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Botox: Forehead or Glabellar?

asked 11 months ago by makeitadouble in Scottsdale, AZ
Latest answer by Ronald Shelton, MD
Question viewed 1,905 times
Tags: forehead, female, comparison, glabellar lines

I've been getting 28 total units for forehead lines and crow's feet (no glabellar). I don't have a big problem with the glabellar area, but to save money, will I get a similar effect by having the glabellar injected and not the forehead?

28 answers to Botox: Forehead or Glabellar?

+2

How Many Units of Botox do I Need?

Hi makeitadouble. The glabella is almost universally 20 units unless you are male or have extremely strong facial musculature in this area. The crow's feet varies a bit more depending on the patient, but we are usually injecting between 15- 25 units in this area. So, based on what you are currently having injected, we would provide a heavier dose for you for the areas you have interest in. There are two other points we would like to address. The first is... more
Harold J. Kaplan, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.celibre.com

+1

Don't go too cheap on the Botox or none of the areas will look good!

Crows feet take 20-30 units alone. You won't have any left over for the forehead or glabella. If you try to put fewer units into each area then you often don't see any response or minimal response. It is not the docs fault it didn't work then. Foreheads take 20 units for women and 30 units for men since men have bigger forehead as an average. Good luck, David Hansen,MD
David Hansen, MD

Beverly Hills Dermatologic Surgeon

www.DrDavidHansen.com

+2

Botox for upper face

No you will NOT save money. Injecting forehead alone requires less units. If the question was the other way around...you do save money by injecting the glabella if you are wanting glabella AND forehead, but not vice versa. Frequently, people want both. I usually inject glabella, which naturally gets some forehead, then have the patient come back in a week for touch up of the forehead (to save money).
Tracy Kuykendall, MD

Tulsa Dermatologist
+2

Save money, but don't skimp on your results

A common misconception about Botox is that a patient can spread units around - keeping overall units used low (and costs lower), yet still treating several areas of the face. If you try this, you will only waste the money you are trying to save. If you are trying to save money, my advice would be to choose the single area of your face that bothers you the most (i.e. crows feet, forehead lines etc) and treat that area, but treat with enough units where you will actually achieve... more
Sam Naficy, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Understand Botox: the treatment areas are not interchangeable to save money

The muscles of the glabella pull the brows together and downward. The frontalis muscle under the forehead lifts the brows. Putting Botox (or Dysport) in these muscles can actually do opposite things. The traditional amount of Botox for the glabella is close to 20 units. Placing Botox here, and in other areas like the lateral orbital rims (crow's feet) can help elevate the brow so that less is needed for the frontalis muscle. However, it is unlikely you will save money trying to avoid... more
Jessica J. Krant, MD, MPH

Manhattan Dermatologic Surgeon

www.ArtofDermatology.com

+1

Botox effect in glabella is not the same as the forehead

Your photograph shows no lines in the glabella or forehead. Just some smile related crows feet. If you want to maintain the effect of Botox which apparently has made you happy by limiting or erasing the lines on the forehead and crows' feet, then you should stay with that. The glabella and forehead are two dynamically different areas. It actually is VERY unusual that I only treat the forehead without treating the glabella because there can be a droop of the forehead if... more
Ronald Shelton, MD

Manhattan Dermatologist
+1

You can’t really save money injecting one and not the other

In terms of injecting the glabella area in the forehead with botox , you can’t really save money injecting one and not the other. It’s a question of whether one needs to be injected over the other to look the best. The glabella area lowers the eye brows while the forehead raises the eye brows. So if you inject one and not the other, you’re going to affect the eye brow position (which may be good or may be bad – depending on what you are trying... more
Joseph A. Eviatar, MD

Bronx Oculoplastic Surgeon
+1

Botox for Glabellar and Forehead area

The glabellar area involves different muscles than the forehead so you will not get the same effect by not treating the forehead.
Amiya Prasad, MD

New York Oculoplastic Surgeon
+1

Treat each area well

You might be able to save a little, but not much. The glabella area generally needs about 20 units to be adequately treated. If you do not have much to do there, you might be able to use 15 units. That would still take you up to about 25 to 28 units if you include the crows feet. I'm glad you realize you can't spread the units too thinly over too many areas. This would just give incomplete results. In addition, going too light on the dose seems to give even shorter... more
Christopher J. Peers, MD

South Bend Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.peerscosmetic.com

+1

Switching Treatment Areas to Save Money on Botox

Botox is a drug that is placed into the particular muscle to stop that muscle from moving Treat the area that you are having an issue with. Cheap usually winds up being expensive as you won't get the result that you want.
Jeffrey Roth, MD

Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox for the glabella, forehead, crowsfeet

Botox for the glabella help prevent the vertical lines between the eyes. Within the forehead, botox prevents the horizontal lines from occurring. Botox in the crows feet, prevents these lines here. Typically, the glabella takes 12-20 units, the forehead 8-20 units, and the crow’s feet 12- 20 or more units. I like doing 20 units in the glabella, forehead and crows feet each for a total of 60 units. One thing occurs is when you treat the glabella and crows feet, you are able to raise the... more
Philip Young, MD

Bellevue Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Areas of Botox Injection on the Face, Glabella Versus Forehead

In general, to achieve a harmonious and balanced result in the forehead, most patients need a little Botox in the glabella and forehead. You will probably not get the same results if you inject the glabella and not the forehead, especially if you have had forehead Botox injections in the past. As a way to save money, you can request fewer units. Another option would be to get your normal 28 units, but then spread some units in the forehead AND the glabella... more
Roy Kim, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon
+1

Forehead Botox

Botox is injected in certain anatomic areas to achieve the desired result.Areas cannot be interchanged, if you .want a certain effect If you were happy with prior results, I would strongly advise against changing the areas just to save money!
Khaled El-Hoshy, MD

Detroit Dermatologic Surgeon

www.elhoshy.com

+1

Botox Cosmetic Treatments in the forehead or glabellar

The musculature of the glabella and forehead are different, meaning where the Botox Cosmetic is injected is where it will work. You can decide with your injector which area is going to give you the maximum result. Because of the budget constraints, we would determine what area is bothering you the most and then treat that particular area. Visit our website for more information about Botox Cosmetic.
Paul Vitenas, Jr., MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox for Forehaed and Glabella.

The muscles and lines/wrinkles are all different in the Glabella, Crow's Feet and across the Forehead. Why spend the money on Botox to the Glabella if you are not bothered by the lines in that area. I did notice, from your photos, that your eyebrows are low....
Francis R. Palmer, III, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Glabella vs forehead injection with botox

You are talking about two different muscle sets. Glabella injections paralyze the depressors and forehead injections treat the lifter that creates horizontal lines. Twenty eight units is not enough for both.
David A. Bray, Sr., MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox

Agree with the others. Why change anything. But injected the glabellar area and not the rest will likely leave you dissatisifed
Michael Hueneke, MD

Nashville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Optimizing Botox Treatments

Twenty-eight units of Botox for the forehead and crow's feet is actually a fairly low dose for treating both of those areas. So if it's working well and you have been satisfied with the results, why change anything? Treating the glabellar area instead will not save you money as at least the same number of units would have to be injected. So why treat an area that you think does not need treatment. Many of my patients do not have lines in the glabellar area so we only treat the forehead. more
Mitchell Schwartz, MD

South Burlington Dermatologic Surgeon

dorsetstreetdermatology.com

+1

Best Botox Treatment of Forehead and Glabella

Hi Make it a Double, The injection of Botox is an art that should be individualized to each patient depending on their anatomy, the mass of their muscles, and their concerns. From your photo, you look beautiful (despite your love of imbidation) doing what you are doing. By treating your forehead only, your eye brows are probably a little lower than they would be if you also treated your glabella. Glabella treatment is mainly used for the vertical... more
Michael A. Persky, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox-- Glabella or Forehead

Botox is usually a home-run in the area of the glabella (frown lines) and also in the crow's feet region. In general, more of the patients I see are interested in these two areas as compared to forehead. That said, Botox treatments need to be customized to each individual. If you are happy with the results of your current treatment pattern and you do not see much in the way of frown lines, then continuing with what has been working for you is probably... more
Mark J. Lucarelli, MD

Madison Oculoplastic Surgeon

www.UWHealth.org

+1

The results of injection of Botox for forehead or glabella depend on the distribution of the product to affected muscles

The results of injection of Botox for forehead or glabella depend on the distribution of the product to the muscles of facial expression. Injections must be individualized to obtain optimal results.
Edward Lack, MD

Chicago Dermatologist
+1

Are 28 total units of Botox SUFFICIENT for my forehead lines and crow's feet?

One aspect most ethical Plastic surgeons and Dermatologists can agree on that it is not worth skimping on how much Botox you should have. However - it seems that you are not even sure WHERE the Botox should be placed. Personally, I think Botox injections to the forehead are greatly overused and result in the shiny, frozen "what happened to you?" look we commonly see on TV. An individualized approach where the specific wrinkles affecting you are addressed will result in a... more
Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Based on your photo, well-performed Botox injections to your glabella and crow's feet will be youthening.

I read your concern and reviewed the photo of your eyes and forehead. You do not appear to have significant wrinkling of your forehead skin. Botox injections above your brows may provide a gentle lift to your brows that may look attractive. Your crow's feet should soften as well. You may require between 37.5 and 50 units of Botox to achieve crow's feet reduction and brow-lifting. I hope this is helpful for you. Regards from NJ. see video
Eric M. Joseph, MD

West Orange Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Glabella vs forehead botox

Very commonly patients need both the forehead and glabella region treated to get the best result, but an in office exam woudl be key to assess this.
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox injection placement depends on the pattern of wrinkles

If your glabellar area does not have dynamic wrinkles, you don't need injections there. Part of the idea of injecting dynamic wrinkles (those formed when the muscles of facial expression are animated and go away when the face is relaxed) is to prevent the formation of static wrinkles (those present all the time). If you have horizontal forehead wrinkles and not the glabellar 11's, what you need are forehead injections. Injecting the glabella will not improve the... more
Emily Altman, MD

Short Hills Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Botox injections for forehead or glabellar region only to save money!

If I understand your question properly you are wondering if you can do just the glabellar muscle instead of the other portion of the forehead to cut down on the amount of units you are currently using. You will not have the same results just doing the glabellar area vs. the entire forehead especially if you currently do not have lines in the glabellar region. If you are currently happy with your results then your injector is doing a good job dividing the 28 units to the forehead and crows... more
Michael Elam, MD

Orange County Facial Plastic Surgeon

michaelelammd.com

+1

Average Botox Units for Glabella

To treat the glabella, most women will need at least 18-24 units and men often need more. This dosage varies according to your muscle mass in the glabella and severity of the wrinkles. Treating the glabella alone will not produce the same results as treating the forehead alone, as different muscle groups are treated in each case. If you are on a budget, treat the one area that concerns you the most in order for you to experience the best results possible. Wishing you all the best! more
Jennifer Peterson, MD

Houston Dermatologist
+1

The forehead should not be treated.

Asked Forehead treatment flattens the eyebrows. 30 units properly placed is more than enough to create a forehead lift and treat the crows feet area. Look on my website to learn about microdroplet botox. This service places microdroplets of BOTOX along the eyebrow to create a forehead lift effect. I am in the process of developing a training program for other doctors to learn how to perform this method. I believe that it is an excellent alternative to... more
Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD

Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

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