Crow’s Feet Botox: What to Expect and How Many Units You Need
Crow’s feet are the accordion-like lines that gather at the outer corners of the eyes when you smile or squint. They tell the story of laughter and sunny days, but they can also start to etch in, lingering even when the face is at rest. When clients ask about softening these lines, they are usually weighing two priorities: they want the area to look refreshed and open, and they want to keep their smile. That is the art of crow’s feet botox. With the right plan, you can keep expressiveness and still smooth those lateral lines.
I have treated thousands of faces with cosmetic botox around the eyes, and the same truths hold up across faces and decades. Anatomy matters, dose matters, and technique matters. A careful injector aims for the sweet spot where the orbicularis oculi muscle is tamed just enough to reduce folding of the skin, without flattening your grin or changing how your cheeks move.
Why crow’s feet form and how botox helps
Crow’s feet form because the circular muscle around the eye, the orbicularis oculi, contracts when you smile, squint, or laugh. Over time, repetitive motion folds the skin in the same pattern, and collagen diminishes with age and sun exposure. In your twenties, these lines usually appear only with expression. By your thirties and forties, the creases can persist even at rest, particularly in people with thin skin or a history of heavy Click for more https://www.facebook.com/MyEthos360 sun.
Botulinum toxin injections, commonly called botox, work by temporarily relaxing muscle activity. When a certified botox injector places a small dose into the lateral orbicularis oculi, the muscle’s pull softens. That means less bunching of the skin, fewer etched lines forming, and, with time, a smoother canvas. This is classic anti wrinkle botox for dynamic wrinkles, not filler for volume. It is also one of the areas where subtle technique makes a striking difference in how natural the face looks afterward.
How many units for crow’s feet: the real ranges
Dosage guides online can be frustrating. You will see answers that span from 6 units to 30 units and wonder why the spread is so wide. It’s wide because faces differ. Skin thickness, muscle strength, eye shape, brow position, and even smile style influence the plan. As a rule of thumb for cosmetic botox using onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox Cosmetic brand):
Typical female dose: 6 to 12 units per side, often 8 to 10. Typical male dose: 8 to 16 units per side, often 10 to 12. Baby botox or preventive botox: 4 to 6 units per side in younger clients with light lines. Strong squinter or etched lines at rest: up to 14 to 18 units per side in select cases, usually after a test round establishes response.
A common starting point for someone trying botox for crow’s feet for the first time is 20 to 24 total units, placed as 3 to 5 microinjections per side. If you need a reference point, the FDA-labeled dosing for lateral canthal lines with Botox Cosmetic is 12 units per side. That is a helpful anchor, not a rule.
Dose interacts with placement. A high total with sloppy spread can look worse than a lower total placed precisely along the fan of the muscle. The injector maps your smile, marks the creases, and angles the needle just into the superficial muscle plane, staying a hair above the zygomatic line to avoid weakening the zygomaticus major, the muscle that lifts your smile. Natural-looking botox comes from respect for those boundaries.
If you have used Dysport, Xeomin, or Jeuveau before, remember each brand has its own unit scale. A Dysport number is not a one-to-one swap with Botox units. Your botox provider will translate based on experience and product characteristics.
What to expect before, during, and after a crow’s feet treatment
Your botox appointment should be straightforward. A solid botox consultation starts with photographs at rest and in a big smile. Your injector will ask how you want to look, whether you wear contact lenses, if you’ve had eyelid surgery, and how you feel about the balance between smoothing and expressiveness. We review medication history and risk factors such as pregnancy, neuromuscular disorders, active rashes, or recent infections. If you bruise easily, we plan accordingly.
The injections themselves take under ten minutes. A small insulin syringe with a tiny needle places microdroplets just under the skin. Most people rate it a 2 or 3 out of 10 on the sting scale. I often use a vibration device near the area and a cool compress to distract the nerves. There is no need for local anesthetic blocks for crow’s feet.
Expect small raised bumps at each site that look like mosquito bites for 10 to 20 minutes. A soft blush of redness can linger for an hour. Bruising is uncommon but possible, especially if you are on fish oil, aspirin, or other blood thinners. Makeup can be applied gently after a few hours if the skin is intact. Many clients book on a lunch break and go right back to work.
Effects begin to show between day 3 and day 5, with full results around day 10 to 14. This onset window applies to most botulinum toxin injections, whether we are treating frown line botox, forehead botox, or lip flip botox. Crow’s feet tend to “feel” normal during the onset. You won’t feel frozen; you simply notice the crinkling softens when you smile.
Longevity ranges from 3 to 4 months for most people, sometimes 2.5 months in athletes or very fast metabolizers, and up to 5 months in a lucky subset. Many plan routine botox injections every 3 to 4 months to maintain results through the year. If you are trying to time a wedding or photoshoot, schedule the botox procedure two to three weeks before, so the effect peaks and any small bruise has faded.
Where the needle goes, and why technique matters
Precise placement for crow’s feet targets the lateral fibers of orbicularis oculi in a fanned pattern at the outer corner of the eye. The injector uses your smile lines as a map. In general, injections sit 1 to 1.5 centimeters from the lateral canthus, feathered along the line of highest creasing. The skin and muscle are thin in this area, so the angle is shallow, and a tiny intramuscular placement is usually enough.
I avoid dropping too low on the cheek. If botox diffuses into the zygomaticus major, the corner of the mouth can weaken, making a smile look flatter or lopsided. Similarly, I stay a bit above the bony rim to protect the lower eyelid tone, especially in clients with mild eyelid laxity. Every face has quirks. Some people have stronger superior fibers and need a touch higher to prevent crow’s feet from just migrating upward. Others have more lateral fan lines and benefit from a wider spread rather than a higher dose at one point.
When someone has both crow’s feet and an early under-eye crease, we discuss the limits of botox. Botulinum toxin helps dynamic lines, not hollowing or visible fat pads. If you press on the under-eye and see a trough, filler or skin treatments might be part of the plan, but they belong below the orbital rim and require a conservative approach.
The balance with forehead and frown lines
Crow’s feet rarely live alone. Clients often ask for combined treatment with frown line botox (glabellar complex) and forehead botox. The upper face works as a unit. If you strongly treat the glabellar frown but leave crow’s feet untouched, the eyes can still crinkle. If you address crow’s feet without managing heavy brow-pulling frown muscles, you can chase lines laterally while the center still looks tense.
A thoughtful botox treatment plan sequences these areas. For a first-timer, I like to begin modestly across the upper face to preserve expression and learn your response. We may pair crow’s feet botox with a conservative glabella dose, then decide at a two-week follow-up whether the forehead needs more support. When the brow position is low at baseline, we hold back on forehead units and rely more on the frown complex and crow’s feet to lift the visual weight off the eyes.
Natural results versus overdone: reading the face
People fear looking frozen, and the fear is justified by the occasional overdone face blocking its own emotions. You do not need heavy dosing to get value from botox for wrinkles. The eye area is especially sensitive to overcorrection. A smile that no longer ripples the eye at all can look uncanny.
I coach clients on what “natural looking botox” really means. You should still see tiny pleats on a big laugh, but the fine radiating lines should be fewer and shallower. Photos are honest. Good before and after images taken with the same lighting and expression tell the story better than any description. Most find that makeup sits better, sunscreen goes on smoothly, and the face looks well rested.
Subtle botox is not the same as no botox. For those who prefer the lightest touch, baby botox is a smart option. We use smaller doses per point, sometimes dilute slightly for broader feathering, and accept a shorter duration. Preventive botox in younger adults works similarly, intercepting muscle overactivity before skin creases engrave into deeper lines.
What can go wrong, and how to minimize risk
Botox is among the most studied procedures in aesthetic medicine. For healthy adults, cosmetic botox is considered a safe botox treatment when performed by a qualified professional. That said, no medical intervention is risk free. The common, mild issues include pinpoint bruises, transient swelling, redness, or a mild headache. These clear within days.
Less common effects near the eyes include asymmetry, a slight droop of the outer brow if the temporal frontalis is affected, or lower eyelid heaviness if the toxin diffuses too low. These resolve as the botulinum toxin wears off, typically within weeks. Proper placement and dosing minimize these risks.
Allergic reactions are rare. True systemic effects at cosmetic doses are exceedingly rare and usually linked to incorrect placement or dosing, underlying neuromuscular disorders, or off-label high total units. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning conception, postpone treatment. If you have myasthenia gravis or certain other neuromuscular conditions, discuss with your physician, as botulinum toxin injections may not be appropriate.
Selecting the right botox specialist matters. Look for a licensed medical professional with training in facial anatomy, a portfolio of botox before and after photos, and a consultation style that invites questions. Professional botox injections are as much about judgment as they are about needle skill. Deal-hunting for the cheapest botox price can be tempting, but the cost of fixing a poor result often exceeds a fair upfront fee.
Aftercare that actually helps
The internet is rich with conflicting aftercare advice. Here is what I have found to be useful and evidence-aligned for post botox care around the eyes:
Keep your head upright for four hours. No lying flat, inversions, or aggressive yoga during that window. Avoid rubbing, massaging, or pressing the outer eye area for the first day. Light cleansing and gentle makeup application are fine after a few hours. Skip heavy exercise, saunas, and hot yoga for 24 hours. Heat and increased blood flow can, in theory, influence diffusion and bruising. If a bruise appears, cold compresses help in the first 24 hours, then warm compresses the next day to promote resolution. Arnica can offer mild benefit; the evidence is mixed but it is generally safe for most. Plan a check-in or follow-up at two weeks if this is your first time or if we adjusted your dose. Fine tuning with a small touch up can perfect the symmetry and longevity.
That is one of only two brief lists the article will use. For the rest, common sense applies. You can return to normal activities right away. Sunglasses, sunscreen, and good sleep do more for the long-term look of the eye area than any short-term trick.
Cost, value, and how pricing works
Botox cost depends on geography, the injector’s experience, and whether a clinic charges per unit or per area. In the United States, per-unit prices commonly range from 10 to 20 dollars. A typical crow’s feet session might use 16 to 24 total units, so many clients spend somewhere between 200 and 450 dollars for that area. Some clinics offer botox deals or botox specials for bundled areas or loyalty programs. These can be a good value if they do not pressure you into more than you need. Affordable botox is not solely about price; it is about getting the right dose, placed correctly, with predictable outcomes.
If a provider charges per area, ask how many units they include and whether touch ups are covered. Per-unit pricing is more transparent for dose-sensitive areas like crow’s feet, where fine adjustments matter. A trusted botox clinic will document the lot number, dilution, and total units placed. Those records make future visits more precise.
How long results last and when to repeat
For most, crow’s feet botox lasts around 3 to 4 months. The effect wanes as nerve terminals regenerate signaling to the muscle. If you commit to maintenance for a year, the skin often improves beyond the temporary muscle effect. By reducing constant folding, the dermis has fewer opportunities to crease, and collagen-friendly habits can make real gains. Think of it as skin aging on a kinder slope.
Some clients find a twice-yearly schedule works, especially if they prefer lighter doses. Others keep a three-month rhythm for consistent smoothness. There is no strict rule. Repeating botox treatment before full return of movement can lengthen longevity, but it should not creep into over-treatment. If you feel over-relaxed at rest or the smile seems less lively, extend the interval or lower the dose.
A quick note on resistance: clinical resistance to botulinum toxin at cosmetic doses is rare. Antibody formation is uncommon with standard dilutions and reasonable frequency. If your botox results change abruptly, the explanation is more likely a product switch, dilution difference, placement shift, or a new provider. Share your prior records and photos at your next botox consultation.
When botox is not enough, and what to combine
Crow’s feet have two components: movement and skin quality. Botox treats the movement. If the skin is sun-damaged, dehydrated, or etched with static lines, you may need more than muscle relaxation.
Combination options include light chemical peels, fractional laser, microneedling with or without radiofrequency, and medical-grade skincare with retinoids and sunscreen. For very fine etched lines, a microdroplet approach with dilute hyaluronic acid filler or skinboosters can help, but it requires a careful hand near the eyes. Platelet-rich plasma and collagen-stimulating treatments offer gradual improvements in texture. Each comes with its own risk profile, downtime, and cost. The right sequence often starts with botox for dynamic lines, then skin work to refine texture and tone.
For clients with hollowness under the eyes or a visible tear trough, filler can be considered, though not in the crow’s feet zone itself. If the lateral brow is heavy, a small lift with botox in the frown complex can create the perception of a more open eye, complementing the crow’s feet smoothing.
Special cases and practical judgment
Faces that squint all day outdoors, pilots, skiers, or people who work on glare-heavy screens often have persistent crow’s feet in spite of good botox. In these cases, dose helps, but so does behavior adjustment. Polarized sunglasses, brimmed hats, and better screen contrast make a visible difference in the long run. Vitamin C serum in the morning and a retinoid at night support collagen where botox cannot.
Men often have thicker skin and stronger orbicularis oculi muscles. They may need more units for an equivalent effect, but the injection pattern is similar. Beards do not matter here, but cheek volume and a broader smile arc can change the mapping.
First time botox clients frequently ask if they will look odd if they only treat crow’s feet. For most, the answer is no. The area is localized, and softening it does not require changes elsewhere. That said, if deep frown lines or forehead lines remain very active, the contrast can be noticeable in bright light or photos. A small, balanced plan usually looks best.
If you have a history of eyelid surgery, dry eye, or lower lid laxity, share it. Your botox provider may lower the dose or shift the pattern to avoid over-relaxing supportive fibers. If your baseline brow position is low, we avoid heavy forehead botox that could drop the brow, and we lean more on frown line botox and the crow’s feet area to open the eye safely.
Choosing a provider and asking the right questions
The best botox is not about chasing a fixed number of units; it is about matching dose to anatomy and aesthetic goals. A certified botox injector should walk you through their reasoning. During a botox consultation, consider asking:
How many units per side do you recommend for my crow’s feet, and why? Where will you place the injections to avoid smile changes or eyelid heaviness? What result should I expect at rest versus in a big smile? When do you want to see me for a follow-up, and how do you handle touch ups? What is your policy on documenting units, product brand, and dilution?
This is the second and final list. The goal is not to interrogate your botox specialist, but to see how they think. A thoughtful, patient explanation is a good sign you are in capable hands.
Botox versus alternatives for the eye area
Clients sometimes ask whether fillers or energy devices can replace botox at the outer eye. For dynamic crow’s feet, botox is the most effective first-line option. Fillers do not stop motion and, when placed too close to the eye, can look puffy or blue. Lasers and microneedling improve texture and pigment, which helps static lines, but they cannot relax muscle. In short, botox addresses the cause, while other treatments address the canvas.
If you are hesitant about botox or not a candidate, there are still gains to be made. Daily sunscreen, sunglasses that fit well, and habit changes reduce squinting. Topical retinoids and peptides can subtly improve fine lines over months. Results are slower and gentler, but they move in the right direction.
Practical timelines and planning
If you are getting married, attending a reunion, or doing professional photos, plan backward from the date. Book a botox appointment about three weeks prior. That allows for full onset and a window for any tiny touch up at the two-week mark. Avoid trying a new provider within days of a big event. Consistency in product and technique pays dividends when the stakes are high.
For routine maintenance, align sessions with your calendar. Many people anchor visits to the seasons or to a recurring work cycle. If you find that your botox longevity for the eyes is shorter than for the frown, we can stagger the schedule, touching up crow’s feet a bit earlier while letting the glabella go longer.
The bottom line on units and expectations
Most adults need roughly 12 to 24 total units for crow’s feet, split between both sides, with adjustments for anatomy, gender, and goals. That dose softens the fan of lines when you smile, keeps the eye looking bright, and preserves expression. The effect builds over a week or two, lasts a few months, and can be maintained with repeat botox treatments three or four times a year.
Pick a botox provider who listens, examines thoroughly, and documents the plan. If you are new to cosmetic botox, start a little lighter, then fine tune. If you are a veteran, show prior records and what has worked. Respect the role of sunscreen, sunglasses, and skin care. Crow’s feet respond beautifully to well-placed botulinum toxin injections, and the best results look like you on a good night’s sleep.
If you are weighing options, gather a couple of consultations. See whose aesthetic matches yours. Whether you prefer barely-there baby botox or a more assertive smoothing, the target for crow’s feet is not a fixed number. It is a range guided by your anatomy and how you want to look when you smile at someone across the room.