Cheek hollowing after square-jaw Botox: why does it happen and how long until it recovers?

Cheek hollowing after square-jaw Botox is when the cheeks look sunken because support below the cheekbones and at the side of the cheeks weakens as the masseter shrinks, or because the medication spreads to other muscles above the masseter. As the Botox effect wears off and the muscle grows back, it fades as well, so the face usually returns to its original look over several months.

How does cheek hollowing occur after square-jaw Botox?

The masseter is a thick muscle that runs from the corner of the jaw to below the cheekbone, and it also supports the side contour of the lower face. When Botox reduces the size of the masseter, this support weakens, and in faces that naturally have little cheek fat, the area below the cheekbones can look sunken and the cheekbones can appear relatively more prominent.

If the injection point is close to the upper part of the masseter or the dose is large relative to the muscle size, the medication can spread toward the cheek muscles used for smiling, making the smile look awkward or the area below the cheeks look sunken.

Faces prone to cheek hollowing after square-jaw Botox

It tends to occur in faces with wide cheekbones and little cheek fat, faces that have recently lost a lot of weight, and faces where cheek fat has already decreased with age. For these faces, injections are concentrated in the thick lower part of the masseter while avoiding the upper part, and the dose is also reduced to match the muscle size.

At our Suwon clinic, we decide the injection sites during the consultation and design stage, disinfect, and then perform square-jaw Botox. The muscle begins to shrink gradually from 2 weeks after treatment, and the change becomes clear at around 1 to 2 months on average.

If cheek hollowing occurs, how long until it recovers?

As the Botox effect wears off and the masseter grows back, the cheek hollowing also fades. The muscle gradually returns to its original size over 6 to 8 months, so if the hollowing bothers you, postpone the next treatment in the meantime and watch the muscle recover.

If it is difficult to wait for recovery, you can consult about filling the sunken area with filler. If one corner of your mouth does not lift when you smile, or you feel weakness to the point that chewing or speaking is uncomfortable, please contact the clinic. At your next treatment, let us know that you previously had cheek hollowing so we can adjust the injection placement and dose.

Square jaw botox in Suwon: how many weeks does it take for the jawline to change?

View masseter Botox treatment information

FAQ

Q. Does massage help cheek hollowing after square-jaw Botox?

A. Cheek hollowing results from reduced muscle volume and support, so massage does not refill muscle or fat. Rubbing hard may only add bruising and pain, so either wait for the muscle to recover or consider filling options after an examination.

Q. I had cheek hollowing before. Can I get square-jaw Botox again?

A. You can get it again, but if you previously had cheek hollowing, we adjust by concentrating injections in the lower part of the masseter and reducing the dose. It is best to get it after the masseter has grown back to some extent and the hollowing has sufficiently recovered.

Q. Are cheek hollowing and prominent cheekbones after square-jaw Botox the same thing?

A. When the masseter shrinks and the lower face becomes narrower, the cheekbones can appear to stick out relatively more, and the area below the cheekbones may look sunken at the same time. They share the same cause, so both fade as the muscle recovers.