Baby Botox for a refreshed look: Can you ask for minimal Botox units for a light look to allow for a slight reduction in lines?

Question

Can you ask for minimal Botox unites for a light look to allow for a slight reduction in lines? How long will it last? What are "minimum " unites in: forehead , between eyes and above eyebrow and crows feet? It seems like all injection units are geared to the total amount for maximum smoothness which is nice but not very natural. I am not wanting have the frozen look just a mini refreshed look. Thanks!

Michael A. Zadeh, MD, FACS · Answer

The best thing to do is to communicate your goals with your injector. Your injector will then be able to decide how much Botox you will need to which areas to give you the desired results. This is why it is so important to find an experienced physician injector who can help give you the look you want. Botox is not a one size fits all treatment. Too little Botox and you won't see a result. Too much Botox and you will end up frozen and unnatural. Choose your injector wisely. Best wishes.

Emmanuel De La Cruz, MD · Answer

Hello Brenda81672,
It’s perfectly possible to give you a refreshed look without looking frozen with BOTOX injections. BOTOX’s effects would typically last 3-4 months. The number of units needed varies from patient to patient but the more units are injected the longer lasting would be the results. I would say that you would need at least 40  units per session (22 on forehead+14 glabellar region+8 on crow’s feet per side). Regards, Dr. De La Cruz.

Christopher J. Davidson, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question.  Botox cosmetic is designed to be tailored to a patient's specific needs.  Dosage can absolutely be adjusted to give a more natural, less frozen outcome.  Botox will wear off in approximately 3-4 months.  Best of luck.

Richard G. Reish, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question.  The
best advice you can receive is from an in-person consultation.  Botox can be injected in a conservative manner in the right patient.  Make sure you specifically look
at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery
performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.   The most
important aspect is to find a surgeon you are comfortable with. I recommend
that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who
can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.  FACS
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Thomas J. Walker, MD, FACS · Answer

I customize Botox treatments to every patient and definitely do NOT use the one size fits all approach. The number of units injected depends on patient factors and patient expectations. If a patient desires minimal results, we definitely honor that wish and start on the low side as one can always give more if it was underdone. Since there is no antidote to Botox, a conservative start is always recommended. Although this is a personal thing, I prefer conservative treatments anyway with residual movement even after treatment. Since we charge Botox per area rather than per unit injected, this approach works quite well as touch-ups are free. I would not say that there are "minimum" units per se but 5-10 units are a good starting point for the forehead, 10 units for between the eyebrows (glabella), and 6 units per crow's foot. Best wishes!

Adam Tattelbaum, MD · Answer

Thanks for your excellent question. You are not alone, many patients come in nervous about their first treatments wanting just a little bit or a touch of Botox. The problem is that you need to have enough Botox to make a difference and a touch may do nothing at all. The patient  with a touch of Botox will often return feeling upset and disappointed. In my own practice, we always start small, but we start with the minimum number of units that we feel will accomplish the goal. We can always ad more, but the minimum is necessary to see a difference.I would recommend you seek the appropriate guidance from your PS and allow him or her to guide you based upon their experience.I hope this has made sense and has helped.Best wishes.

Garrett M. Crabtree, MD · Answer

Yes, You can have smaller amounts of botox injected to and produce more subtle results. I agree that it looks more natural to have some movement and not have a "frozen" look. Discuss this with your injector. It may not last quite a long.
Garrett Crabtree MD

Edward H. Bedrossian, Jr., MD · Answer

Yes, you may ask for a weaker  (' baby') dose, for a 'refreshed look', that will allow for reduction in lines ,without being 'frozen'. A weaker dose may last 2-3 months ( instead of 3-4months)  depending on your body metabolism and area treated. The "minimum " units for you in forehead , between eyes above eyebrow and crows feet is impossible to say without seeing the natural strength of your muscular contraction in each area.  However, my advise is to start low , evaluate the response then adjust  the dose accordingly  the next time.

Shaun Patel, MD · Answer

Certainly, wrinkle relaxers like Botox and Dysport can be used in a way that gives very soft, natural looking results. That being said, I caution against too low a dose because it negatively impacts the results and reduces longevity of the Botox/Dysport.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Every patient is different and therefore each person may require a different treatment  regimen.  Best to be seen in person.

Baby Botox for a refreshed look: Can you ask for minimal Botox units for a light look to allow for a slight reduction in lines?

Answers (12)

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