Lines and wrinkles6 min readUpdated
Where Can You Get Botox? A Face Map of Every Treatment Area
A face map of every common Botox area, from the forehead, 11s and crow's feet to the lip flip, jaw and neck, which are FDA approved, and where filler or skin tightening works better.
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Botox is most often used on the forehead, the frown lines between the brows and crow's feet, which are FDA approved along with neck bands. It is also used off-label for a brow lift, bunny lines, a lip flip, a gummy smile, downturned mouth corners, a dimpled chin and the jaw muscle. Botox relaxes muscles; it does not fill hollows or tighten loose skin.
- Botox works on dynamic lines and muscles: lines that appear when you move.
- FDA approved areas for Botox Cosmetic: frown lines, crow's feet, forehead lines and neck bands. Botox is also approved for severe underarm sweating.
- Common off-label areas: brow lift, bunny lines, lip flip, gummy smile, downturned mouth, chin and jaw.
- Hollows, flat cheeks, deep static lines and sagging skin need filler, collagen stimulators or skin tightening instead.
- Botox at Glow Theory is $14 per unit, and you know your units and price before treatment.
On this page 7 sections
Botox is best known for the forehead, but it is used in more than a dozen places on the face and neck, and a few beyond. Some areas are FDA approved, others are well-established “off-label” uses, and a few are places Botox should not go at all. Knowing which is which helps you ask for the right treatment, and avoid paying for one that cannot give you the result you want.
This guide maps every common Botox area, what each one treats, and where another treatment works better. For the number of units and prices per area, see our guide to how many units of Botox you need.
The Botox face map
Botox works on dynamic lines and muscles: lines that appear when you move, and muscles that pull a feature into a shape you do not want. It relaxes the muscle for a few months, so the line softens or the feature sits differently. It does not add volume or tighten loose skin.
Upper face: the most popular areas
1. Forehead lines
The horizontal lines that appear when you raise your eyebrows. Botox Cosmetic is FDA approved for forehead lines when treated together with the frown lines. The forehead needs a light, careful touch, because the same muscle holds your brows up; too much can make brows feel heavy.
2. Frown lines (the 11s)
The vertical lines between the eyebrows that make you look stern or tired. This was the first FDA-approved cosmetic use of Botox and is still the most requested. It also often softens a “worried” look at rest.
3. Crow’s feet
The fan of lines at the outer corners of the eyes when you smile or squint. FDA approved. A small amount keeps a natural smile while smoothing the lines.
4. Brow lift
A few units under the tail of the eyebrow let it lift slightly, opening up the eye area. It can help mild hooded eyes, and careful placement also corrects a raised, pointed brow (the “Spock brow“).
5. Bunny lines
The small diagonal lines on the sides of the nose when you scrunch it. They often show up after the frown lines are treated, because the nose muscles take over. A few units smooth them. Botox can also relax the muscle that flares the nostrils; see Botox for a wide nose.
Lower face and lips
6. Lip flip and gummy smile
A few units along the upper lip let it roll out slightly, so it looks a little fuller without filler. In the muscle that lifts the lip, Botox can also reduce how much gum shows when you smile; see Botox for a gummy smile. Small doses can soften lip lines too.
7. Downturned mouth corners
The DAO muscle pulls the corners of the mouth down, which can look sad or tired at rest. Relaxing it lets the corners sit more level. See DAO muscle Botox.
8. Chin
A dimpled, “orange peel” chin or a tight, puckered chin when you talk comes from the chin muscle. Botox smooths it.
9. Jaw (masseter)
Relaxing the chewing muscle slims a square jaw over a few weeks and eases clenching. It needs more units than the face, and the result builds over about three months. Our masseter Botox guide covers it in detail.
Neck and beyond
10. Neck bands and Nefertiti lift
The vertical cords in the front of the neck (platysmal bands). Botox Cosmetic has been FDA approved for these since 2024. Treating the bands and the jawline edge, sometimes called a Nefertiti lift, can make the jawline look a little sharper. See Botox for neck bands.
Underarm sweating
Botox is FDA approved for severe underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis) and can reduce sweating for several months. See Botox for excessive sweating.
Small areas around the eyes
Tiny doses under the lower lash line can soften a “jelly roll” when you smile. This area needs an experienced injector and is not suitable for everyone.
Where Botox does not work
Botox only relaxes muscles. For these concerns, another treatment works better:
- Hollows under the eyes or flat cheeksThat is volume loss. Dermal filler or Sculptra treat it.
- Deep lines that stay when your face is stillBotox helps a little; filler, resurfacing or Morpheus8 help more.
- Smile lines from nose to mouthMostly volume and skin, so filler usually works better. See Botox for smile lines.
- Loose skin or sagging jowlsSkin tightening such as Sofwave lifts skin; Botox cannot.
- Thin lipsA lip flip gives a subtle change; for real volume, choose lip filler.
FDA approved vs off-label
“Off-label” means the manufacturer has not run the formal trials for that area, not that it is unsafe. Off-label Botox is common in aesthetic medicine. What matters most is that your injector knows the anatomy of the area well, uses the right dose and tells you when a treatment is off-label.
Choosing your areas at Glow Theory
At your consultation we watch your face move, ask what bothers you most, and suggest the areas and doses that will make the biggest difference, including when Botox is not the right tool. Men often need different placement and doses; see Botox for men. After treatment, follow our Botox aftercare guide, and we will check your result at two weeks.
Botox at Glow Theory is $14 per unit, or $11.90 for Glow Getter VIP members. See every area and price on our Botox in Carlsbad page, or book a consultation at our studio on El Camino Real.
Frequently asked questions
Where can you get Botox on your face?
The most common Botox areas are the forehead, the frown lines between the brows and crow's feet. Botox is also used for a brow lift, bunny lines on the nose, a lip flip, a gummy smile, downturned mouth corners, a dimpled chin, the jaw muscle and neck bands.
Which Botox areas are FDA approved?
Botox Cosmetic is FDA approved for frown lines, crow's feet, forehead lines and neck bands (platysma bands). Botox is also FDA approved for severe underarm sweating. Other areas are treated off-label.
What is the most popular area for Botox?
Frown lines between the eyebrows, followed by the forehead and crow's feet. Many people treat all three together for a natural, balanced result.
Can Botox be used under the eyes?
Only in very small doses for a jelly roll under the lower lashes, by an experienced injector. Hollows and dark circles under the eyes are volume loss and are better treated with filler or other treatments.
Can Botox help smile lines?
Not much. Lines from the nose to the mouth are mainly from volume loss and skin changes, so dermal filler usually works better. Botox can help nearby areas such as a gummy smile or downturned mouth corners.
Can you get Botox in more than one area at once?
Yes. Treating several areas in one visit is common, such as the forehead, frown lines and crow's feet together. The total units, and cost, are added up across the areas.
Where should you not get Botox?
Botox cannot fill hollows, add cheek or lip volume, or lift loose, sagging skin. For those concerns, fillers, collagen stimulators or skin tightening work better.
Sources
Insiyah Darugar
Insiyah Darugar, MSN, FNP is the founder and CEO of Glow Theory Aesthetic & Dermatology Studio in Carlsbad. She brings more than 15 years of hands-on experience in dermatology and aesthetics and completed the Dermatology Nurse Practitioner Fellowship at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, a…
