Chin Botox typically requires 4 to 15 units, making it one of the smaller treatment areas on the face. The exact number depends on the strength of your mentalis muscle, the severity of dimpling, and whether you’re treating texture alone or also addressing a deep crease below your lower lip.
What Chin Botox Actually Treats
The mentalis is a small muscle that runs from your jawbone up to the skin of your chin. When it’s overactive, it creates a bumpy, textured look sometimes called “orange peel chin” or “cobblestone chin.” You might notice it all the time, or only when you’re talking, smiling, or concentrating. Some people also develop a horizontal crease between the lower lip and chin that deepens with age.
Botox works by relaxing the superficial fibers of this muscle, which smooths out the skin’s surface. As a bonus, relaxing the mentalis can slightly increase chin length by softening that mental crease, giving the lower face a more balanced appearance. It can also help with a slightly downturned mouth when chin tension is pulling the lower lip downward.
How Units Break Down
Most injectors place between 4 and 15 units in the mentalis muscle. Someone with mild dimpling that only shows during facial expressions might need just 4 to 6 units. If you have noticeable texture at rest, visible pebbling, or a deep mental crease, you’ll likely land in the 8 to 15 unit range.
Your injector will typically split the total dose between two to four small injection points across the chin. Placement matters more than quantity here. Injections are kept in the lower portion of the chin and target the superficial muscle fibers. Going too deep or too close to the lower lip risks weakening nearby muscles that control lip movement, which can cause temporary lower lip droop.
What It Costs
Most clinics charge between $15 and $25 per unit for Botox. At 4 to 15 units, a chin treatment runs roughly $60 to $375. That makes it one of the most affordable Botox treatments available, since areas like the forehead or crow’s feet often require 20 to 40 units. Some clinics charge a flat fee per area rather than per unit, so it’s worth asking how pricing works before your appointment.
Results Timeline and Duration
You’ll start noticing smoother chin texture within three to five days. Full results settle in over the first two weeks. The effects typically last three to six months, at which point the muscle gradually regains its activity and you’ll see dimpling return. Most people schedule maintenance appointments two to three times per year to keep results consistent.
Who Gets the Best Results
Chin Botox works best for people who have visible dimpling at rest or during facial expressions, mild asymmetry around the mouth, or tension in the lower face from habits like clenching or lip pursing. It’s a good option if you want lower face refinement without filler, or if you already have adequate chin volume but the texture is the issue.
It’s not the right treatment if your concern is a weak or recessed chin caused by bone structure. Botox relaxes muscle; it doesn’t add volume or projection. For structural changes, dermal filler or an implant is more appropriate. In fact, some people combine both: Botox to smooth the skin surface and filler to add projection and shape. That pairing can reshape the lower face profile without surgery.
Risks to Know About
The chin is a small area with several muscles packed closely together. The biggest risk is Botox spreading to the depressor labii inferioris, a muscle that helps move your lower lip. If that muscle gets partially relaxed, your smile can look uneven or your lower lip may feel sluggish. This usually happens from injections placed too high (close to the lip) or from pressure on the area before the product settles.
These effects are temporary and resolve as the Botox wears off, but they can last weeks. Choosing an injector who understands the overlapping muscle anatomy of the lower face significantly reduces this risk.
Aftercare Basics
Stay upright for three to four hours after your injections. Avoid rubbing, massaging, or pressing on your chin for at least 12 hours, since pressure can push the product toward neighboring muscles. Cleveland Clinic notes there’s limited evidence that exercise affects how Botox settles, but working out can raise blood pressure and increase bruising, so skipping intense activity for a few hours is reasonable if you bruise easily.