Buccal fat removal and masseter Botox: when the result is hard to judge
The post listed several changes across three years, but the comments did what good consults do: separate permanent structure from repeatable maintenance, and ask whether subtle slimming is enough.
Procedure mix
Buccal fat + toxin
Timeline
3-year comparison
Core question
What actually changed?
Decision point
Permanent vs repeatable
Compare real results
Compare lower-face changes before you add more
Look at real outcomes side by side so you can separate cheek fullness, jaw muscle, skin support, and expression.
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A same-day thread about buccal fat removal plus Botox/Daxxify in the masseters, DAO, forehead, and eye area, with comments debating subtle change, photo fairness, and long-term maintenance.
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What patients want to know before Botox
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Browse Botox results
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The thread turned into a better question than "do I look slimmer?"
Lower-face contouring can involve several different levers: cheek fat, jaw muscle bulk, chin projection, skin support, bite issues, and expression. When multiple treatments happen across years, the consult question becomes: which part created the change, and which part needs ongoing maintenance?
The comments are where people got honest.
The source comparison
"top photo is before, bottom photo is after"
A simple comparison can still be hard to read when lighting, makeup, age, weight, and expression are all changing too.
The visible difference
"biggest difference in her cheeks / masseter area"
That comment gets to the anatomy. Lower-face slimming is often not one thing; it is cheek volume plus jaw muscle plus how the face moves.
The maintenance caveat
"It depends on the person and the injector."
That was said about masseter toxin, and it is the right warning label for almost every injectable decision.
Buccal fat removal and masseter toxin solve different problems.
The Reddit post grouped several changes together: buccal fat removal, Botox or Daxxify in the masseters, DAO toxin, forehead toxin, and toxin around the eyes for a brow-lift effect. That is why the comments were split. Some people saw a slimmer lower third. Others thought the photos looked too similar to judge.
That split is useful. Buccal fat removal is a surgical change to cheek fullness. Masseter toxin relaxes a jaw muscle and may reduce bulk over time. DAO and forehead toxin affect expression. If you are considering lower-face slimming, those are not interchangeable tools.
Ask whether the fullness you dislike is cheek fat, jaw muscle, skin laxity, chin balance, or overall weight distribution.
Ask which parts of the plan are permanent and which require repeat treatment.
Do not judge a subtle lower-face change from mismatched photos alone.
A subtle result can be good, but it should still be measurable.
One of the best consult exercises is to ask the provider to point to the expected change on your own photos. Is the cheek hollow supposed to deepen? Is the jaw angle supposed to narrow? Is the smile supposed to pull differently? If neither of you can name the visual endpoint, it becomes too easy to keep adding treatments because the result feels hard to see.
For lower-face work, matched photos matter: same angle, same lens distance, same expression, same makeup level, and similar weight. Otherwise you may be comparing a treatment plan to a different photo style.
Friendly consult script
Say: "Can we mark exactly where you expect my lower face to change, and what would make you tell me not to do more?"
Masseter Botox can be functional, cosmetic, or both.
The comments also brought up teeth grinding, clenching, migraines, and the tradeoff between relief and over-weakening the muscle. That is the important part. Masseter toxin is often discussed as jaw slimming, but some patients pursue it because clenching is painful or damaging.
If you are using it for bruxism, involve the right clinician and ask about dosing, timing, bite guards, dental wear, and when to reassess. If you are using it cosmetically, ask how your skin, age, cheek support, and jaw structure might look if the muscle shrinks.
Ask whether your goal is pain relief, jaw narrowing, or both.
Ask how often the provider recommends retreatment and what happens if you stop.
Ask what signs would mean the lower face is losing too much support.
Ask these before lower-face slimming
The right plan starts by naming the anatomy, not by stacking procedures because each one sounds small.
Is my concern cheek fat, masseter muscle, chin balance, jawline definition, skin laxity, or bite-related tension?
Which part of this plan is permanent, and which part requires maintenance?
Would buccal fat removal age well on my face, or could it make me look hollow later?
If I do masseter toxin, what dose would you start with and how will we avoid over-weakening?
Can we compare my photos with the same angle, lighting, lens distance, and expression?
What would make you recommend stopping instead of adding another lower-face treatment?
Johns Hopkins: buccal fat removal
Useful baseline context on buccal fat removal as an elective procedure that narrows lower-cheek fullness and depends heavily on face shape.
ASPS: botulinum toxin
Clinical context for botulinum toxin as a temporary injectable used in common cosmetic areas and other facial muscles such as thick jaw muscles.
Original Reddit thread
The source discussion included the three-year comparison, Reddit-hosted patient photos, treatment list, and comment debate about subtle change, lower-face support, and masseter toxin tradeoffs.
The questions that usually come next
Is buccal fat removal the same as masseter Botox?
No. Buccal fat removal changes cheek fat surgically. Masseter Botox or similar toxin relaxes jaw muscle activity and may reduce muscle bulk over time.
Can masseter Botox help teeth grinding?
Some patients use botulinum toxin for jaw clenching or bruxism-related symptoms, but dosing and follow-up should be handled by an experienced clinician.
Can buccal fat removal make you look older later?
It can be a concern for some faces because facial fat naturally changes with age. Ask specifically how your result may age before removing cheek fat.
How do I know if lower-face slimming is worth it?
Start by identifying the actual cause of fullness and comparing matched photos. A good provider should explain what change is realistic and when not to do more.
Compare lower-face changes before you add more
Look at real outcomes side by side so you can separate cheek fullness, jaw muscle, skin support, and expression.
See Botox results