Resources → Units of Botox for frown lines
How Many Units of Botox for Frown Lines?
Published by Renownly · Prices from Google AI Overview answers captured November 2026
The FDA label for Botox Cosmetic recommends 20 units for frown lines, the “11s” between your eyebrows: 4 units into each of 5 sites. A 2014 American Family Physician article lists a starting dose of 20 to 25 units. Your injector decides your dose.
The doses, and what they cost
| Source | Units | Cost at $10 to $15 a unit |
|---|---|---|
| FDA label | 20 | $200 to $300 |
| American Family Physician, 2014 (starting dose) | 20 to 25 | $200 to $375 |
| 2016 global consensus (most cases) | 12 to 40 | $120 to $600 |
Cost is an estimate for the product at the typical Dallas–Fort Worth rate. To add other areas, use the Botox cost calculator, or see what one unit costs by city.
How the label places the 20 units
The Botox Cosmetic prescribing information lists 4 units into each of 5 sites: 2 in each corrugator muscle and 1 in the procerus. Those muscles sit between your brows. The label says the muscle effect typically starts one to two days after injection and builds over the first week.
Why your number may differ from 20
The label gives one recommended dose. American Family Physician calls its 20 to 25 units a general guideline that can be adjusted for your anatomy and muscle mass. The 2016 global consensus reports 12 to 40 units in most cases, and lower doses when indicated. These describe what clinicians report using. They aren’t a recommendation for you, and doses outside the label are your injector’s call.
What the label says about side effects here
In the label’s frown line trials, the most common adverse reaction was eyelid ptosis, a drooping lid (3%). The label also carries a boxed warning about the toxin spreading from the injection site. Read it with your provider before treatment.
If your quote is for Dysport
Frown lines are the one cosmetic use on the Dysport label, and its dose is 50 units. That number looks large next to 20, and the per-unit price looks small, because the two products’ units aren’t comparable. See Botox vs Dysport cost per unit.
What to ask when you get a quote
- How many units do you expect to use on my frown lines?
- What is the per-unit price, and is it for Botox or another product?
- Is that the regular rate, or a membership or first-visit rate?
Common questions
How many units of Botox do you need for frown lines?
The FDA label for Botox Cosmetic recommends 20 units for frown lines, also called glabellar lines or the 11s: 4 units into each of 5 sites. A 2014 American Family Physician article lists a starting dose of 20 to 25 units. Your injector decides your dose.
How much does Botox for frown lines cost?
The 20-unit label dose comes to about $200 to $300 at the typical Dallas–Fort Worth rate of $10 to $15 per unit.
How long does Botox for frown lines last?
The label says the effect on frown lines lasts about 3 to 4 months. It also says dosing more often than every 3 months hasn't been clinically evaluated for safety and effectiveness.
Are the 11s and glabellar lines the same thing?
Yes. Glabellar lines are the vertical lines between the eyebrows that people often call frown lines or the 11s.
Run a clinic? See if AI names you
Renownly works with local businesses on getting named in ChatGPT and Google’s AI. When patients ask what Botox costs in your city, those engines name a few clinics. See whether yours is one of them.
Related
Sources
- Botox Cosmetic prescribing information, AbbVie, revised October 2024
- Botulinum Toxin Injection for Facial Wrinkles, Small, American Family Physician, 2014
- Global Aesthetics Consensus: Botulinum Toxin Type A, Sundaram et al., Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2016
How this was put together: per-unit prices are what Google’s AI Overview answered for “how much does botox cost in [city] texas” across Dallas–Fort Worth cities, captured November 2026, one fetch per city. An AI answer is a summary and not a price list, and it can change within hours. Totals multiply units by that rate and are estimates, not quotes. Confirm pricing with the clinic.
Not medical advice. This page is general information about prices. Renownly is a marketing company, not a medical practice, and no clinician reviewed it. Ask a licensed provider whether a treatment and dose are right for you. The Botox Cosmetic FDA label covers frown lines (20 units), crow’s feet (24 units), forehead lines (20 units, treated with frown lines) and platysma bands, and carries a boxed warning. Other areas, such as a lip flip or masseter slimming, are off-label.