How many units of Botox does it usually take to get rid of "smoker's" lines on the upper lip?

I prefer the use of dermal fillers, such as Belotero
or Restylane Silkfor smoker lines as these are superficial fillers.
I would
recommendErbium type laser resurfacing for deeper lines.
This should be donein the hands of a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon or
Dermatologistwith expertise
in this area.#drrodrohrich#fillers#plasticsurgery

I suggest you visit a board certified physician as Botox is not the best solution for smoker's lines on the upper lip. 

Botox is my least favorite treatment for lip lines. I suggest a combination of lasers and fillers to this area.  Best, Dr. Emer.

I have been treating smoker's lines (aka lipstick bleeding lines) for over two decades. Tiny droplets of Botox (usually about 3-4 units) are all that are required to soften muscular overactivity (not freeze) of the perioral muscle in large measure is involved in their formation and perpetuation. Over or inappropriate treatment can result in problems with drinking, eating, speaking and playing wind instruments. I have also found the addition of a small amounts of a filler, such as Belotero Balance (which has little to no tendency to give rise to the unwanted, bluish Tyndall Effect, when injected superficially into the tissue around the mouth). As a rule, combining Botox with filler leads to a more prolonged effect than that which may be achieved with either injectable alone. If required a series of superficial peels with high concentration glycolic acid or Jessner's solution may be useful for improving the overall tone and texture of the skin.The above techniques are advanced injection techniques that are best left to the hands of a board certified aesthetic physician with experience and expertise in treating this functionally important area. 

Thank you for your question.  The puckering of the upper lip that contributes to the vertical smokers lines can often be treated with small amounts of botox, normally in the 4-6 unit range for the entirety of the upper lip.  Any wrinkles that remain afterwards would best be treated with fillers to camouflage their appearance.  Hope that this helps.

It really depends on how severe they are, but generally starting with 4-6 units is a good range. You can always add a bit more if you don't have the desired effect in 2 weeks. Best of luck!

Hello Christine,Usually only 3-4 units of Botox is needed in the upper lip to improve these.  Botox in this area has to be performed very cautiously because too much can cause issues with normal muscle function leading to difficulty with puckering your lips and even eating and drinking with ease.  If you haven't considered it, there are fillers that are available as well that can be injected very superficially to diminish the appearance of these fine lines and can be just as effective.Best of Luck!Dr. Rednam

Not everyone needs the same amount of Botox to treat and particular area, so the doses vary according to individual.  I would say that in some patients, 5 units of Botox (and sometimes less) can help with upper lip "smoker's" lines.

Wrinkles on the upper lip are best treated with fillers or laser resurfacing. If there is significant volume loss I would select a filler as laser resurfacing does not make up for this as effectively. Botox by itself can be used only for very early fine wrinkles in very small doses so as not to affect your speech and ability to pucker or close the mouth when drinking or eating. However, Botox can be used as an adjunct, i.e. in a supporting role to extend the result from a filler.  Please consult with a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist or dermatologic surgeon, or esthetic plastic surgeon to determine what's best for you and avoid problems. Renuka Diwan,MD

Hello and thank you for your question. I would see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon for additional recommendations as Botox/Dysport will not help these lines. Best of luck.Benjamin J. Cousins MDBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon