How Many Units Of Botox For Forehead? - Healthline

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Proper Dosage for Botox Treatment on the Forehead, Eyes, and Glabella

Medically reviewed by Catherine Hannan, M.D. — Written by Ana Gotter — Updated on December 21, 2023

What is it?
Units
Cost
Approved injection sites
Duration of effects
Precaution
Find a specialist
Summary

Botox injections can help reduce forehead wrinkles at a cost of about 10-15$ per unit. Depending on the exact treatment, you may need up to 40 units. Make sure to research and choose a qualified practitioner.

Read on to learn more about botox injections on the forehead, how much it may cost, and what to consider.

5 Important Things to Know About Botox

1. What is Botox?

Botox Cosmetic is an injectable cosmetic treatment used to reduce fine lines and wrinkles on the face.

2. How is Botox used on the face?

Botox Cosmetic is FDA-approved for use on horizontal forehead lines, “11” lines between the eyes, and crow’s feet around the eyes.

3. How many units of Botox are allowed on the forehead?

For horizontal forehead lines, practitioners can inject up to 15–30 units of Botox.
For “11” lines between the eyes (or glabellar lines), up to 40 units are indicated, with higher doses needed in male patients.

4. What other sites are safe for Botox injections?

Currently, lateral canthal lines (crow’s feet) are the only other FDA-approved site for Botox Cosmetic injections. Doses for the lateral eyes/crow’s feet are anywhere from 6 to 10 units per side.

5. How much does Botox treatment cost?

Per area of treatment, Botox Cosmetic can cost roughly $325 to $600.
Costs are determined per unit and may vary based on practitioner or geographic location.

Botox injections for the forehead

Botox Cosmetic is an injectable cosmetic treatment used to relax and smooth the appearance of wrinkles on the face.

It paralyzes the muscles in your face temporarily through its active ingredient, botulinum toxin type A. Botox can be injected into the forehead between your eyes.

Botox injections for the forehead are treatments to smooth horizontal lines and vertical wrinkles between the eyes. The injections work to relax the muscles that cause these wrinkles to form.

Some people may choose to receive Botox injections in their foreheads to minimize the appearance of vertical frown lines and horizontal forehead wrinkles.

Even though the FDA recently approved the use of Botox in the forehead, highly qualified practitioners are still cautious.

That’s because, while Botox can be effective at smoothing wrinkles, it can cause too much muscle relaxation, resulting in drooping eyelids or uneven eyebrows.

The injection dosage must be carefully monitored.

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How much Botox is permissible on the forehead?

Botox comes in dosages between 50 and 100 units per vial.

Some practitioners say they inject an average of 10 to 30 units into the forehead. Allergan, the manufacturer of Botox Cosmetic, suggests a dosage of 4 units each in five sites on the forehead, totaling 20 units.

Your practitioner may start out with a low-unit dosage in each injection at first. They’ll give you a few weeks, usually 1 to 2, to see how that dose works for you. You may then receive a few additional units.

From there, your practitioner will have an idea of how many units you need at later visits.

Generally, Botox injections are spaced approximately 3 to 4 months apart. When you first begin receiving injections, treatment results may not last as long. You may find that you need to return to your practitioner 2 to 3 months after the first treatment.

How much will it cost?

Botox is priced per unit. On average, each unit costs about $10 to $15. If you receive up to 20 units in your forehead, you could be looking at a total of about $200 to $300 for treatment of horizontal forehead lines.

Forehead injections are often paired with injections for glabellar lines (lines between the eyebrows, which can also be treated with up to 40 units). Your treatment could cost as much as $800 for these two areas.

Where on the forehead is Botox allowed?

The FDA has only approved certain sites on the forehead for Botox injections. These include horizontal lines across your forehead, as well as the glabella (the “11s” between your eyes).

Even though they’re approved, treatments still require caution. Using too much Botox in the forehead can cause side effects.

Botox Cosmetic injections are FDA approved only for forehead lines, glabellar lines, and lateral canthal lines around the eyes (“crow’s feet”). Injections for lateral canthal lines may total up to 20 units.

How long do effects last?

In general, Botox injections are meant to last about 4 months.

However, the effects of your first treatment could wear off sooner. If that’s the case, you’ll need a follow-up treatment sooner after your first appointment. After that, you should be able to expect your treatments to begin lasting longer.

You may not see results immediately after your treatment. Some practitioners suggest that you should allow up to 14 days to see the effects of your injections before scheduling a follow-up appointment.

Where not to get Botox

If you receive too many units of Botox, it can cause heaviness or drooping in the affected areas. Because the toxin used in Botox causes muscle paralysis, you won’t be able to move those muscles for a few months — until the drug wears off.

Receiving too much Botox, in the right or wrong places, can also make your face look “frozen” and expressionless.

If your practitioner misses the appropriate muscles with the injections, that can cause you to have to repeat treatments because the Botox won’t have the desired result.

How to find the right specialist

When it comes to finding the right practitioner to administer your Botox injections, you’ll want to make sure you choose a board certified physician. Dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and otolaryngologists are your safest bet.

Registered nurses, physician’s assistants, and other professionals may also be trained and certified to administer Botox.

Thoroughly research each person’s qualifications before you choose. If your practitioner isn’t a physician, you would still be safest to choose someone who operates out of a doctor’s office.

Takeaway

Botox Cosmetic injections for the forehead have been FDA approved as a safe, effective treatment for smoothing lines and wrinkles.

Choose a practitioner who’s highly qualified and skilled at administering Botox injections and carefully research them before you schedule an appointment. Results should last around 4 months between treatments.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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Botox in men. (2007).https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18093014/
Botulinum toxin (Botox) A for reducing the appearance of facial wrinkles: A literature review of clinical use and pharmacological aspect. DOI:https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S202919
Flynn TC. (2007). Botox in men. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8019.2007.00156.x
Le LC. (2017). Botulinum toxin: An important complement for facial rejuvenation surgery.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28935476/
Nigam PK, et al. (2010). Botulinum toxin. DOI:https://dx.doi.org/10.4103%2F0019-5154.60343
Yamauchi PS. (2010). Selection and preference for botulinum toxins in the management of photoaging and facial lines: Patient and physician considerations. DOI:https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S6494

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Medically reviewed by Catherine Hannan, M.D. — Written by Ana Gotter — Updated on December 21, 2023

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