Botox cost varies according to how much you need and geographic area

Botox costs vary between regions and doctors.  In New York City, where I practice, it is usually about $22 per unit, although it can be lower or higher.   

In order to compare prices, you need to know how many units the doctor is going to use to treat you.  So, at $22 per unit, if you need 25 units to treat forehead creases, the cost would be $550.  If you need 20 units, it would be $500. 

Some doctors charge by the number of areas treated.  This makes Botox cost comparisons difficult because you do not know how many units you are receiving.  However, I do not recommend using price alone to determine from whom you will receive your treatment. 

A physician who charges less may not do the procedure herself; likewise, the doctor may not be an expert in Botox administration like plastic surgeons and dermatologists are.  If the price is very low for your geographic area, beware.  Look for doctors who will customize your treatment and use only as much Botox as is necessary to achieve a good result. 

When considering cost, keep in mind that if you receive regular Botox treatments, you eventually will need 3-4 treatments per year to keep up your refreshed appearance.  Some patients require less Botox as time goes on and thereby the costs are slightly less from year to year.

Offices charge for Botox in two ways - either by "area" or by "unit."

It is my feeling that charging by "area" leads to fraud since the office can dilute the Botox by whatever ratio they want and the patient never actually knows how much Botox they have received.

There is also the possibility of cross-contamination between patients since the office is using the vial over and over again for several patients. The alternative way of charging for Botox is by the "unit."

Allergan just started supplying 50 Unit vials of Botox. In my practice, this is the average amount of Botox for a typical patient. 50 Units will cover the crow's feet (2.5 units each), the glabella (25 units) and the forehead (20 units). This amount of Botox allows for significant reduction in wrinkles but allows you to maintain facial animation.

The charge per unit varies around the country from anywhere between $9 and $18+ per unit. In my practice, I charge a flat fee of $10/unit in 50 unit increments.

The second vial is only needed if you are having your neck treated for bands or your scalp treated for headaches.

It is my policy to open up the new vial of Botox right in front of the patient so they can be assured that they are getting fresh product and getting what they are paying for.

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Although each individual treatment is usually affordable, Botox is an expensive treatment over a long period of time. In order to understand how much the product will cost, you need to know some information.

• Botox comes in large bottles filled with a near invisible powder. Each bottle has 100 Units in it. In order to use the product on a patient, the material must be diluted in saline and then injected. There is no regulation on the amount of dilution. The standard dilution of the the bottle is with 4cc or 2.5 cc of saline. The preference between the two dilutions depends on many factors that do not influence your result.

• Most patients will receive 30-40 Units total of Botox for a complete upper facial treatment. Most doctors try to schedule treatments close together so the bottle can be used for several patients before it expires.

• The wholesale product itself, when purchased from a reputable vendor is quite expensive.

• I find that new Botox users have no idea what Units and number of injections really means, so I quote prices by region. However, pricing by facial region should only be used as a pre-treatment guideline. Actual price in my practice varies from patient to patient, depending on the actual number of units being used.

As with other things in life, you typically get what you pay for, so it is likely that bargain Botox is either imported Botox, not really Botox, or highly diluted Botox. Every doctor and geographic region has different pricing, so you should call or go to more than one consultation to find out a price range before your first time.

Pricing may also be lower if physicians use an assistant (that is often not a doctor) to provide injections. You should decide for yourself if you are comfortable with this before going to the office.

Finally, treating the whole upper face in your 20s seems a little excessive. Perhaps you should consider other baseline skin care options and treatments before deciding you will need Botox for the next 50 years.

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Botox is unmatched in its effectiveness in addressing forehead lines and crow's feet wrinkles. The treatment is effective for four months, at which time muscle activity returns to normal and wrinkles return. There have been no reported problems with long term use of Botox.

In our practice, we charge $500 for the first 10 units of Botox, and $10 per unit after that. When treating the forehead lines and frown lines, we use an average of 30 units, which translates to $700.

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Botox can cost on average as much as $350-1500 per treatment depending upon the areas injected and how much the health care provider charges.

Areas include the crow’s feet, glabella (area between the brows that causes furrows), and forehead, and the doctor injects each area with the number of units that he or she thinks is necessary to locally paralyze the muscles at that particular spot.

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Hi!  At RealSelf, we answer a lot of questions about poor Botox results.   So don't pick a doctor based on price.  Go to a board certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist.  Check out the Allergan website for referrals.

I typically use 75 units of Botox for the 3 areas you describe, which is a little more than many doctors use.  But I think more Botox leads to longer lasting results, and so you need fewer treatments.  The long term costs may be lower.

A poor result can take 4 months to go away.  So quality is everything.

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The cost of Botox varies based on three things:

1) The amount you receive. 

The doctor will evaluate the lines you want  addressed in the context of your face and how your face moves.  You and the doctor will decide which areas you want to treat.  Some people have visibly stronger muscles than others and will require higher amounts of Botox.  People with deeper lines may require more Botox than someone with fewer and lighter lines.

2) If the charge is by area or by unit. 

Some doctors charge by area treated.  This means that if you treat your crow's feet that is one area.  The area between your eyebrows would be a second area.  The forehead is a third area.  Other doctors charge by unit given, which is what I do.  That way you are only paying for exactly what you receive.

3) Where you live.

The cost of Botox is higher in major metropolitan areas like New York and Los Angeles.

The cost can range anywhere from $300 to $1000 depending on these factors. 

Be sure to always receive your treatments from a board certified Dermatologist or Plastic Surgeon.  It's not a good idea to receive these treatments at a "Botox party" in someone's home.  And if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true, so do a little more research.

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Before considering cost, consider the credentials and experience of the person who is going to perform the injection.  How BOTOX Cosmetic is injected is critical to obtaining a result with which you will be satisfied.

That being said, prices vary widely.  In general, prices may range from $10 per unit to $30 per unit.   The price varies based upon the area in which you live, the amount of BOTOX Cosmetic purchased at one time, and the type of physician who is injecting it.  If your physician charges by the "area," be sure to ask how many units you are receiving for a given price.  This will allow you to know how much your physician is charging compared to another physician.  The number of units required depends on the size of the muscles, the desired clinical effect, and the number of areas injected.

In general, plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons, oculoplastic surgeons, or dermatologists will charge more than other physicians.  This is because their training provides expertise in this area of medicine. 

Be sure to inquire about anesthesia and "touch ups."  Most physicians will not charge for minor "touch ups" performed within 2-4 weeks of the injection. 

Lastly, be sure to communicate your goals to your physician.  Only by understanding your goals can your physician meet and exceed your expectations.

How does a patient know that they are receiving the number of units that is quoted by the physician. More importantly, Botox that was mixed several hours ago or several days ago may not be as potent as Botox that was diluted several minutes ago.

My goal is to give the patient the most effective, long-lasting result. Although the unit cost to the physician is high, The best results make for the happiest patients. I usually charge by the region injected. Some patients may pay more or less, but they are all happy. Charges range from$300 to $875.

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Hello Bridget,

Lots of great information and excellent answers here for your question!

I would also recommend speaking with your Physician about "buying" a vial of Botox.  Many of my Patients will do this - they will get get together with two or three other Patients and will schedule for the same day to get their injections. This helps me because I know that my costs for the Botox and my services will be covered that day and it helps the Patients because they know they will be getting fresh Botox that is not overly diluted. As a result I can offer competitive prices and ensure excellent results.

I am also of the school of thought to charge by the area not by the unit and offer free touchups as needed within 4 weeks of the initial injections. We document how many units were used for each Patient in each respective area to help ensure consistent results at each treatment.

fresh botox = fair pricing = excellent results = returning patients = everyone is happy!

Dr. Jafri

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