Korea masseter Botox narrows the lower face slowly: the jaw muscle relaxes within days, yet visible thinning usually builds over six to eight weeks, and one round tends to hold for three to four months. Because the change is gradual, the mirror is a weak judge of it. Fixed-angle photos, an ultrasound thickness reading or a 3D surface scan taken before the first injection give a clear baseline to compare against later.
Clinics in Korea
0 clinics for Botox and fillers in Korea
Every clinic below lists Botox and fillers among its treatments. Message a clinic directly.
Guide
Why the mirror misleads after Korea masseter Botox
You see your own face every day, so a change spread over two months is easy to miss. Swelling, a salty dinner or a little weight gain can hide a real reduction or invent one.
Lighting matters as much as the muscle. Overhead light carves shadows under the jaw corner, and a phone held below the chin exaggerates the lower face. A recorded baseline is what shows whether a second round of masseter Botox in Korea is worth the trip.
Guide
Three ways the masseter can be measured
Photos show how the face reads to other people, ultrasound shows muscle thickness under the skin, and a 3D surface scan shows the outline's volume. Ask which one the clinic uses and whether you can keep a copy.
| Method | What it records | Main limit | What to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standardized photographs | Front, oblique and side views at rest and on clenching | Angle, light and weight changes affect the image | Are the camera distance and lighting fixed between visits? |
| Ultrasound | Muscle thickness at a marked point on each side | Reading depends on probe position and clench state | Is the same point measured at every visit? |
| 3D surface imaging | Surface shape and volume change between scans | Needs specific equipment; reads skin, not bone | Can I see the overlay? |
Guide
What 3D surface scanning brings to a jaw comparison
Adriaens and colleagues, writing from a maxillofacial and facial imaging group in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 2012, described a three-dimensional stereophotogrammetric method for quantifying what botulinum toxin type A does to an enlarged masseter. Several cameras fire at once to build a 3D model of the face, and two models taken months apart can be overlaid so the change at the jaw angle becomes a measurable difference.
The scan does not depend on one camera angle or on a probe pressed on the skin. It reads only the surface, so width from bone or fat shows little change, which is useful to know.
Guide
Four years of measurements on repeated rounds
The longest follow-up assigned here is by Shome and colleagues in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 2019. Fifty Asian Indian patients received 30 units of botulinum toxin type A in each masseter and were followed with standardized photographs and ultrasound for four years.
In the Shome study, patients with two sessions twelve weeks apart kept an average volume reduction of about 24 percent at year four. In the same Shome study, those with a third session reached about 42.5 percent at week 36 and kept roughly 40.6 percent at year four.
That is one ethnic group on one dosing plan, and the figures are averages, so a personal baseline tells you more than a study number.
Guide
Setting up your own baseline before the first round
If the clinic does not scan, keep your own record on the morning of the appointment, before any marking or numbing cream.
- Face a window with daylight and no overhead light.
- Hold the phone at eye level and arm's length, hair tied back.
- Shoot front, both obliques and both sides, relaxed and then clenching.
- Note your weight and the date, and repeat at six to eight weeks.
Guide
Side effects, limits and who should wait
Common effects are small bruises, tender injection points and a tired bite on chewy food for a few weeks. Less often, part of the muscle bulges on clenching, the smile looks uneven, or the cheek above the jaw looks hollower. These are usually temporary; stay in contact with the treating doctor after you travel.
Jaw toxin is not appropriate during pregnancy or breastfeeding, with a neuromuscular condition, with an infection on the area, or when the width comes mainly from bone or fat.
Evidence
Research behind this page
- Efficacy of Botulinum Toxin in Treating Asian Indian Patients with Masseter Hypertrophy: A 4-Year Follow-Up StudyPlastic & Reconstructive Surgery · 2019 · doi:10.1097/prs.0000000000005944
Repeated 30-unit sessions at 12-week intervals deepened masseter volume reduction on ultrasound and largely held it at four years.
- Three-Dimensional Stereophotogrammetric Method of Quantifying the Effect of Botulinum Toxin Type A Injections on Masseter HypertrophyPlastic & Reconstructive Surgery · 2012 · doi:10.1097/prs.0b013e31825903a3
Describes a 3D stereophotogrammetry approach for measuring facial volume change after toxin injections into an enlarged masseter.
FAQ
Questions about Botox and fillers in Korea
When should I take the after photos for my jaw?
Take them six to eight weeks after the injections, when muscle thinning is usually visible. Earlier pictures mostly show swelling settling, which can make the round look like it failed. A second set at about three months shows how the result is holding. Use the same window, phone height and time of day as your baseline, so the jaw is the only thing that differs.
Does a masseter botox seoul visit include an ultrasound scan?
Some clinics scan the muscle with ultrasound, while many rely on touch and photographs, so ask before booking. A scan shows thickness at a marked point, which helps choose a dose and compare later visits. It is not required for a safe injection, but it makes a review more objective. Ask for each side's reading in writing to bring to a future appointment.
Why does my jaw look the same two weeks after the injections?
Two weeks is usually too early, because the muscle first loses strength and only later loses bulk. Most people notice a weaker bite within the first week, while the narrower outline tends to appear between six and eight weeks. A check-up around week two still lets the doctor feel whether both sides relaxed evenly, so keep that review even if nothing looks different yet.
Can weight change spoil a before and after comparison?
Yes, a change of a few kilograms can widen or narrow the lower face enough to hide or exaggerate the effect. Fat along the jaw shifts the outline independently of the muscle. Ultrasound and clenched-jaw photos are less affected because they focus on the muscle itself. Note your weight on each photo day and lean on the muscle measurement if it moved a lot.
What happens to the measurements if I stop after one round?
After one round the muscle usually regains strength over several months, and its thickness drifts back toward the start. Results vary from person to person. In the four-year follow-up by Shome and colleagues in 2019, repeated rounds deepened and held the reduction. Your own measurements let you decide calmly whether another round is worth it. Bring the earlier photos or scan readings to that consultation.
Is it uncomfortable to have the jaw injected?
Most people describe a few short pinches and a dull pressure inside the muscle, lasting only minutes in total. Ice or numbing cream is commonly applied first, and a fine needle is used at several points on each side. Tenderness when chewing can last a day or two, and small bruises may appear. If needles make you anxious, say so at the start.