Mentalis (Chin Dimpling)

Chin dimpling, clinically referred to as the “peau d’orange” (orange peel) appearance, is a common textural concern caused by the hyperactivity of the Mentalis muscle. This small, paired muscle at the tip of the chin is responsible for raising the lower lip and elevating the chin. When the Mentalis muscle contracts forcefully or constantly—often during speech, pouting, or concentration—it bunches the overlying skin, creating a characteristic pebbled or dimpled surface and sometimes deepening the horizontal crease above the chin.

  • What it is: A textural change in the chin that appears as a dimpled, pebbly, or orange-peel (peau d’orange) surface.

  • How it forms: It is caused by the over-contraction of the Mentalis muscle when pouting, speaking, or attempting to close the lips tightly.

  • Effect: This constant muscle tension can also lead to a recessed or prominent horizontal chin crease just below the lower lip.

The best solution for Mentalis (Chin Dimpling) under the philosophy of Natural Neurotoxin Artistry is highly effective and straightforward: targeted, low-dose neurotoxin injection to relax the overactive muscle.

Targeted Neurotoxin for Chin Dimpling

1. The Principle of Relaxation

Chin dimpling is caused by the hyperactivity of the Mentalis muscle, which pulls on the overlying skin. Natural Neurotoxin Artistry aims to subdue this constant, involuntary contraction to smooth the skin texture without compromising lip function.

Target: The Mentalis muscle is injected directly at a few precise points near the bottom of the chin.

Dosing: A very small, conservative dose of neurotoxin (often just 2–6 units total) is typically sufficient to achieve the desired effect.


2. The Artistic Outcome

The goal is to gently relax the muscle enough to allow the skin to lie flat and smooth, resolving the “orange peel” appearance and the deep horizontal crease.

  • Smoothing: The chin surface becomes smooth and even at rest and during expression.
  • Projection: By relaxing the constant tension, the Mentalis muscle stops pulling the chin backward, which can lead to a subtle, yet significant improvement in the chin’s forward projection and profile, often making the lower face look more balanced.
  • Preserving Function: The low-dose, precise placement ensures the patient can still naturally move their lower lip and chin during speech and eating, maintaining a natural look and feel.

3. Combination for Deep Creases

If the horizontal crease above the chin is extremely deep (a static line), Natural Neurotoxin Artistry may combine the treatment:

  • Neurotoxin First: To stop the muscle from deepening the crease.
  • Dermal Filler Second: A tiny amount of hyaluronic acid filler may be placed into the crease itself to physically lift and smooth the static indentation left behind, ensuring a completely even texture.

Quiet the “orange-peel” texture and chin tension. Gentle relaxation of the mentalis smooths dimpling and refines the lower-face contour for a calm, composed profile.