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How Many Units of Botox Do I Need for Crows Feet

The average person needs 12 units to minimize crow’s feet on each side. However, the recommended number of units will vary from person to person.

As you age, the fine lines and wrinkles on your face become more prominent. You might start to notice lines on the sides of your eyes that extend toward your hairline. These are called crow’s feet or lateral canthal lines. While wrinkles are a natural part of aging, not everyone wants prominent crow’s feet on their face, particularly if you are already living with the stress of working through other immunological conditions. Dr. Praveen Buddiga, a leading immunology expert and the founder of BUDDIGA Skin Aesthetics Med Spa understands the impact these signs of aging can have on his patients and works with patients to treat crow’s feet and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Learn how Dr. Buddiga treats this skin condition with Botox, in Fresno.

What are Crow’s Feet?

Crow’s feet are also known as laugh lines, smile lines, or lateral canthal lines. They are wrinkles that form on the outside of your eyes and become more prominent when you smile or laugh and are called crow’s feet because they resemble the claws of a crow extending from the corner of your eye.

There are multiple causes of crow’s feet that can cause them to form on your face as you age. These include:

  • Genes – some people are more prone to forming wrinkles than others.
  • Sun – sun exposure can damage your skin, causing premature aging.
  • Pollution in the air – dirt, dust, and toxins can make your skin feel rough and cause wear.
  • Stress – you may age prematurely if you experience high-stress situations or don’t take enough time to yourself.
  • Stretching the area of the skin – this places stress on the skin and can leave it weak and damaged.

When you are young, your skin is full of collagen and elastin, two proteins that make your skin plump and firm. However, these proteins start to deteriorate as you age, which makes your skin sag and causes wrinkles to form. This is particularly noticeable around the eyes, where your skin is already thin. Your crow’s feet might be one of the first wrinkles to form on your face as you start to age because of the skin around your eyes.

Even if you care deeply for your skin (wear wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses, avoid harsh makeup remover wipes, use a reliable moisturizer) your natural genes could lead to the formation of crow’s feet as early as your 30s.

Treating Crows Feet with Botox

While these crow’s feet or smile lines might not bother you when you are laughing and joking with friends, you might not want them to stick around permanently. Patients seek out Botox to reduce the appearance of these wrinkles and create a younger-looking eye.

Botox Cosmetic is an injectable treatment that reduces fine lines and wrinkles on the face and hands. It is developed using the toxin made by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and has been an FDA-approved treatment since 1989. In the past 20 years, more than 100 million vials of Botox have been sold in the United States and the treatment is approved in more than 95 countries.

Botox is an effective way to treat crow’s feet, as well as other fine lines and wrinkles on your face. It is commonly used to soften the space between your eyes where your furrow your brow and the lines that form on your forehead.

How Many Units of Botox Do I Need to Minimize Crow’s Feet?

Botox is an injectable treatment, so the dosage is measured in units. Dr. Buddiga will use either a 50-unit vial or a 100-unit vial when administering your injections. From there, he will measure out the appropriate number of units to inject into your face.

According to the dosing instructions provided by Botox Cosmetic, the appropriate unit for lateral canthal lines is 24 units. This aligns with the FDA recommendation of 12 units per side, or 24 units total.

Dr. Buddiga will likely follow the FDA guidelines when first treating your crow’s feet. However, every patient is unique and you might not need as strong of a dose to get the results you want. Some patients only need five units of Botox to reduce the appearance of lateral canthal lines. Conversely, if you receive the standard injection and don’t see the results you want, Dr. Buddiga may increase the number of units you receive.

The number of units needed to treat your wrinkles will depend on your genes (how your body responds to treatment) and the severity of your wrinkles. For example, light forehead lines might only require 10 units of Botox but doctors can inject up to 30 units for severe cases. Dr. Buddiga will take time to learn how your body responds in order to provide the best results for you.

What to Expect After Getting Botox for Crows Feet

Once you make the decision to treat your crow’s feet with Botox, Dr. Buddiga and his staff will be there to help you every step of the way. Botox aftercare is simple if you understand the guidelines and the results can last for several months.

Botox is an injectable, which means Dr. Buddiga will administer a topical anesthetic before starting the treatment. This is meant to prevent any pain from the injection by numbing the area. The topical anesthetic should not affect your ability to drive or any other mental and physical functions, which means you can leave the office after your treatment without needing care.

The most important part of the Botox recovery process is the first 24 hours after treatment. Avoid touching or rubbing your face for the first three days after treatment (this includes removing makeup and applying creams). Stay out of the sun during this time and avoid sweating or going to the gym. You will also want to avoid saunas, pools, and the ocean. Dr. Buddiga will provide a list of guidelines to follow after your Botox treatment.

It will take time for your Botox results to appear. Many people start to notice results within the first few days of treatment but it usually takes two weeks to get the full effect. After two weeks have passed, you can contact Dr. Buddiga if you still aren’t seeing the results you want.

Botox treatments are not permanent. Your injections will start to wear off within three or four months of treatment. Some people schedule fresh injections every four months, while other people prefer to get new injections every six months. Your injections may last longer because of your genetics, allowing you to wait to make another appointment.

Your Botox injections will fade slowly and your crow’s feet will return. Botox does not make your wrinkles worse, but you may be surprised to see them again after several months of tight skin. In rare cases, some people are immune to Botox, which lessens the effectiveness of the injections.

Meet with Dr. Buddiga to Discuss Your Crow’s Feet

If you have started to notice fine lines and wrinkles around your face, set up a consultation with Dr. Buddiga. He will consider your full immunological health picture and walk you through the different options available to keep your skin looking healthy and bright. He will develop a comprehensive treatment plan that could include a treatment of Botox for your crow’s feet and other areas on your face to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Request a consultation today to chase the crows away!

Dr. Buddiga, the founder of BUDDIGA Family Allergy | Skin | Immunology, is a highly sought-after allergy and immunology expert and medical specialist who advises on the latest research and treatment for asthma, allergy, immunology, and skin conditions for patients of all ages. If you have any questions about Botox, don’t be afraid to ask, our team is happy to talk about our process and how we can help you.

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