Botox units - I get a little confused how much units to wear to an area.

Question

I get a little confused how much units to wear to an area. how much units it is a 0,1ml dash. some say 5 units and others say 1 units. how do you figure out the units right and get the right dosage?

Ava T. Shamban, MD · Answer

This is tough question
to answer because everyone has different facial muscle structures and need
different amount of botox depending on the area being treated.  But, to
provide you with an answer, generally speaking, the frown lines need 15-20
units, forehead needs 8-16 units, and the crows feet need 12-20 units.

Richard W. Westreich, MD · Answer

Irrespective of the dilution used, most practitioners agree that botox should deliver 2.5 units per injection site. In my office, we talk about treatment points, not units. Customized botox strategies could involve full or half shots, in order to have different effects. The density of shots per area injected, as well as the underlying bulk of the muscle that is targeted ultimately determines how many units are needed in order to see a clinical effect (wrinkle reduction). I find units to be entirely useless as a point of measuring treatments. I suggest treatment points or # of shots as a better strategy for evaluating 'how much.'

Brian S. Biesman, MD · Answer

I would recommend leaving decisions on correct dosage of neuromodulators such as Botox, dysport or Xeomin to the physician who will be performing your injections.There is no absolute right or wrong answer but deciding how much medication to give requires significant expertise and judgment

Janet Woodyard, MD · Answer

This is a decision the physician makes. Dilution amounts vary between physicians based on their personal preferences. You pay your physician for their expertise, experience and education. Let them make the appropriate decisions for your treatment. Best of luck.

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. The injector typically evaluates the dosage per patient. Therefore, the dosage per patient is individual. The injector will dilute the vial of Botox with saline, allowing for 0.1 ml to equal a varying number of units depending on the ratio.Best,

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

Every patient is built differently. There are so many variables, and each patient evolves over years to need additional areas treated and additional units used to effect the desired result.  The doctor can dilute the Botox differently from another doctor with sterile saline, but the total units delivered per area is the key.  My dilution may be more concentrated than another doctor, but as long as we inject the same number of units of Botox in the same area in the same patient, then the result should be the same. So it's not the volume of the liquid injected, but the units of Botox cosmetic used that's important and can be used to standardize the treatment for the particular patient.The glabella (between the eyebrows) can have 12 - 35 and even up to 50 units (the latter for some stubborn bulging male muscles I have seen in a few patients). So depending on the concentration used, a "dash" of 0.1 cc of Botox could be 10 units, 5 units or less.  0.01 cc is one unit if the Botox is diluted with a vial containing 100 units with 1 cc of sterile saline. If 2 ccs of saline are used to mix the Botox, then 0.02 ccs are needed to deliver one unit of Botox.

Anand G. Shah, MD · Answer

Hello.  It is dependent on the individual reconstitution preference.  For example, 3.3 or 3.4 cc of saline diluent in a 100 unit vial of Botox leads to a ratio of 3 units to .1 cc.

Hratch Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

The way you dilute the 100 unit bottle of Botox determines the final strength.We dilute in 5 cc total, which mens 20 units in 1 cc or 2 units every one tenth (0.1) cc.

Ronald Kolegraff, MD, FACS · Answer

All these answers here are all good.  We recommend you keep it simple and use 2.5 cc of saline to reconstitute the 100 unit Botox vial.  You will then be injecting 4 units of Botox for every 0.1 cc mark on the 1 cc syringe.   Mixing it up more concentrated waste more Botox In the needle and the hub where the plunger does not reach. Diluting the Botox more than that will make the bumps on the forehead bigger than necessary.  Your patients will not like that.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Botox can be diluted a few different ways.  I prefer to keep on the more concentrated side so that I inject less fluid volume but still maintain a good unit dosage.

Botox units - I get a little confused how much units to wear to an area.

Answers (13)

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