Clinics quote Botox two different ways, and the difference is where most people lose track of what they are actually paying. This tool converts between the two using the doses on the FDA-approved label, so you can check a quote before you are sitting in the chair.
This is arithmetic, not a prescription. The unit counts above are the doses stated on the FDA-approved label for BOTOX Cosmetic. Your injector may properly use more or fewer units based on your muscle mass, your goals and your treatment history. A quote that differs from this figure is not necessarily wrong — it is a question worth asking.
Why the pricing model matters
Per-unit pricing is transparent: you can see exactly what you received and check it against the vial. Per-area or flat pricing is convenient but hides the dose, and two clinics charging the same flat price can be giving you noticeably different amounts of product.
Switch the calculator to Flat price and enter the number you were quoted. It will show the effective per-unit rate you are being charged, which is the only figure that lets you compare two clinics fairly.
FDA label doses for upper face treatment
| Area | Clinical name | Label dose |
|---|---|---|
| Frown lines between the brows | Glabellar lines | 20 units |
| Forehead lines | Frontalis lines | 20 units |
| Crow's feet | Lateral canthal lines | 24 units |
| All three together | Upper facial lines | 64 units |
One point worth knowing: the forehead lines indication is approved for treatment alongside the glabellar area, not on its own. Treating the forehead in isolation can drop the brow, because the muscle being relaxed is the one that lifts it. A clinician who declines to treat your forehead alone is following the label, not upselling you.
What this tool cannot tell you
- Whether the price is fair where you live. Per-unit rates vary widely by metro and by injector. Our metro price index is in collection and not yet published.
- Whether the injector is qualified. Who may legally inject depends on your state and on the supervision arrangement at the clinic.
- How many units you personally need. That requires an in-person assessment by a clinician who can watch your face move.
Unit doses sourced from the FDA-approved prescribing information for BOTOX Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA). Published 15 September 2026. This tool performs arithmetic on published label doses and offers no clinical guidance, which is why it publishes ahead of our medical reviewer appointment. See our editorial and medical review standards.