Chin problems after Botox: stiff chin, what to do

The chin is moved by a small muscle, the mentalis, which pushes it up and creases the skin when you pout or press your lips together. In some people, its contraction gives the chin a dimpled, "orange peel" appearance⁷. This page is part of our SOS guide for problems after an injection, organised area by area.

What problems can affect the chin?

The situation presented in the atlas is the stiff chin: a chin that no longer moves as before, sometimes with difficulty moving the lower lip. The second situation is a chin that is still dimpled, or has become bumpy, after the injection: part of the muscle relaxed incompletely or unevenly can form a paradoxical bulge, described by an expert consensus⁶ and in a published case, where it appeared the day after the injection⁷. It is covered in the page on a dimpled or bumpy chin after an injection.

This needs saying clearly: problems after a chin injection are poorly documented. The dimpled chin is among the areas covered by an expert consensus published in 2004¹, but the official labels do not describe this injection, since it is not an approved indication, and we have not found a reliable source giving figures for its adverse effects. What is known in general applies: the effect of the toxin is temporary and wears off as the nerve terminals recover³.

Which signs mean you should see a doctor quickly?

A chin that is a little stiff is bothersome but not dangerous. See a doctor promptly if you have trouble keeping liquids in your mouth, eating or speaking clearly, or if the lower lip droops noticeably. Warm, painful redness spreading from an injection point may be a sign of local infection, which is among the possible reactions³.

Any difficulty swallowing, speaking or breathing means calling emergency services (15 or 112 in France, or your local emergency number): the labels describe these as the rare signs of the toxin spreading away from the injection site, which require immediate medical care^2,3.

Before seeing a doctor, write down the date of the injection and the day the problem appeared. If possible, contact the doctor who performed the injection: they know which points were treated and with which product.

Why is the chin injected?

Chin injections aim to soften the dimpled appearance of the skin, the "dimpled chin" described by the 2004 expert consensus¹. No French label provides for this indication: type A toxins have aesthetic indications limited to frown lines, crow’s feet and forehead lines, depending on the product², and the short-acting botulinum toxin (serotype E) to frown lines only³, approved as of 9 October 2026 in the European Union and Canada^4,5. It is therefore an off-label use, to be discussed with your doctor. To understand why and how the chin can be treated, see the page for this area in our atlas of treatment areas.

The chin sits next to the lips and the jaw: if your problem mainly affects the mouth, see the page on lips after an injection; if it concerns chewing or the angle of the jaw, the page on the jaw after masseter injections.