Are you starting to notice fine lines and wrinkles on your forehead? The good news is that there are options to help minimize these lines and restore a youthful appearance. Our Ottawa cosmetic specialists share some information about the use of Botox to treat forehead lines and how many units you may need.
What is a Unit of Botox?
Botox (bacterium clostridium botulinum) is a cosmetic treatment that can be used for both cosmetic and medical purposes. It can be used cosmetically to minimize the appearance of lines and wrinkles around the face in order to help your skin appear more youthful. It can also be used to help treat certain medical concerns such as migraines and excessive sweating. The treatment areas, the number of Botox units needed and the frequency of treatments will depend on the severity and area of concern.
For cosmetic purposes, your practitioner will inject a precise number of units of Botox into the area of concern to relax the muscles and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Each vial of Botox typically contains 50 to 100 units. You will receive a certain number of these units in each session depending on the specific concern that you have and what the desired result is. To determine the right number of units your cosmetic specialist will consult with you and evaluate the target area. These specialists are trained to provide treatment using Botox in a safe and effective manner.
What is the effect of Botox on the forehead?
The main goal of Botox used for the cosmetic treatment of the forehead is to smooth the skin and allow for a softer more youthful appearance. The active ingredient of Botox, botulinum toxin type A, paralyzes the muscles in the face providing this result.
When used for the treatment of the forehead area, Botox injections work to relax the muscles that cause these wrinkles to form.
The injection of Botox in the forehead is typically focused around the main forehead area to tackle horizontal wrinkles and vertical lines caused by frowning. In some cases, the cosmetic specialist may also inject additional units to combat the lines and vertical wrinkles between the eyes.
Using Botox as a cosmetic treatment for the forehead is a safe, FDA-approved treatment. That said, your practitioner will still proceed with caution as over-injecting can result in excessive muscle relaxation causing drooping eyelids and eyebrows.
In what areas of the forehead will Botox be injected?
When being used as a cosmetic treatment for the forehead, Botox will be injected into specific target areas. Some of these areas may include:
- Crow's Feet
- Frown Lines
- Forehead Lines
How many units of Botox should be injected into the forehead?
As mentioned above, a single vial of Botox contains 50 to 100 units. The total number of units you receive will depend on the severity of the concerns and the area being treated. Your cosmetic specialist will have consulted with you and created a treatment plan specific to your unique needs and goals.
On average, most practitioners will inject approximately 10 to 30 units total to treat the forehead. These units are spread between a number of injection sites across the forehead. For example, you may receive 4 units spread across 5 separate injection sites which would result in a total of 20 units for your treatment.
While your practitioner may use a standard number of units to treat specific areas such as the forehead, they may alter this number slightly depending on whether it is your first time receiving treatment.
You should also keep in mind that Botox is not permanent and you will need to return every few months for ongoing treatment. Your Ottawa cosmetic specialist will help you determine the Botox treatment schedule that works best for you.
Will I get more or fewer units of Botox if it is the first time?
You may be wondering how many units of Botox will be needed for the first time. For first-time treatment using Botox injections, your cosmetic specialist will likely recommend a lower dosage for the initial visit and then increase the dosage for each subsequent visit. The exact number of units needed is not a one-size-fits-all situation. Your practitioner may explain to you that each person responds to treatment differently and that what works for you may not be ideal for the next person.
Once your initial visit has been completed, your practitioner will schedule a follow-up visit where they will be able to evaluate the results of the treatment, discuss any questions or concerns that you may have and take notes about the results which can help determine treatment going forward.
It is at this point that your specialist will also decide if the number of Botox units that you receive during treatment should be increased for your next visit.
Your cosmetic specialist will also use this visit to help you schedule your treatments. Typically you should be returning for continued treatment every 3 to 4 months to stay on track with your cosmetic goals.
How much is a unit of Botox?
Treatment with Botox is priced per unit. Here at Pure Medical Cosmetics, each unit of Botox costs $10. While the total cost for treatment varies from person to person depending on a number of variables the base cost per unit is the same.
When receiving treatment with Botox, the total cost is the number of units multiplied by the number of injection sites. Using the example from above, if you receive 4 units across 5 injection sites at $10 per unit, that would be 20 multiplied by $10 resulting in a base cost of $240. The cost varies based on the total number of units you require for your cosmetic needs and will be higher if you plan to have more than one area treated.
During your consultation, your practitioner will inform you of the number of Botox units that they plan to inject and the total cost of treatment allowing you to make an informed decision for treatment.
Are there other areas of the face that can receive treatment with Botox?
The forehead is not the only part of the face that may benefit from treatment using Botox. Some other common areas for injection are:
- Smile Lines
- Frown / Glabellar Lines
- Eyebrows
- Crow's Feet
- Neck
- Cheeks
- Masseter Muscle
- Bunny Lines
Moving ahead with Botox
During your consultation, your practitioner will help you determine the appropriate number of Botox units for your specific cosmetic needs. This number will typically begin lower during your first visit and increase as you continue treatment.
Keep in mind that the results will not be most noticeable until approximately two weeks after treatment and you will need to schedule your follow-up visits every 3 to 4 months.
If you feel as though the results of treatment were too intense, your practitioner will recommend waiting for the results to wear off before continuing treatment and they will adjust your treatment based on your feedback.
All in all, Botox is a safe and effective method of smoothing the fine lines and wrinkles that begin to appear on your face and neck. If you would like to learn more about treatment options using Botox and the other areas and concerns that it can help treat please ask our cosmetic specialists at Pure Medical Cosmetics.