A frequently asked question about Botox is “how many units will I need?” Botox Cosmetic is administered and priced by the unit, so new Botox users often want to know how many units they’ll need before they come in for an appointment.
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to tell someone exactly how many units of Botox they’ll need before seeing them in person, examining their skin, and learning about their aesthetic goals. However, we can tell patients the average number of Botox units people get per treatment area to give them a rough estimate of the number of units people usually get.
Below, we’ll break down these average Botox unit figures by facial part to help you understand how many units are usually used to treat each part of the face. Then, we’ll also talk a bit about the factors that can sway these averages, such as muscle strength, metabolism, and treatment goals.
Average Botox Units By Facial Part
Everyone’s face is different, as are their aesthetic goals. So, the amount of Botox injections someone may need or want can vary greatly from person to person. But if you’d like to get a baseline understanding of how much Botox other people get to treat certain areas, you can look at some average numbers. Below is a list of the average number of Botox units given to treat different parts of the face.
- Bunny Lines (Lines on the Nose): 5 to 10 Units
- Chin: 4 to 8 Units
- Crow’s Feet: 5 to 15 Units Per Side
- Brow Lift: 5 to 10 Units
- Forehead Lines: 10 to 20 Units
- Glabellar Lines (Also Known as “Frown Lines” or “11 Lines”): 20 to 30 Units
- Masseters (Jaw and Cheekbone Muscles): 25 to 50 Units Per Side
- Neck Bands: 25 to 50 Units
- Smile Lift (Corners of the Mouth): 4 to 6 Units
Botox Units and You: Factors That Affect Averages
Muscle Strength
One thing that affects how much Botox someone will need is the strength of their muscles. Our muscles vary in strength in general. For example, the forehead muscles are stronger muscles that require more units for everyone. But then, the personal strength of your muscles can also affect how much Botox you’ll need. If your muscles are stronger than average, you’ll need more Botox than average. Note that men tend to have much stronger facial muscles than women, so they tend to need more units than women.
Metabolism
Many people don’t realize that their metabolism can affect their Botox treatment. Our metabolism processes the substances we put in our body, including botulinum toxin. People with faster metabolisms tend to need to get Botox treatments more often, since their body breaks Botox down more quickly. And, just like with muscle strength, men tend to have faster metabolisms than women on average. So, many men find that they need to both get more units of Botox and get touched up by their injector more frequently.
Treatment Goals
Your individual goals for your Botox treatment will have a major impact on how many units of Botox you’ll need. If you want to treat more areas of your face, that will require more Botox. Someone who wants to treat crow’s feet, forehead lines, neck bands, and bunny lines will need more units than someone who only wants to treat crow’s feet. Then, if you want more dramatic results vs. more subtle results, that will also require more Botox. Someone who wants to remove every wrinkle from their face and completely stop their muscles from moving will need more Botox than someone who may just want out to gently smooth out a few lines, subtly reduce forehead wrinkles, get a natural looking brow lift, or try preventative Botox.
One person’s Botox treatment goals can be wildly different from another person’s. Because of this, your unique treatment goals have perhaps the biggest impact on how many Botox units you’ll need.
Interested in Trying Botox?
If you’re curious about trying Botox, make a consultation appointment at the Z Center for Cosmetic Health today. At your consultation appointment, Dr. Zadeh will learn about your goals for treatment, examine your skin and facial muscles, and create a customized Botox treatment plan that will help you reach your desired result.
Note that all of the Botox treatments at the Z Center for Cosmetic Health are administered by Dr. Zadeh himself. If you’re interested in seeing some examples of Dr. Zadeh’s work, visit our Before and After Gallery. There, you’ll find examples of the results Dr. Zadeh’s patients have gotten from cosmetic treatments like Botox, dermal fillers (including Juvederm), Ultherapy, Coolsculpting, and more.