Most people need 12 to 24 units of Botox per side for crow’s feet, the most common eye-area treatment. The FDA-approved dose is 24 units total (12 per side), split across three injection points on each side of the eyes. But the actual number your provider uses can vary based on your age, muscle strength, and exactly which part of the eye area you’re treating.
Crow’s Feet: The Standard Dose
Crow’s feet, the fan of lines that spread from the outer corners of your eyes when you smile, are treated by injecting the circular muscle that surrounds each eye. The FDA-approved protocol calls for 4 units at each of three injection points per side, totaling 12 units per side and 24 units overall. Those three points are spaced roughly 20 millimeters apart in a small arc just outside the bony rim of the eye socket: one angled slightly upward, one straight out to the side, and one angled slightly downward.
In practice, providers often adjust. Some use as few as 5 units per side for patients with mild lines and thinner muscles, while others go up to 15 units per side for deeper, more established wrinkles. A large clinical study found the average dose for the muscle around the eye was about 12 units per side, which lines up closely with the FDA recommendation.
How Age and Sex Affect the Dose
Age is the biggest variable. Patients under 50 averaged about 11 units per side in clinical data, while those 50 and older averaged around 14 units per side. That difference is statistically significant and makes intuitive sense: older skin has deeper static lines (the ones visible even when you’re not smiling), and the muscle has spent more years contracting.
Sex plays a smaller role for crow’s feet than it does for the forehead. Women in the same study averaged about 12.6 units per side, while men averaged 10.9. That’s a reversal of the pattern seen in the forehead and between the brows, where men typically need more because of bulkier muscles. Around the eyes, muscle mass differences between men and women are less dramatic.
Under-Eye “Jelly Roll” Treatment
Some people also want Botox for the small puffiness or roll of muscle just below the lower lash line, sometimes called a jelly roll. This is a much more conservative treatment. Providers typically place just 1 unit per side, injected a few millimeters below the lash line. The goal is to slightly relax that strip of muscle so it doesn’t bunch up when you smile.
This area carries more risk than crow’s feet. Incorrect placement or too high a dose can cause temporary eyelid drooping, difficulty blinking, or a flat look around the eyes when you smile (sometimes called a “dead-eye smile”). Roughly 5% of patients end up disliking the effect. The upside is that if you’re one of them, it wears off in about 6 weeks.
Combining Eyes With Forehead and Brow
Many people treat crow’s feet alongside the frown lines between the brows (the glabellar area) in a single appointment. In clinical trials studying this combination, patients received an average of about 15 units between the brows and 18 units for crow’s feet. The combination can produce a mild brow-lifting effect, since relaxing the muscles that pull the brow downward lets the forehead muscles lift it slightly. Total units for a combined treatment typically fall between 30 and 50 units across all areas.
What Results Look Like and How Long They Last
You won’t walk out of the appointment looking different. Most people notice the first changes within 24 to 48 hours as the muscle gradually stops contracting as forcefully. The full effect takes one to two weeks to settle in, which is why providers schedule follow-up assessments at the two-week mark rather than sooner.
Results around the eyes last at least four months for most people. In two large clinical trials, the median duration of effect was 119 to 148 days depending on whether researchers measured lines at rest or during a full smile. People who reported greater improvement tended to hold their results longer. Most providers recommend scheduling maintenance treatments every three to four months to keep the area smooth.
Side Effects Around the Eyes
The most common side effect is mild dry eye symptoms: irritation, a gritty foreign-body sensation, or watery eyes. This occurs in about 5% of patients receiving up to 10 units per side and resolves on its own within three to six months. More serious complications like double vision or significant eyelid drooping are rare when treatment is performed by an experienced injector who stays outside the orbital rim.
Estimating Your Cost
Botox is priced per unit in most practices. The national average falls between $10 and $30 per unit, with urban clinics typically charging $15 to $25 and rural practices closer to $10 to $15. For a standard 24-unit crow’s feet treatment, that puts the cost roughly between $240 and $720. If you add the area between your brows, expect to add another $150 to $450 depending on how many units your provider uses. Prices vary significantly by region and provider experience, so getting quotes from two or three offices gives you a realistic range for your area.