Can Botox Injections Provide Similar Results As Temporal Reduction Surgery?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’m a young male. My head is convex at the out direction near my ears. I’ve always been self conscious about the width of my head. If you injected Botox into the muscle would it affect the temple muscle on the side and shrink that. I have seen pictures of people getting the injection done near the eyes for crows feet with deep impressions on their face after associated with temporal wasting.

These are photos of what I’m looking for before and after. I’d like to shrink it 5-7mm. Thats what this photo shows. In my opinion its a big difference. 

I’m not big on plastic surgery. this is more of a self conscious thing. I’m not interested in excision of the muscle. Is this something you’ve done before with botox and had success before. Do I need an X-ray before determining if its possible. And would you be able to promise something like this doesn’t happen. This person got injections near the eyebrow for crows feet and the temporal muscle shrank that it gave this indentation. Thanks, hope to hear from you soon. 

A: Thank you for your inquiry and sending your desired result. That type of side of the head width reduction is only achievable by removal of the posterior temporal muscle which is 5mm to 7mms thick in most Caucasians. Botox injections will not create that amount of shrinkage no matter what dosage is used as the temporal muscle is bog and thick. And even if it did, it will last less than three months after the injections. Botox does not cause permanent atrophy of the masticatory muscles. I have never seen anterior temporal wasting with crow’s feet Botox injections or any form of posterior temporal muscle reduction surgery.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana