Most people who try Botox love the softened lines and the more relaxed expression that comes with it. Then, right around the time you stop thinking about your face altogether, movement starts to creep back and you wonder when to book your Botox touch up. As a clinician who has managed thousands of Botox appointments, I can tell you that timing and dosing matter as much as technique. Get both right, and maintenance becomes predictable, affordable, and natural looking.
This guide walks through when to schedule touch-ups after a Botox treatment, how many Botox units typically make sense by area, how to plan a yearly maintenance calendar, and how to avoid common pitfalls that lead to overdone results or underwhelming longevity. I will use Botox as shorthand for neuromodulator injections, and will note where Dysport, Xeomin, and Jeuveau differ.
What a touch-up really is
A Botox touch up is a small, targeted adjustment after your initial Botox injections have settled. It is not a full rewrite of your dose. The goal is to balance asymmetry, quiet residual movement in a stubborn area, or refine the brow position if it lifted too high or not enough.
Three realities shape the need for a touch-up:
- Botox onset is not immediate. Most patients see early changes at 3 to 5 days, with full effect at 10 to 14 days. If you judge results at day two, you will chase a moving target. Anatomy differs side to side. One brow often sits lower. One eye squints harder. Tiny differences in muscle bulk and habitual expression affect how Botox for frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead lines lands. Metabolism and lifestyle affect duration. Endurance athletes, fast metabolizers, and frequent frowners often need slightly more units or more frequent maintenance.
A touch-up is usually evaluated at a planned follow-up visit, often two weeks after the original Botox session. Experienced injectors block this on the calendar at your Botox consultation. That way you are not trying to squeeze into a full schedule when you are at day 15 and frustrated.
The right timing for a touch-up
If you are new to Botox, build in a two-week follow-up when you book your initial Botox appointment. By day 10 to 14, the neuromodulator effect is near its peak. At that visit, your injector can spot residual dynamic lines or asymmetry that will not resolve on their own. Small tweaks at this stage are efficient and tend to last as long as the rest of your treatment.
Touch-ups outside the two-week window are contextual:
- At 3 to 4 weeks, a small top-off can still work, but most practitioners prefer to avoid stacking doses too far apart within the same cycle unless there is a clear asymmetry or a specific muscle that resisted the first pass. At 6 to 8 weeks, the next full treatment might be better. Many patients who return at six weeks with partial return of movement were under-dosed at baseline. Increasing the core dose at the next session usually solves it more elegantly than piecemeal adds. At 3 to 4 months, you are likely due for regular Botox maintenance, not a “touch-up.”
I see exceptions. Actors who need fine control for expression on camera sometimes accept shorter longevity in exchange for lighter dosing. In that group, planned micro touch-ups between main sessions can keep lines softened without freezing movement.
How many units you actually need, by area
Unit counts are both art and arithmetic. Brands vary in unit potency, and faces vary in muscle strength, sex, and age. Still, there are defensible starting ranges for common areas with on-label and widely used off-label patterns. These ranges refer to Botox Cosmetic units unless otherwise noted. Dysport is measured in different units, and typical conversions are roughly 2.5 to 3 Dysport units per 1 Botox unit, depending on injector preference.
| Treatment area | Typical Botox units (total) | Notes you can feel in real life | | --- | --- | --- | | Glabellar lines (11s) | 10 to 25 | Strong frowners and men often need 20 to 25 for full relaxation. | | Forehead lines | 6 to 20 | Dosed relative to the glabella to preserve brow position. | | Crow’s feet | 6 to 12 each side | Smilers who squint strongly sit at the higher end. | | Bunny lines (nose scrunch) | 4 to 10 | Prevents nose wrinkles when you laugh. | | Brow lift (lateral brow) | 2 to 6 | Subtle elevation, customized to avoid Spock brows. | | Lip flip | 4 to 8 | Softens vertical lip lines and shows more pink lip. | | Gummy smile (LLSAN/DAO mod) | 2 to 6 | Reduces upper gum show, requires precise placement. | | Chin dimpling (mentalis) | 6 to 12 | Smooths orange peel texture and a pebbled chin. | | DAO depressors (mouth corners) | 4 to 8 | Helps turn down corners, often paired with filler. | | Masseter (jawline/jaw slimming, TMJ, bruxism) | 20 to 50 each side | Start lower if first time. Men and heavy grinders trend higher. | | Platysmal bands (neck bands) | 20 to 50 | Patterned along bands; maintenance varies widely. | | Underarms for hyperhidrosis | 50 to 100 each side | Lasts longer than facial dosing, often 4 to 9 months. | | Preventative Botox/Baby Botox | 8 to 20 across upper face | Micro Botox patterns use many microdrops with fewer units. | | Chronic migraine protocol | 155 to 195 total | Follows fixed-site, fixed-dose PREEMPT protocol with a trained clinician. |
These are starting points, not prescriptions. A Botox dermatologist, plastic surgeon, or experienced Botox nurse injector will examine your brow position, eyelid heaviness, and movement patterns during animation before recommending a Botox dose. When a patient brings a photo with eyebrows cocked high and deep horizontal lines, I already expect a higher forehead dose, balanced carefully with glabella dosing to avoid a heavy brow.
When you truly need more units
Needing more units is not a failure. It can mean your original dose was conservative, your muscle bulk is higher than average, or you want a stronger freeze. A pattern I see often: a first-time Botox beginner requests a very light touch to “test it out.” Two weeks later, they still see lines at rest. In that scenario, a small touch-up at the follow-up works, but the better long-term solution is to set the next Botox dose appropriately so results are predictable each cycle.
Men almost always require more units than women for the same area, especially in the glabella and masseters. Male Botox, often called Brotox in marketing speak, is not a different product. It is the same neuromodulator with adjusted dosing and patterns to maintain masculine brow shape and jawline.
How long Botox lasts and how that shapes maintenance
Botox longevity is not a fixed number. Most patients enjoy 3 to 4 months of softened movement in the upper face. Crow’s feet sometimes soften a bit shorter because we smile and squint so frequently. Masseter treatments for jaw slimming, TMJ, or teeth grinding often last 4 to 6 months in the first year, then 6 months or more with consistent Botox maintenance. Hyperhidrosis treatment under the arms can last 4 to 9 months, with some individuals going longer.
Onset and offset follow curves, not a light switch. At two weeks you are near the top of the curve. By three months, you will usually notice more movement in high-expression areas. If you maintain on a calendar at 12 to 16 weeks, you will experience smoother, steadier results with fewer “on/off” swings and fewer urgent Botox touch up calls.
A simple maintenance calendar that works
For most people targeting forehead, 11s, and crow’s feet, set quarterly Botox sessions. If you begin in January, plan main visits in January, April, July, and October. Add a built-in two-week follow-up after the January visit to fine-tune any asymmetry or tweak the brow lift. If you tend to metabolize quickly or have deep wrinkles you want to keep quiet, slide to every 10 to 12 weeks. For Baby Botox or Preventative Botox in your 20s and 30s, many patients do well at 3 to 4 month intervals with smaller dosing.
For masseter slimming, chart your first two sessions 12 to 16 weeks apart. Measure your bite strength and Soluma Aesthetics botox near Orlando, FL palpate muscle bulk at each visit. Many patients then extend to every 5 to 6 months as the masseter partially atrophies from disuse. If you are using Botox for migraines or chronic migraine prevention, follow the medical protocol and cadence set by your neurologist or injector, typically every 12 weeks.
Signs you should call your injector for a touch-up
- Residual frown movement at day 14 that creates visible 11s when concentrating. One eyebrow sits higher or pulls more laterally than the other at rest. Smiling still etches crow’s feet lines that do not soften from day 10 to 14. The brow feels heavy after forehead dosing, often from an imbalance with the glabella. Lip flip feels too subtle or curls under unevenly, affecting speech or straw use.
A touch-up is not the answer for everything. If your lower eyelids look puffy, that can be swelling, a sleep issue, or filler history, not Botox. If your smile feels stiff from overtreated DAO muscles, time is the remedy. Most side effects resolve as the product wears off.
How cost factors into touch-ups
“How much does Botox cost?” depends on the market, injector experience, and whether the practice charges by unit or by area. In the United States, Botox cost per unit commonly ranges from $10 to $20. Urban centers trend higher. Some med spas offer Botox deals or Botox specials, but be cautious with prices far below the local norm. Neuromodulators are a pharmaceutical with a cold chain. Rock-bottom prices invite questions about dilution, dose, and who is injecting.
When you price shop for Botox near me, ask whether touch-ups at two weeks are included for the treated areas. Many practices include minor corrections within a specific window to avoid nickel-and-diming over 2 to 4 units. Others charge by the unit regardless. Transparency beats surprise invoices.
Pairing Botox and filler on the same day can make sense if you are smoothing lines and rebuilding volume. Think nasolabial folds, marionette shadows, or a conservative cheek restore. That said, a Botox facial or Micro Botox pattern with very superficial microdroplets is a different strategy from dermal filler. Staggering complex plans can help you judge each product’s impact and manage costs.
Baby Botox, Preventative Botox, and when less is smart
Baby Botox and Preventative Botox use smaller doses spread across multiple injection points to lightly calm movement before deep wrinkles set in. In the late 20s or early 30s, a person with dynamic lines but smooth skin at rest can benefit from this approach. It keeps etched lines from forming and avoids a heavy or frozen effect. With Preventative Botox, unit counts are smaller, but timing still matters. If you go too light and too irregularly, you will not get the prevention you are paying for. A quarterly Botox session with a light, consistent pattern is better than a single light treatment each year.
Special cases: neck bands, gummy smiles, and lip flips
Platysmal band treatment can sharpen the jawline profile and soften an aging neck. It is technique sensitive. Over-relaxing the platysma can create odd pulling during speech or swallowing discomfort. A conservative start with 20 to 30 units across visible bands works well, then you can build if needed.
Gummy smile treatment requires precision along the levator muscles that lift the upper lip. A few units, correctly placed, can transform a smile. Too much, or the wrong vector, flattens the smile. I recommend a staged approach, with a low dose and a two-week check for this one.
The lip flip is a popular request, especially for patients who want a little more pink show without filler. Four to eight units placed along the upper lip relax the orbicularis oris. It lasts shorter than the forehead, often six to eight weeks. Plan touch-ups accordingly if this look is important for events or photos.
What determines your personal dosing
- Muscle strength and habitual expression, including how you frown, squint, and talk. Sex and face size, with men and larger faces often needing more units. Age, skin thickness, and whether lines are etched at rest or only appear in motion. Metabolism, exercise intensity, and medications that influence neuromuscular activity. Treatment goals, from subtle softening to stronger wrinkle relaxer injections.
Bring old photos and recent selfies to your Botox consultation. I like to review how your face moves in candid shots. If your right brow is always higher when you laugh, I can prevent that asymmetry from showing up after a Botox procedure.
Aftercare that protects your results
Botox aftercare is simple and worth following. Stay upright for four hours. Avoid rubbing or massaging injected areas the day of treatment. Skip heavy exercise for 24 hours. Hold off on facials or aggressive skin treatments for 24 to 48 hours. Light makeup is fine after a few hours, especially if you were cleansed with antiseptic before injections. Expect tiny bumps at injection points to settle within an hour and minor tenderness for a day or two at most. Bruising is uncommon with a careful technique, but it can happen, especially around crow’s feet and the lip flip.
If you are planning filler on the same day, your injector will decide on the order. I often perform neuromodulator treatment first for upper-face lines, then filler, but there are exceptions based on anatomy and goals.
Safety, risks, and realistic expectations
Is Botox safe? In trained hands, yes. On-label areas have a strong safety record, and off-label uses are commonplace in aesthetic medicine. The most frequent Botox side effects are transient: mild headache, tiny bruises, injection site tenderness, and a feeling of tightness as the product takes effect. Risks increase with poor technique, inappropriate dosing, or treating contraindicated patients. If you have a history of neuromuscular disorders, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have an active infection in the area, you should not receive Botox injections. A detailed medical intake matters, even at a med spa.
The rare event that most people fear in the upper face is a heavy brow or mild lid ptosis. This often stems from inadequate support in the glabella relative to the forehead or from diffusion in a susceptible anatomy. It is unpleasant but temporary as the product wears off. Proper mapping and conservative dosing for first-time patients reduce this risk.
Botox vs Dysport, Xeomin, and Jeuveau
All four are neuromodulators in the same therapeutic family. Differences are practical, not dramatic.
- Dysport tends to spread a bit more, which can help in broader areas like the forehead or masseters. It is measured in different units, commonly using a conversion of about 2.5 to 3 Dysport units for 1 Botox unit. Xeomin lacks accessory proteins, which some clinicians prefer for theoretical reasons about antibody formation. Clinically, results and longevity are comparable for most patients. Jeuveau behaves similarly to Botox with some practices reporting a slightly quicker onset in certain patients.
Switching brands can be a smart troubleshooting step if you feel your current product wears off faster than expected. That said, technique and dose solve more problems than brand hopping.
Planning around life events
If you need to look crisp for a wedding, reunion, or photoshoot, schedule your Botox session two to four weeks ahead. That window gives you full effect and time for a small touch-up if needed. For the lip flip, plan closer to two weeks, since it peaks quickly and wears sooner. If you are adding Botox for excessive sweating in the underarms, aim for four weeks before a high-sweat event or summer vacation to ensure maximum dryness.
Choosing the best provider for you
Credentials, experience, and an eye for balance beat social media clout. A Botox plastic surgeon, cosmetic dermatologist, or a seasoned Botox nurse injector in a reputable Botox clinic or med spa should offer:
- A proper medical intake and a focused facial exam before the first needle. A candid conversation about goals, trade-offs, and likely unit counts by area. A clear plan for follow-up, touch-up policies, and realistic Botox results. Transparent pricing, not bait-and-switch Botox discounts that depend on over-treating.
You do not have to find the fanciest practice in town. You do need a clinician who studies your face in motion, marks thoughtfully, and keeps notes from visit to visit. That continuity lets you refine a formula that works for years.
When Botox is not the right tool
Static etched lines that remain at rest after optimal dosing may need resurfacing or filler. Deep horizontal forehead lines carved over decades often soften with Botox, but their grooves improve further with fractional laser, RF microneedling, or a judicious hyaluronic acid filler in expert hands. Under-eye crepiness is not a good target for Botox under eyes in most patients. Lower eyelid skin responds better to energy-based tightening, topicals like retinoids, and, in select cases, a tiny dose of neuromodulator only when carefully assessed.
If you want structural lift in the midface or jawline, consider that neuromodulators relax muscle but do not add volume. Filler, biostimulators, or even a surgical lift may be the correct path. A non-surgical facelift look comes from layering modalities: neuromodulator for lines, filler for contour, and skin treatments for texture.
A few scenarios from clinic life
A 32-year-old woman with animated brows and no lines at rest wanted Preventative Botox. We started with 10 units in the glabella and 6 in the forehead, balanced carefully to preserve her high-arched brow. At two weeks she still saw faint horizontal creases when she raised her brows dramatically. We added 2 units per side across the upper forehead. She now maintains every four months with 18 to 20 units total and never looks “done.”
A 46-year-old man with deep 11s from years of squinting needed 22 units in the glabella at baseline. His first cycle faded around 10 weeks. We did not call that a failure. At the next session, we maintained 22 in the glabella, added 8 units across the central forehead for counterbalance, and discussed sunglasses and screen habits. His third cycle reached 14 weeks reliably.
A 28-year-old with jaw pain from bruxism and a widened lower face started with 25 units per masseter per side. At 12 weeks she reported less morning soreness and subtle slimming. We repeated the same dose, and by the third session at five months, her selfie angles looked markedly different. She now maintains at six-month intervals with 20 to 25 units per side.
The bottom line on touch-ups and units
Plan a two-week review after your first Botox session or any time you switch providers, change brands, or try a new area like the lip flip or bunny lines. Expect small adjustments, not a second full treatment. Track how long your results last and share that data at each visit. Over a few cycles, the right Botox dose and cadence fall into place.
If you are searching “Botox near me” and comparing Botox price by unit, ask how the practice handles touch-ups, what a typical Botox dose looks like for your goals, and what to expect for Botox longevity. Remember that Affordable Botox means appropriate dosing with reliable product, careful technique, and clear follow-up, not merely cheap Botox.
There is no universal formula, but there is a reliable process: thoughtful assessment, precise mapping, evidence-based dosing, a short follow-up window for any Botox touch up, and steady Botox maintenance through the year. Do that, and you will spend less time thinking about lines and more time enjoying a face that looks like you, just more rested.