Guide. By Priya Natarajan, NP-C, updated October 2026
Fewer than you probably think, on a first visit. Typical starting ranges by area, why the number moves, and how a written plan sets yours. By Priya Natarajan, NP-C, lead injector at Velvet Fern.
The short answer
Typical starting ranges, not prescriptions.
Most first-time patients at a conservative studio are treated with 20 to 40 units in total across one to three areas. The frown lines usually take the most, the crow's feet the least, and the forehead depends on what you want to keep moving. These are typical starting ranges, not prescriptions; the plan gives you your number.
Typical starting ranges At $13 per unit, fictional
| Area | Units | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Frown lines (glabella) | 12 to 24 units | The strongest muscles on the face. Often the only area a first-timer needs. |
| Forehead lines | 6 to 16 units | Dosed low so the brows still lift. Treated with the frown lines, rarely alone. |
| Crow's feet | 6 to 12 units per side | Small doses, several points, kept away from the smile. |
| Lip flip | 4 to 6 units | A subtle roll of the upper lip. Not a substitute for filler. |
| Chin dimpling | 4 to 8 units | Smooths the orange-peel texture when the chin tenses. |
| Masseter (jaw) | 20 to 30 units per side | For clenching and a square lower face. A separate plan and a longer timeline. |
Why it moves
First visit
We would rather you come back for four more units than wait three months for movement to return. A first plan at Velvet Fern is written at the conservative end of the range, and the two-week refinement visit, which is included, is where the photographs decide whether to add.
At $13 per unit, a 16-unit frown line plan is $208 and a 32-unit three-area plan is $416. The number is written before the visit and does not change in the room. Prices are fictional for this concept site; results vary from person to person.
Most people see the effect ease between three and four months. We do not book the next visit until you have seen how long yours lasts, and we photograph each time so the dose can be adjusted rather than repeated.
Author
Lead Injector, Nurse Practitioner
Priya runs most Face Map consultations and writes the plans. A nurse practitioner with prescriptive authority in Colorado, she is known for telling people they need less than they expected, and for the two-week visit where small adjustments are made.
Questions
Still unsure? Call (720) 555-0142 and ask Maya.
No. Twenty units is a typical conservative total for one or two areas on a first visit.
We rarely treat the forehead alone, because relaxing it without the frown lines can drop the brows. When it is in the plan, 6 to 16 units is typical.
Somewhat, but the trade is less movement. We dose for the look you asked for and adjust at two weeks rather than overdosing for duration.
No. Dysport is dosed at roughly 2.5 to 3 units for every Botox unit. Plans state which product and price them equivalently.
Still have a question? (720) 555-0142
Complimentary, thirty minutes
The Face Map is thirty minutes, complimentary, and ends with the dose in writing.
or call (720) 555-0142