Seoul
Chief MD, Gangnam
Duk-ha Kim
The trust our patients have placed in this clinic was built on conviction and principle. We intend to hold to both, unchanged, through the next hundred years.
Botulinum toxin treatment guide
Salivary Gland Toxin
Salivary gland toxin is an injection of botulinum toxin into a salivary gland, usually the parotid. Clinics sell it for a narrower lower face; no drug label cited on this page carries that use. What is approved, in the United States, is chronic sialorrhea — persistent drooling — for XEOMIN from 2 years of age and for MYOBLOC in adults. In Korea no salivary gland indication exists for either product cited here, and the Korean XEOMIN record carries an explicit warning about injecting botulinum toxin into salivary glands.
- Target tissue
- Parotid and submandibular salivary glands — secretory tissue, not muscle
- United States
- Chronic sialorrhea: XEOMIN from 2 years of age, MYOBLOC in adults
- Korea
- No salivary indication — the XEOMIN record lists upper facial lines only
- Cosmetic evidence
- One randomised trial, 27 completers, 3-month follow-up
What does this menu target, and what is actually approved?
The menu name refers to injecting botulinum toxin into a salivary gland — in practice the parotid, sometimes the submandibular gland as well — with the stated aim of a narrower lower face. That aim appears on no drug label cited on this page. The approved use of a salivary gland injection, in the United States, is a different thing entirely: the XEOMIN label states that it is indicated for the treatment of chronic sialorrhea in patients 2 years of age and older, and the MYOBLOC label states that it is indicated for the treatment of chronic sialorrhea in adults. Sialorrhea means persistent drooling. The therapeutic indication and the cosmetic aim share an injection site and nothing else.
Sources: FDA label — XEOMIN (incobotulinumtoxinA)FDA label — MYOBLOC (rimabotulinumtoxinB)
What do salivary glands do, and how does a toxin change them?
The parotid is the largest salivary gland; it sits in front of and below the ear, over the back edge of the jaw, which is why its size shows in the lower face. The submandibular gland sits under the jaw line. Both are secretory tissue, not muscle: their job is to produce saliva, which keeps the mouth wet, helps you chew, swallow, taste and speak, and buffers the teeth. Botulinum toxin blocks the release of acetylcholine at cholinergic nerve endings, including those that drive glandular secretion — that is precisely the mechanism behind the approved drooling indication. Any change in the contour over a treated gland therefore comes from the gland doing less, not from a muscle relaxing. Less saliva is not a side effect of the mechanism; it is the mechanism.
Sources: FDA label — XEOMIN (incobotulinumtoxinA)FDA label — MYOBLOC (rimabotulinumtoxinB)
Which products are approved for drooling, and in which country?
Two, and only in the United States among the records verified here. XEOMIN carries chronic sialorrhea in patients 2 years of age and older; MYOBLOC carries chronic sialorrhea in adults. BOTOX does not: the therapeutic BOTOX label lists overactive bladder, detrusor overactivity associated with a neurologic condition from 5 years of age, chronic migraine, spasticity from 2 years of age, cervical dystonia, severe axillary hyperhidrosis, and blepharospasm and strabismus from 12 years of age. There is no sialorrhea indication on it, so the common shortcut that this is the same drug as the approved one does not hold. The population behind the approved indication also matters: chronic sialorrhea is treated in people with conditions such as Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or cerebral palsy.
Sources: FDA label — XEOMIN (incobotulinumtoxinA)FDA label — MYOBLOC (rimabotulinumtoxinB)FDA label — BOTOX (therapeutic)
Does Korea approve any toxin for a salivary gland?
No. The MFDS record for XEOMIN injection lists three indications, and all three are adult upper facial lines: glabellar lines, lateral canthal lines and forehead lines. Chronic sialorrhea is not approved in Korea. The MFDS record for BOTOX injection lists eight indications — blepharospasm and strabismus, equinus foot in paediatric cerebral palsy, cervical dystonia, primary axillary hyperhidrosis, upper limb spasticity after stroke, temporary improvement of glabellar lines, chronic migraine and bladder dysfunction — and no salivary item appears among them. So in Korea an injection into a salivary gland sits outside every registered indication of both products cited here, whichever brand is in the vial. That is a factual statement about the drug records, not a judgement about any individual clinical decision, and it is worth stating plainly because the marketing around this menu often implies the opposite.
Sources: MFDS drug product record — XEOMIN injection (Korea)MFDS drug product record — BOTOX injection (Korea)
What does the Korean label say about injecting a salivary gland?
This is the most important safety information on this page. The Korean XEOMIN record warns that when other botulinum toxin products were injected into the salivary glands, the region around the mouth, tongue and pharynx, the oesophagus and the stomach, serious adverse events including fatal outcomes were reported, and it states that the safety and effectiveness for indications involving those injection sites have not been established. Read the two halves separately: events including fatal outcomes have been reported at these sites, and the label does not claim that safety and efficacy there are established. Botulinum toxin labelling also carries a boxed warning about distant spread of toxin effect, with swallowing and breathing difficulties that can be life-threatening. Bring this warning into the consultation before any discussion of contour, and ask directly how the clinician weighs it.
Sources: MFDS drug product record — XEOMIN injection (Korea)
How strong is the evidence for the cosmetic use?
Thin, and the exact size is worth knowing. Jeong et al. published a randomised trial in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 2024 comparing a high dose, a low dose and placebo for parotid injection aimed at lower face contouring. The participants were patients undergoing facial fracture surgery who also wanted a slimmer lower face, 27 completed the study across the three arms — 10, 8 and 9 — and follow-up ran to 3 months. The abstract does not state the doses used. The second study, Chen et al. in the same journal in 2022, was a prospective series without a control group in benign parotid hypertrophy: 36 enrolled, 33 analysed, 6 months. That is the entire cosmetic evidence base cited here. It does not establish the treatment, it does not give you a dose you could check a quote against, and with 27 completers over 3 months it cannot describe uncommon or delayed harm.
Sources: Jeong et al., Plast Reconstr Surg 2024 — parotid injection for lower face contouringChen et al., Plast Reconstr Surg 2022 — benign parotid hypertrophy
Why can the drooling dose not be read as a cosmetic dose?
Because the labelled doses differ by orders of magnitude between products, and neither was set for a cosmetic aim. For chronic sialorrhea in adults, the XEOMIN label gives a total of 100 units — 30 units into each parotid gland and 20 units into each submandibular gland — repeated no more often than every 16 weeks. The MYOBLOC label gives a total of 1,500 to 3,500 units — 500 to 1,500 units per parotid and 250 units per submandibular gland — repeated no more often than every 12 weeks. For children, XEOMIN dosing is by body weight, split between parotid and submandibular glands in a 3 to 2 ratio, and the label recommends ultrasound guidance. Those are drooling-treatment regimens in patients with a neurological condition. The cosmetic trial cited here did not publish its doses in the abstract, so a number quoted for a contouring session traces back to no label and no published protocol on this page.
Sources: FDA label — XEOMIN (incobotulinumtoxinA)FDA label — MYOBLOC (rimabotulinumtoxinB)Jeong et al., Plast Reconstr Surg 2024 — parotid injection for lower face contouring
How long does the effect last?
The only interval anchored to a source on this page belongs to the therapeutic dose, not a cosmetic one: the XEOMIN chronic-sialorrhea label sets re-dosing no more often than every 16 weeks, and the MYOBLOC chronic-sialorrhea label sets it no more often than every 12 weeks — both intervals exist because the drooling-treatment dose wears off and needs repeating, and neither was set for a cosmetic aim. The two cosmetic studies followed patients only to 3 months (Jeong et al.) and 6 months (Chen et al.), so neither can describe what happens to contour beyond those windows, and neither reports when any observed change faded. What actually decides how long an effect lasts is the dose injected and which product supplied it — units are not interchangeable between products — together with individual gland response, none of which is standardized for this off-label use. Confirm at consultation which product and dose is planned, and if a timeline is offered, ask what it is based on.
Sources: FDA label — XEOMIN (incobotulinumtoxinA)FDA label — MYOBLOC (rimabotulinumtoxinB)Jeong et al., Plast Reconstr Surg 2024 — parotid injection for lower face contouringChen et al., Plast Reconstr Surg 2022 — benign parotid hypertrophy
If the gland makes less saliva, what follows?
Dry mouth and swallowing are the predictable consequences of the mechanism, not exotic complications. The MYOBLOC label reports placebo-controlled trial data at drooling-treatment doses in adults with chronic sialorrhea: dry mouth in 36% and 39% of the treated groups against 7% on placebo, dysphagia in 9% and 4% against 3%, and dental caries in 7% and 5% against 3%. Those rates belong to that population and those doses and must not be read as expected rates for a cosmetic injection; what carries across is the direction. Saliva protects teeth, moves food, and supports taste and speech, so reduced flow has consequences beyond comfort. Combine that with the Korean label warning about this injection site and with the boxed warning on distant spread, and any difficulty swallowing, choking on liquids, or change in speech or breathing becomes a reason to contact a clinician the same day rather than wait it out.
Sources: FDA label — MYOBLOC (rimabotulinumtoxinB)MFDS drug product record — XEOMIN injection (Korea)
Can you compare products by the number of units quoted?
No, and this page carries the clearest possible illustration. Potency units are assigned by each manufacturer through its own assay and are specific to that preparation; botulinum toxin labelling states that units are not interchangeable with other botulinum toxin products. For one and the same clinical purpose — chronic sialorrhea in adults — the labelled total is 100 units with XEOMIN and 1,500 to 3,500 units with MYOBLOC. The same number across two products is not the same dose, and different numbers across two products are not comparable either. So a quote expressed only as a unit count tells you nothing on its own. Ask for the product name on the vial, the dose in that product’s own units, which glands are targeted, and whether the figure covers one side or both.
Sources: FDA label — XEOMIN (incobotulinumtoxinA)FDA label — MYOBLOC (rimabotulinumtoxinB)
What should you confirm before agreeing to this injection?
Ask which gland is being targeted and which product will be used, then ask whether that product holds any salivary gland indication in the country where you are being treated — for the records cited here, the answer in Korea is no for both XEOMIN and BOTOX, and in the United States the sialorrhea indication held by XEOMIN and MYOBLOC is for drooling, not for contour. Ask whether ultrasound guidance is used, since the XEOMIN label recommends it for paediatric sialorrhea injections, which tells you placement is not trivial. Disclose neuromuscular disease, any existing swallowing or breathing difficulty, dry mouth or medicines that cause it, dental problems, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and previous toxin injections with dates and product names. Ask the clinician to walk through the Korean label warning with you. Agree in advance which symptoms mean calling back the same day, and who you contact if they appear after you have travelled home.
Sources: MFDS drug product record — XEOMIN injection (Korea)FDA label — XEOMIN (incobotulinumtoxinA)FDA label — BOTOX (therapeutic)
Which product is approved for what, and where?
A salivary gland indication is granted per product and per country, and none of the records below grants one for facial contouring. This table maps the drug labels cited on this page; it is not a comparison of how well anything works.
| Product and market | Chronic sialorrhea indication | What the record states | What it does not say |
|---|---|---|---|
| XEOMIN — United States | Approved | Indicated for the treatment of chronic sialorrhea in patients 2 years of age and older; adult dosing is 100 units in total, 30 units per parotid and 20 units per submandibular gland, no more often than every 16 weeks | Nothing about facial contour — the indication treats drooling |
| MYOBLOC — United States | Approved | Indicated for the treatment of chronic sialorrhea in adults; 1,500 to 3,500 units in total, 500 to 1,500 units per parotid and 250 units per submandibular gland, no more often than every 12 weeks | Nothing about facial contour, and its units do not convert to XEOMIN units |
| BOTOX (therapeutic) — United States | Not on the label | The indications are overactive bladder, detrusor overactivity associated with a neurologic condition, chronic migraine, spasticity, cervical dystonia, severe axillary hyperhidrosis, and blepharospasm and strabismus | Sialorrhea is absent, so this product is not covered by the drooling approval |
| XEOMIN injection — Korea | Not approved | The MFDS record lists three indications, all adult upper facial lines: glabellar, lateral canthal and forehead lines; the label warns that serious adverse events including fatal outcomes were reported with botulinum toxin injected into salivary glands and that safety and effectiveness at such sites are not established | It grants no salivary gland use in Korea at any dose |
| BOTOX injection — Korea | Not approved | The MFDS record lists eight indications: blepharospasm and strabismus, equinus foot in paediatric cerebral palsy, cervical dystonia, primary axillary hyperhidrosis, upper limb spasticity after stroke, temporary improvement of glabellar lines, chronic migraine and bladder dysfunction | No salivary gland item appears anywhere on the record |
This table maps drug labels only. The approved use in the United States is chronic drooling in patients with conditions such as Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or cerebral palsy, which is a different purpose, population and dose from a cosmetic injection.
Sources: FDA label — XEOMIN (incobotulinumtoxinA)FDA label — MYOBLOC (rimabotulinumtoxinB)FDA label — BOTOX (therapeutic)MFDS drug product record — XEOMIN injection (Korea)MFDS drug product record — BOTOX injection (Korea)
Medical care at Abijou
Care is provided by the medical team at the branch you select. These clinicians lead the three branches linked from this guide; confirm the doctor assigned to your visit with that branch.
Chief MD, Myeongdong
Cheol-su Yoon
I want to be thinking about how the patient feels right up to the last moment of the procedure.
Chief MD, Hongdae
Jae-wook Kim
I will give my best with the attentiveness to catch even the smallest change.
Listed branch medical team — not a medical-review byline for this article.
Frequently asked questions
What is salivary gland toxin?
It is an injection of botulinum toxin into a salivary gland, usually the parotid in front of and below the ear. Clinics list it as a lower face contouring menu. The only labelled salivary gland use among the records cited here is chronic sialorrhea — persistent drooling — held by XEOMIN from 2 years of age and by MYOBLOC in adults, both in the United States.
Parotid, submandibular — which gland does a menu like this mean?
Usually the parotid, but you should ask rather than assume. The parotid is the largest salivary gland and lies over the back edge of the jaw, so its volume shows in the lower face; the submandibular gland sits beneath the jaw line. The labelled drooling regimens treat both glands on both sides with different amounts for each, so which gland and how many sides are separate questions from the total dose.
Is it the gland that shrinks, or a muscle?
The gland. Botulinum toxin blocks acetylcholine release at cholinergic nerve endings, including those that drive salivary secretion, which is why the approved use is drooling. No muscle is being relaxed and no fat or bone is removed, so a treated area changes because the gland is producing and holding less.
Approved for drooling and sold for face slimming — is that the same treatment?
No. The injection site overlaps; the purpose, the population and the dose do not. The approved use treats chronic sialorrhea in people with conditions such as Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or cerebral palsy, using regimens written for that problem. Lower face contouring appears on no label cited here and rests on one small randomised trial with 27 completers over 3 months. Treating the drooling approval as evidence for a cosmetic result confuses two different claims.
Salivary gland toxin or masseter toxin — which one suits a wide lower face?
They act on different tissue and this page cannot rank them. The masseter is a chewing muscle; the parotid is a secretory gland. A key asymmetry is regulatory: masseter injection holds a registered cosmetic indication in some markets, whereas salivary gland injection holds none anywhere cited here, and the Korean XEOMIN label carries an explicit warning about this site. Which tissue is making a lower face look wide is a judgement that needs an in-person assessment, and no source here compares the two head to head.
Does it matter which country I have it in?
It decides which label applies to the vial in front of you. In the United States, XEOMIN and MYOBLOC hold a chronic sialorrhea indication and BOTOX does not. In Korea, neither the XEOMIN record nor the BOTOX record contains any salivary indication, and the XEOMIN record additionally warns about this injection site. Ask the treating clinic for the current label of the product they intend to use.
Does the injection hurt, and is there downtime?
It is a needle placed into glandular tissue, so expect brief injection pain and the possibility of bruising or tenderness at the puncture points. The sources cited on this page are drug labels and two small studies; none of them publishes a pain scale or a recovery timetable, so no figure can be quoted here. Ask the treating clinic what to expect on the day and what to avoid afterwards.
When would anything be visible, and how long would it last?
No reliable onset or duration figure exists in these sources. The randomised cosmetic trial followed 27 completers for 3 months; the uncontrolled parotid hypertrophy series followed 33 participants for 6 months. Neither was designed to establish how quickly a change appears or how long it persists, so a confident month count quoted to you is not coming from this evidence base.
How often can it be repeated?
The only repeat intervals on any label cited here belong to the drooling indication: the XEOMIN label says no more often than every 16 weeks and the MYOBLOC label no more often than every 12 weeks, both at treatment doses in patients with chronic sialorrhea. No repeat schedule for a cosmetic aim exists in these sources, so any interval you are offered is a clinical decision that should be explained rather than a labelled one.
Who should not have this injection?
Botulinum toxin is contraindicated in people with known hypersensitivity to any botulinum toxin preparation or to the formulation components, and where there is infection at the proposed injection site. The labelling carries a boxed warning about distant spread of toxin effect and calls for caution in neuromuscular disorders such as myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and in people with existing swallowing or breathing difficulty — which deserves extra weight at this site, because the Korean XEOMIN label reports serious adverse events including fatal outcomes when botulinum toxin was injected into salivary glands and states that safety and effectiveness there are not established. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, current medicines and prior toxin injections must be disclosed.
Will my mouth go dry, and does that matter?
Reduced saliva is the intended mechanism, so it is the expected direction rather than a surprise. In the placebo-controlled trials in the MYOBLOC label, run at drooling-treatment doses in adults with chronic sialorrhea, dry mouth occurred in 36% and 39% of treated groups against 7% on placebo, dysphagia in 9% and 4% against 3%, and dental caries in 7% and 5% against 3%. Those numbers belong to that population and dose and are not a forecast for a cosmetic injection. Why it matters: saliva buffers the teeth and supports swallowing, taste and speech, so dental care and any swallowing change belong in the plan from the start.
Is a salivary gland injection FDA-approved for face slimming?
No. The FDA-approved salivary gland use is chronic sialorrhea: XEOMIN from 2 years of age, MYOBLOC in adults. The therapeutic BOTOX label has no sialorrhea indication at all. No label cited here mentions facial contour, and in Korea neither XEOMIN nor BOTOX holds any salivary gland indication, so a claim of approval for this menu needs to be pinned to a specific product, country and indication before it means anything.
How should I compare quotes between clinics?
Line up what each quote contains before comparing amounts: the product name, the dose in that product’s own units, which glands are treated, one side or both, whether ultrasound guidance is included, whether a review visit is included, and whether it is a single session or a package. Units are not convertible between products — the same clinical purpose is 100 units with XEOMIN and 1,500 to 3,500 units with MYOBLOC — so two quotes built on different products are not measuring the same dose even when the numbers look close.
Who is this for, and can I have it during a short trip?
The population with an approved indication is people with chronic drooling from conditions such as Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or cerebral palsy — a treatment population, not a cosmetic one. For a contouring aim there is no approved population in these records, so suitability is an in-person clinical judgement that has to include the Korean label warning about this site. On a short trip, give your departure date and agree in advance who reviews you if dry mouth, swallowing difficulty or a change in speech appears after you fly home.
How Abijou works
We started in Gangnam in 2006 and the network now runs 17 branches across Korea. The line we work to is skin transformation woven into everyday life — care you can keep up with, rather than one dramatic change.
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