Two very different patients ask for this: one whose jaw hurts in the morning, and one who wants a narrower lower face. The injection is the same, the dose is not, and the timeline surprises both of them.
For clenching and grinding
Bruxism is involuntary and mostly nocturnal, which is why willpower and awareness do very little for it. Relaxing the masseter reduces the force the jaw can generate, and that lowers the load on the joint, the teeth and the muscle itself.
What patients usually report first is not cosmetic: morning jaw stiffness gone, fewer tension headaches at the temples, less ear-adjacent ache. Dental wear does not reverse, but it stops progressing at the same rate.
Worth being clear about scope: this reduces the force, it does not treat the cause. Bruxism is frequently tied to stress and to sleep-disordered breathing. Toxin buys relief; it does not replace a night guard where one is indicated, and it does not replace a sleep assessment where that is the real driver.
For jawline slimming
A hypertrophied masseter widens the lower third of the face and squares the jawline. Relaxing it produces gradual atrophy from disuse, and the outline narrows.
The timeline is the part nobody expects: visible change takes six to eight weeks and the full effect three months. This is not like the upper face, where day 14 is the verdict. Anyone judging masseter results at two weeks will conclude nothing happened.
Durability is better than the face too — six months or more is common — and repeated treatment compounds, because each round of atrophy starts from a smaller muscle.
One caution. In a very lean face, significant masseter reduction can make the mid-face look hollower rather than just narrower. It is assessed before, not discovered after.
What masseter botox costs
| Masseter treatment | Price | Approx. USD |
|---|---|---|
| Both sides · 40–60 U | $720,000 – $1,080,000 COP | USD 224 – 336 |
| Per unit of Botox® | $18,000 COP | USD 5.60 |
Charged per unit, not as a package, because masseter bulk varies more between patients than any other area. You pay for what is applied.
Consultation is free and the 15-day review is included. The full rate for every area is on the price page.
Dose and technique
20 to 30 units per side, into the thickest part of the muscle, below the line between the earlobe and the corner of the mouth and behind the front border of the muscle. Depth matters here: the injection is intramuscular, and product placed too superficially or too far forward can reach the risorius and affect the smile.
Asymmetry is the norm, not the exception — most people chew preferentially on one side, and the dominant masseter is visibly larger. Dosing both sides identically preserves the asymmetry, so they are measured separately.
Frequently asked questions
Medical references
The clinical claims on this page rest on public, verifiable sources. They are cited so you can check them, not as an endorsement of this practice by those organisations.
- Aesthetic Surgery Journal (2025) — systematic review of HIFU in skin tightening and body contouring
- Lasers in Medical Science (2020) — systematic review and meta-analysis of HIFU safety and efficacy for face and neck
- American Academy of Dermatology — wrinkles and treatment options
- INVIMA — medical device registration in Colombia
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We assess muscle bulk on both sides before choosing the dose — they are rarely equal.
Message us on WhatsApp+57 316 042 2194 · El Poblado, Medellín · English spoken
About who signs this content
Dr. Olga González — physician trained in Aesthetic Medicine (Universidad de San Martín), Health Coach in Nutrition, Longevity and Biohacking. She practises at Dra. Juventud, El Poblado, Medellín, where she applies botulinum toxin (Botox® by Allergan and Dysport® by Ipsen) and treats skin laxity with Ultraformer MPT. Consultations are available in English.
Content last reviewed: September 1, 2026. This text is informational and does not replace an in-person medical assessment.