors that contribute to a round face include:
Full, bottom-heavy cheeks
A small chin
Flat zygomatic bones (cheekbones)
A weak jawline that lacks definition
Submental fat
In essence, a round face or “baby face” lacks the sleek contour that can create a sophisticated, mature look.
Overdeveloped Masseter Muscles
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.
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.
BOTOX® & Filler for the Round Face
Consultation and Planning for Your Round Face Contouring Treatment
Your First Visit
Contouring a round face shape with BOTOX and/or filler starts with a thorough consultation at our stunning San Francisco office. Your Injector first has a candid discussion with you to establish your aesthetic goals and expectations. Afterward, we take professional-level photographs of your cheeks, chin, and jawline from all angles. We utilize these photos at every visit to identify your concerns and monitor your progress. Using both the photos and an in-person examination we map out a customized treatment plan tailored to your anatomy and goals.
Please plan to spend about 2 to 3 hours in the office for your first visit, which 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 Round Face Contouring Procedure
Neuromodulators like BOTOX are injected using a very fine needle into the masseter muscle. The product blocks nerve signals to the muscle, and over approximately 4 to 10 days, the muscle relaxes. It takes about 30 days for visible results to emerge.
Cheek, chin, and jawline filler is administered using a blunt-tipped microcannula, which improves comfort and reduces bruising. Your Injector eases the flexible cannula under the skin to inject the filler precisely where it’s needed. We carefully select the products we use, choosing different consistencies for different contouring effects.
Our skilled Injectors place cheek fillers along the zygoma (cheekbone) to shape and form the outer cheekbone prominence along the upper midface. If filler is placed too low on the face, it can create a bottom-heavy appearance.
For the chin, the filler is placed in the different areas to build, layer, sculpt, and contour the lower face. The amount, location, type, and depth of filler are modified according to your desired results. We may use a combination of fillers and place them in locations including just under the skin, under the muscle, or on the underlying bone. Sometimes we use neuromodulator injections on the mentalis muscle to relax it and allow for increased projection.
When contouring the anterior jawline, our skilled Injectors place filler just beneath the skin (subcutaneous) to build and sculpt a more youthful jawline. For the mandibular angle, we place the filler just under the skin and directly on the bone to increase the prominence of the angle.
If we’re treating a double chin with KYBELLA, each treatment session typically includes 20 to 30 injections. Your Injector marks a detailed grid on your skin showing the specific injection sites. A topical anesthetic is applied to help maintain your comfort during the treatment.
Your Round Face Results Take at Least Two Treatments
If your BOTOX for face slimming was combined with fillers, you’ll return in 1 to 3 months for filler refinements. For facial slimming alone, you’ll want to return for a touch-up when results begin to fade in about 6 months.
At your second appointment, we carefully evaluate the new contours of your cheeks, chin, and jawline. Since all swelling has subsided, we can see clearly where we need to layer on more filler for optimal contours. We are careful not to place too much filler at the first appointment because it can tend to pool or spread. The second appointment is our opportunity to build and “stack” more filler onto the foundation laid at the first appointment. This is how we achieve the amazing definition and contours our patients love.
With KYBELLA for a double chin, most patients begin seeing results after 2 to 4 treatment sessions, spaced about a month apart. Up to 6 treatment sessions may be needed to achieve the optimal results. Because KYBELLA destroys the fat cells, they can no longer store or accumulate fat, meaning KYBELLA is considered a permanent treatment.
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 filler or 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
Some common injection-related reactions may occur, such as swelling, bruising, pain, itching, discoloration, and tenderness at the injection site. These are normal side effects and are most apparent 24 to 48 hours after treatment. They can last up to 2 weeks but typically subside within 2 to 5 days. Most patients return to their routine activities the same day.
Swelling
While swelling from BOTOX is typically minimal, it peaks the day after treatment; swelling from filler may last several weeks
This may cause temporary asymmetry, lumps, or bumps
Swelling from filler will gradually resolve to reveal your final results over 4 to 6 weeks
Bruising
Bruising is common with chin and jawline filler and may occur with cheek filler, although less commonly
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
Before
After 1 of 2 Treatments
After 2 of 2 Treatments
Because we know you have questions about your recovery process, we created an entire page dedicated to BOTOX and dermal filler aftercare.
Contouring the Round Face FAQs
Do I need to be at my ideal weight before treatment?
No! You can have the benefit of slimming the face with or without weight loss. Facial slimming and contouring can give the appearance of a 5 to 10 lb 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. Losing weight won’t have an adverse effect on your filler results, either. So hit the gym all you like!
How long do results last?
Neurotoxin results typically last 3 to 6 months. Our preferred fillers are JUVÉDERM® VOLUMA® XC and RADIESSE®. RADIESSE lasts up to 1 year with touch-ups at 6-month intervals, and JUVÉDERM VOLUMA XC results can last up to 2 years. For patients who desire short-term results, Dr. Mabrie offers fillers such as Restylane® Lyft, which last up to 6 months with touch-ups at 3-month intervals. To learn more, read our blog post on the longevity of fillers.
What if I don’t like the results?
Most of the fillers we use for cheek, chin, and jawline enhancement are hyaluronic acid-based. This means they are reversible with an injectable enzyme called Hylenex®, meaning we can reduce or erase your results if you change your mind. RADIESSE cannot be dissolved, and results from neuromodulators like BOTOX will start to fade in about 3 months.
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.
At Mabrie Facial Institute, we say it only takes a few millimeters to make a huge difference in the face you show to the world. Take a look at our gallery to see more of our patients’ dramatic facial transformations. If you’d like to learn more about how injectables can take your face from baby to bombshell, get in touch! Contact us online or call us at
(415) 445-9513.
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