If the salivary gland is injected, won’t I stop producing saliva?

There are several salivary glands, so even if one becomes less active, saliva continues to be produced. However, some people feel their mouth is dry for a while, so if you usually have a dry mouth, please tell us in advance. Dryness may occasionally be felt during the first few weeks; if it bothers you, drink water often, and let us know if it continues.

Should I have it below the ears or under the jaw?

If the area behind the jaw angle below the ears looks protruding from the front, we look at the parotid gland first; if the line under the jaw looks full from the side, the submandibular gland. We check by touch which gland is creating the fullness before choosing. The submandibular gland lies close to muscles used for swallowing, so if the under-jaw area is chosen, we take particular care with the depth and position of the injection.

Won’t Jaw Botox do the job?

Jaw Botox thins the chewing muscle, so the volume of the salivary gland behind the muscle stays as it is. If fullness below the ears remained after Jaw Botox, the salivary gland may be part of the cause. Conversely, if it rises firmly when you clench, muscle plays the larger part, and if both are involved, the examination first sorts out how much each contributes.

Is it less effective than Jaw Botox?

It varies greatly from person to person, and salivary gland injection for lower-face contouring has been studied less than muscle injection. So we don’t promise a big change, and we decide on the next step after seeing the first result. The change in gland volume can also appear slowly over several weeks, so we compare photos taken from the same angle a few weeks later.

Only one side is full — can I still have it?

If only one salivary gland has enlarged, or it enlarged recently, causes such as inflammation or a salivary stone must be checked first. In this case, we recommend a medical examination before a cosmetic injection. Once the cause has been checked and a cosmetic injection is judged suitable, we then look at the size of the glands on both sides to decide how to divide the amount.

Salivary Gland Botox 50uGangnam, Seoul

Salivary Gland Botox 50u is a treatment in which 50 units of botulinum toxin are injected into the parotid gland below the ear or the submandibular gland under the jaw. It is placed not in a muscle but in the gland that produces saliva, aiming to reduce lower-face fullness caused by a gland that looks enlarged. QD Clinic first checks by touch whether that fullness really comes from the salivary glands. At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea, consultation helps determine which options suit your concerns.

Treatable areas

Below the ear (parotid gland)
Under the jaw (submandibular gland)

Who it’s for

The area behind the jawbone below your ear looks softly protruding
Under your jaw looks like excess flesh but you can’t pinch it
Fullness below the ears remained even after Jaw Botox

Salivary gland enlargement is sometimes caused by a medical condition, so if you have pain, fever or sudden swelling, a medical examination comes first.

How it works

Salivary Gland Botox lowers the activity not of a muscle, but of the gland that makes saliva. Salivary glands also produce saliva in response to signals from nerves. When botulinum toxin reduces these signals, the gland’s activity decreases, and over time the gland may look less full. However, injecting the salivary glands for lower-face contouring is supported mainly by case reports and anatomical studies, so there is less evidence than for injecting the chewing muscle. QD Clinic tells you this first.

THE MECHANISM, STEP BY STEP

01Parotid gland
The largest salivary gland, spreading from in front of the ear to behind the jawbone below the ear. It overlaps the upper back part of the chewing muscle, so we separate the boundary from the muscle by touch and inject only into the gland.
02Submandibular gland
A salivary gland on the inner side below the jawbone, which can be a cause of a full-looking line under the jaw. Muscles used for swallowing are nearby, so we are especially careful with depth and placement.
03Below the ear or under the jaw
Salivary Gland Botox 50u is an option in which you choose either the parotid or the submandibular area. How it is divided between the two sides is decided by looking at the size of each.
04Setting expectations first
Changes in gland volume vary greatly from person to person and can be less distinct than with a muscle injection. Aligning expectations in advance is the starting point of this treatment.

Treatment areas

Discuss at consultation: If the area stays soft and full rather than hardening when you clench, we suspect the salivary glands rather than the muscle. If it hardens when you clench, Jaw Botox is the better fit.
Medical assessment: If a salivary gland has suddenly swollen, hurts, or only one side has enlarged, finding the cause comes before a cosmetic injection.
Before treatment: If your mouth often feels dry, or you take medication that affects saliva production, be sure to tell us before the injection.

What the procedure is like

1Clenching and touch examination
2Marking the salivary gland area
3Injections divided within the gland
4Pressure, then aftercare guidance before you leave

The injections are over quickly. The total time, including the examination to confirm the area, will be explained when you visit.

Recovery & aftercare

You can go about your day as usual on the same day.
Don’t rub the injection points firmly.
If dry mouth is uncomfortable, drink water often, and let us know if it continues.

What to expect over time

A general guide to how the days and months after treatment usually unfold. Results vary by individual.

Same day Stiffness
The injection points may feel stiff or a small bruise may appear.
First few weeks Watching for dry mouth
Rarely, your mouth may feel drier than usual, so we keep an eye on this during this period.
Several weeks later Change in volume
A change in which the gland looks less full may appear slowly. (Results vary from person to person.)
Several months later Return
When the gland’s activity returns, so does its volume. Whether to have it again is decided then.

Sessions & results

With Salivary Gland Botox, both the size of the change and how long it lasts vary greatly from person to person. After seeing the result of the first treatment, we decide whether to repeat it and whether to combine it with a muscle injection. (Results vary from person to person.)

How it compares

A comparison by cause when the area below the ears or under the jaw looks full.

Comparison	Salivary Gland Botox 50u	Jaw Botox 50u	V-Olet
What it addresses	Activity and volume of the parotid and submandibular glands	Thickness of the chewing muscle (masseter)	Fat under the chin
How it feels to the touch	Doesn’t harden when you clench; soft and full	Rises firmly when you clench	Flesh you can pinch
Evidence	Mainly case reports and anatomical studies	Studies measuring masseter volume exist	A product approved for reducing fat under the chin

Sometimes two or three causes are involved, so the examination first sorts out how much each contributes.

Safety & considerations

Possible reactions

Stiffness or bruising at the injection points
Temporary dry mouth
Rarely, discomfort when swallowing after submandibular gland injection
Rarely, a change in the shape of your smile

Please tell us first if

A salivary gland has ever swollen or hurt, or you have been diagnosed with a salivary gland condition
You have a condition that causes dry mouth (such as Sjögren’s syndrome)
You take medication that reduces saliva production
You are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a condition affecting the junction between nerves and muscles

For lower-face contouring, Salivary Gland Botox is a treatment without much evidence. Please decide knowing the result may not be distinct. If swallowing or breathing becomes uncomfortable, contact us right away.

Your care at QD Clinic

Identifying the cause
By clenching and touch, we see whether muscle, salivary glands or fat is creating the fullness.
Choosing the area
We decide whether to inject below the ears or under the jaw, and if a salivary gland condition is suspected, we recommend a medical examination first.
Comparing weeks later
The change comes slowly, so we compare photos from the same angle several weeks later.

Frequently asked questions

There are several salivary glands, so even if one becomes less active, saliva continues to be produced. However, some people feel their mouth is dry for a while, so if you usually have a dry mouth, please tell us in advance. Dryness may occasionally be felt during the first few weeks; if it bothers you, drink water often, and let us know if it continues.
If the area behind the jaw angle below the ears looks protruding from the front, we look at the parotid gland first; if the line under the jaw looks full from the side, the submandibular gland. We check by touch which gland is creating the fullness before choosing. The submandibular gland lies close to muscles used for swallowing, so if the under-jaw area is chosen, we take particular care with the depth and position of the injection.
Jaw Botox thins the chewing muscle, so the volume of the salivary gland behind the muscle stays as it is. If fullness below the ears remained after Jaw Botox, the salivary gland may be part of the cause. Conversely, if it rises firmly when you clench, muscle plays the larger part, and if both are involved, the examination first sorts out how much each contributes.
It varies greatly from person to person, and salivary gland injection for lower-face contouring has been studied less than muscle injection. So we don’t promise a big change, and we decide on the next step after seeing the first result. The change in gland volume can also appear slowly over several weeks, so we compare photos taken from the same angle a few weeks later.
If only one salivary gland has enlarged, or it enlarged recently, causes such as inflammation or a salivary stone must be checked first. In this case, we recommend a medical examination before a cosmetic injection. Once the cause has been checked and a cosmetic injection is judged suitable, we then look at the size of the glands on both sides to decide how to divide the amount.

For international patients

Consultation in English / 中文 / 日本語 · WhatsApp · WeChat · KakaoTalk · a 4-minute walk from Sinnonhyeon / Nonhyeon Station (hours in KST).

How many days should I stay?

Surgery and course-based treatments need a check-up. We tell you before you book whether that means staying longer or coming back another time.

For International Patients