Why do some areas of the face seem to require more Botox?

Dr. Irwin
December 21, 2010
HI Dr. I, I wonder if you can tell me why certain areas such as the eyes (one in particular) would require so much Botox relative to the rest of the areas/face? What would you consider \"a lot\" of botox (units) for the crows feet on one side? I\'m 40 years old and I have been getting botox for about a year. I have tried different doctors (just 2)but the results have been similar? Thank you for your time.

This is a good question but it’s a little hard to answer without seeing you.  Let’s take crows feet, for example.  I have some women in their 30-40s who have very active muscles here and some women in their 50s who have very few lines so age alone is not the best predictor.   As many of you know, I don’t think Botox should be sold in “units” although this practice is very common.  But, I would say in our practice the most common number of units for an average sized female is usually 15-25 units for crows feet around both eyes (or 7.5-12.5 for each eye).  There are women outside these parameters and men almost always need more.  

The other thing to consider around the eye area is whether the problem is really more loss of volume?   If volume is the problem, then the Botox won’t be effective until the volume is replaced.   Dr. I

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

Ask me your skincare question!

Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

  • All our content is written and researched by myself.
  • My medical office in Seattle has treated thousands of patients for 15+ years.
  • This site is not affiliated or financially tied to any product, treatment or device.
Ask Me Something
SkinTour Skincare
One of the best investments in your skin is your daily skincare. Why? Because you can prevent many problems with blotchy skin color, lack of glow, texture, some types of acne, and fine lines with good skincare products. You can also correct some of these problems with effective skincare products. Great skincare is often more expensive because quality ingredients are expensive. Some companies spend on research/development which benefits all of us and adds to the cost. Are they worth it? In general - yes! I have handpicked some of what I consider to be the best skin care products, and offer them for sale on SkinTour's shop. This is based on my team and I's testing and research at our clinic. Many of the products are in my own regimen. What could be better than using skin care products a dermatologist uses?!
Browse Shop