Does Botox concentration vary from doctor to doctor?

Botox cosmetic is one of the most common cosmetic procedures performed in the United States.  At this time, the only FDA approved form of Botulinum toxin is manufactured by Allergan.  The standard vial contains one hundred units of Botox Type A in an undiluted form (powder form) prefilled in a vial... more

A doctor can vary the concentration, the amount and the location that Botox can be injected.  All of these factors should be something that an experienced Botox administrator should be able to explain.  In addition they should have rationale behind why they have injected in a particular location,... more

Physicians reconstitute Botox with different amounts of saline solution, which means that the number of units of Botox you receive per cc of the solution that is injected may vary from practice to practice. For this reason it is important for consumers to understand how many units of Botox are being... more

A fresh Botox bottle has 100 units of Botox and is diluted with 5 cc or 6 cc of solution. When it is diluted to 5 cc for example, each cc (ml) contains 20 units. So 5 cc of diluted Botox contains 100 units of Botox. So, if you see the doctor mix the Botox, ask the amount of dilutent (the number of cc's so you... more

Although there is a recommended dilution, many qualified physicians use slightly different dilutions. The key is getting what you pay for and that is based on the actual units that are injected. Some doctors inject based on volume, however in those cases it is not clear to the consumer how much botox they are... more

Elaine, Offices charge for Botox in two ways - either by "area" or by "unit." It is my feeling that charging by "area" is disingenuous 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... more

Elaine, I agree with the posted answers that affirm that the skill and judgment of the treating physician (or injectionist ) is the most important  factor, not necessarily how the Botox® is mixed or diluted.  What are most important to you are safe and successful outcomes.  Within the... more

This is a very common question about Botox. Botox does come in a powder form. In order to inject Botox you must first reconstitute it into a liquid form. A sterile isotonic saline solution is used. This is where patients may become confused because it is within the proper guidelines to reconstitute the... more

The short answer is YES the concentration will vary from doctor to doctor depending on how much saline is added.  Botox is shipped in a vial with 100 units and it must be reconstituted with saline.  Allergan recommends using 2.5 cc saline to reconstitute the Botox.  This is the concentration... more

Botox concentrations can vary by the different treating physicians.  Some dilute it more but will usually inject more. I personally like to keep it fairly concentrated so I can inject  a lower volume and keep it in a focused area so that it doesn't spread out.