Without cutting, without injecting.
A slimmer facial line, through acupuncture alone.
A facial line that looks angular and broad is often shaped not by the bone you were born with, but by well-developed facial muscles. In particular, when the masseter and the other muscles used for chewing (the masticatory muscles) — worked constantly every time you eat — become overdeveloped, the jaw can take on a square-looking appearance.
In most cases this develops slowly, over a long period of repeatedly using the same facial muscles.
If the cause lies in the muscle, that is where we begin — without medication, without injectables and without external pressure, we work through acupuncture that aims to reduce the volume of the muscle itself.
Rather than limiting muscle movement for a time, it is designed to work on the size of the muscle, so many clients find it shows its value as the weeks go on.
Very fine needles are placed at a minimal number of acupuncture points associated with the jaw muscles, so most clients have no visible bruising or swelling on the day and can wear make-up straight away. It is often chosen by those who need to return to work or filming the same day.
Needling may help support lymphatic drainage where it has become sluggish and encourage the clearing of waste. Many clients notice a fresher complexion, and a facial line that had been hidden beginning to show.
Because nothing artificial is added for volume and the work is done on the contour you already have, the result tends to look unforced — many clients are asked afterwards whether they have lost weight.
Muscle volume is not reduced abruptly, so the skin laxity that can follow a sudden loss of muscle bulk is not a concern in the same way. Needling may also support the fine circulation of the skin, which many clients feel gives the face a livelier look.
We look at whether muscle, fat or bone is behind the shape, and set the direction of treatment accordingly.
A minimal number of needles are placed precisely at the acupuncture points associated with reducing the muscle.
Effects may be noticeable after a single session; an initial course of five sessions is generally recommended.
Those who have developed secondary nonresponse to botulinum toxin and find medication less effective than before
Those who are wary of surgery and its recovery period, and are looking for an option without downtime
Those who are uncomfortable with medication or injectables
Those with sensitive skin, for whom massage and other external pressure feels like too much
Those who need to return to work or filming the same day
Those who would like the jawline and left–right balance addressed together
If you are wary of an incision, if secondary nonresponse to botulinum toxin has become an issue, and if you would like results that last, the table below sets out how each option works. Where a square-looking jawline is caused by masseter hypertrophy rather than by the bone, the approach differs. Understanding the differences may help you decide which option best fits your own goals.
| Option | How it works | Duration of results | Approach | Recovery | Bruising or swelling on the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jayeonsan Facial Contouring Acupuncture | Fine needles are placed at acupuncture points associated with the masseter, aiming to reduce the volume of an overdeveloped jaw muscle. | Long-lasting | Works on the muscle itself | None | Most clients have none |
| Masseter botulinum toxin | Botulinum toxin works by temporarily limiting muscle movement. | 3–6 months | Works on muscle movement | None | Most clients have none |
| Masseter reduction surgery | The outer portion of the masseter is surgically removed. | Long-lasting | Works on muscle tissue by excision | About 2 weeks | To be expected |
※ The option that suits you, and the result, may differ depending on the condition of your own face. This table is intended as general information, not as a ranking of one treatment against another.
If even one of the three below applies to you, a muscular pattern is likely, and Jayeonsan Facial Contouring Acupuncture may be able to help. Because facial width is partly determined by bone structure, changes to muscle cannot alter it fundamentally, and what can be achieved differs from person to person.
Rest the index and middle fingers of both hands lightly just in front of and below the ears, over the temporomandibular joint. Clench the back teeth firmly, then release, and repeat. If a hard mass rises up far enough to push your fingers away, the pattern is muscular.
Seen from the front, a narrow chin with width flaring out to the sides is more likely to be muscle development. If instead the jaw angle below the ear is sharply defined and the lower face is broad overall, bone structure may be the greater influence.
The jaw feels stiff on waking; there is a habit of teeth grinding (bruxism) or jaw clenching; or the jaw tightens without thinking under stress. If you also notice sounds from the temporomandibular joint, that is worth mentioning at consultation.
In many cases it is not the jaw muscles alone. Here are other concerns we approach on the same principle.
If the jaw muscle has developed on one side only and the face looks tilted, we begin with the left–right balance of the muscles. The eyes, the contour and the corners of the mouth tend to move together.
Sometimes the difference is not in the size of the eyes but in the strength with which each one opens. We look at drooping eyelid (ptosis) and at differences in that strength side to side.
The same principle is used to develop the gluteal muscles, alongside pelvic obliquity and anterior or posterior pelvic tilt where these play a part.
Reducing zygomatic prominence while filling the outer cheek — an approach that works in a different direction in each zone, cheek hollowing included.
Even with the same concern, the position of the muscle and how far it has developed differ from person to person. The Director checks the change at every session in person and adjusts the acupuncture points accordingly.
※ Closed Wednesday, Sunday and public holidays.