How Much Botox Do I Need?

One of the most common questions we get is "How much Botox do I need?" Before answering the question, it is important to understand how a Botox treatment works. The amount of Botox used goes by units, and that is the most important thing to know. The volume of product in milliliters is not important because it can be prepared in different ways. The second point is to understand that everyone's skin is different, so it is important to have a constulation with an experienced injector who can give you an accurate estimate of what you need. The amount of Botox needed depends on your goals, the area treated, your skin, your age, and your gender. Some people prefer their skin to be completely relaxed and others prefer slight softening of the lines with significant expression. Botox relaxes muscles so the amount used has to do with the size and bulk of the individual muscles. Older people have used their muscles for longer and often times have stronger muscles, requiring higher dosing. Also, in general men have stronger muscles than women and require higher dosing. The most common areas of treatment with Botox are the forehead (10 - 20 units), the frown lines (20 - 40 units), and the crow's feet (6 - 16 units). Dosing in the lower face is usually lower. Bunny lines are treated with 2 - 4 units per side as is the gummy smile. Lips are treated with 2 - 4 units as are the corners of the mouth. The dimpled appearance on the chin can be treated with 2- 6 units. The masseter muscle is used for biting, it is a large muscle and can give a square shape to the lower face; dosing here is 12 - 24 units per side. Neck bands are treated with 6 - 12 units per band. Contact us for a free consultation with Dr. Alex.