Masseter Botox Is All Over TikTok—So I Had to Try It. Here’s My Before and After

I wasn’t exactly in the market for masseter Botox. I wasn’t grinding my teeth in my sleep, nor was I waking up with tension headaches. But when my editors asked if I’d be the guinea pig for a story on the procedure, I volunteered without batting an eye. Call it curiosity. Call it vanity. Call it journalism. 

For those who don’t know, masseter Botox has become TikTok’s latest obsession. Scroll for more than ten seconds and you’ll see influencers showing off snatched side profiles or derms warning that the injections could lead to sagging, crooked smiles or even premature jowling—especially if your bone structure can’t support the volume loss. Yet, as someone whose camera roll is one long scroll of double chin selfies, I was intrigued.

So below, find a full breakdown of the procedure with before and after shots from my session with Dr. Alicia Hamid, DNP, at SkinSpirit Tribeca. (Spoiler: My face is still very much intact, and my jaw has never looked more defined.)

Meet the Expert

Dr. Alicia Hamid, DNP, is a board-certified nurse practitioner and aesthetic injector at SkinSpirit Tribeca in New York City. With advanced training in full-face anatomy and injectable technique, she’s known for her subtle, balanced approach to cosmetic treatments—including neuromodulators like Botox and Dysport. Dr. Hamid believes in customizing every treatment plan to the individual, using precise mapping and muscle assessment to achieve natural-looking results. Her specialties include jawline contouring, full-face balancing and platysmal band correction.

First and foremost, the masseter is the rectangular chewing muscle that sits at the back of your jaw. It’s what you flex when you clench your teeth—and it’s also what can cause your face to look wider or more square over time. The idea behind masseter Botox is that if you relax this muscle, it eventually shrinks, creating a more tapered, V-line effect.
It’s worth mentioning, however, that the treatment isn’t just for contouring. Masseter Botox is also used for people who suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding), TMJ discomfort or chronic jaw tension. By relaxing the muscle, it relieves pressure on the jaw joint, minimizes clenching and often leads to fewer headaches or facial pain.

At the start of my appointment, Dr. Hamid had me tilt my head and clench so she could pinpoint the exact location of my masseter muscles. “You see where the muscle kind of pops out here?” she said, marking a square with four dots along the thickest part of my jaw. “These are the four points where you inject.” She injected 15 units per side, right into that bulky portion of the masseter to weaken the muscle over time and create a subtle slimming effect. 

Next, we moved to the platysmal bands in my neck. These are the vertical cords that become more visible when you flex or make a sad face. “For the neck, I’m also going to use about 15 units total,” she said, pointing under my chin. “Normally I’ll use 25, but your bands are mainly located near the jaw area... some people’s bands go all the way down.” She then injected along the jawline and into each band, explaining that “the platysmal bands connect at the jawline... when they relax, it tightens and lifts up the neck.”

As for pain? I’ve had Botox before, and needles don’t faze me—especially when I’m lying in a cushy treatment chair with Lady Gaga in the background. That said, even if you’re not needle-friendly, this is about as mild as injectables get. Each prick was over in a second, and the entire procedure was wrapped in under 20 minutes. I left with zero swelling and a lunch reservation to make across town.

Masseter Botox typically runs anywhere from $15 to $25 per unit (typically $450 to $750 total), depending on how many units you need and where you go. I had 30 units injected into my jaw and 15 units into my neck bands, which is considered a conservative dose.

As for how long it lasts: You’ll usually start seeing results around the 2- to 3-week mark, with full effects setting in by week 8. Most people go back for a touch-up every 4 to 6 months, though results can stretch longer depending on how strong your masseters are to begin with.

And now, for the TikTok backlash. You’ve probably seen videos warning that masseter Botox can lead to facial sagging, jowls or a wonky smile—especially if the injector hits the wrong muscle or if your face lacks the “right” bone structure. The narrative is that you’re one misfire away from ending up on Botched.

But here’s what the actual research says: According to a 2022 study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, Botox injections into the masseter resulted in “a statistically significant reduction in bizygomatic to bigonial ratio,” meaning participants’ jawlines looked slimmer over time. Pain was minimal (an average of 1.4 out of 10), and no one experienced facial asymmetry. Translation? TikTok has a habit of making worst-case scenarios feel more like the norm. If you go to an experienced injector (read through those Yelp reviews thoroughly), my two cents is that you’ll be fine. 

Was this procedure life-changing? No. But did I notice a difference? Yes. My jawline certainly looks more defined, and zero downtime for recovery is a major bonus. That said, if you’re expecting a neck lift, I’d save your money for the real deal. The effects here are minimal—and even at $15 a unit, it adds up fast. 

All in all, if you’re OK with subtle results that build over time (and you’re willing to spend) I’d say go for it. Despite TikTok’s many warnings, my smile is still the same, I haven’t noticed any sagging, and the double chin? Nowhere to be found in the recent saves on my camera roll.