#6-1. Jawline Correction Techniques

I see many patients at the outpatient setting who seek to correct the short front chin. They often have a protruding mouth which makes the chin appear even smaller in proportion. When you clench the chin muscle, you can see the cobble stone appearance, which can be corrected with injecting botulinum toxin in the mentalis muscle.

The chin is made up of different muscle layers. The deeper layers include the mentalis muscle, depressor labii inferior oris muscle, and depressor anguli oris muscle. And this also means that there are different fat layers. One should consider this when performing chin correction.

Topical anesthesia is not sufficient in this area and I recommend using lidocaine-added dermal filler. I do not prefer nerve block as it can cause edema and compromise the precision of the treatment.

Figure 1. Before chin correction using filler.

Figure 2. After correction.

First, inject botulinum toxin in the mentalis muscle at the tip of the chin. This muscle contracts the bottom of the chin to lift the chin and provides support when you pucker your lower lip. If the cobble stone appearance is seen frequently, inject 2-4 units of toxin. Lightly touch the tip of the needle at the bone and slightly withdraw to inject into the muscle. Inject 7-8mm lateral from the facial midline.

When the origin of the muscle seems to protrude above the tip of the chin, it is due to the thick fibers in the lower orbicular muscle and mentalis muscle. In this case, inject 1-2 units of toxin, 5 mm lateral to the lower third of the midline from the vermilion border of the lower lip.