By Dr. Cris Andrade· Founder, Dr. Cris Studio
Men are coming through my door more than ever. And honestly? I'm not surprised. The stigma around male cosmetic treatments is dissolving fast, and my male patients finance professionals, executives, men in their 40s and 50s who want to stay competitive — are not interested in looking “done.” They want to look like a better version of themselves. Rested. Proportionate. Sharp.
But here’s what I want more men to know: men’s Botox in NYC is not the same as Botox for women. Not in the anatomy, not in the dosing, and not in the goals. If your injector is treating you like a smaller woman, you’re not going to get the result you want.
Here’s what’s actually different and what I look for when I treat a male patient.
Male Facial Anatomy: Why It Changes Everything
The most important difference starts with muscle. Men’s facial muscles particularly the frontalis (forehead), procerus (between the brows), and corrugator supercilii (the muscles responsible for the “11s”) are denser, stronger, and deeper than women’s equivalent muscles. They’ve had decades to contract with greater force.
That means two things:
Men typically need more units. Where a woman might need 15 -20 units across the forehead, a man with strong frontalis activity often needs 25–40 units to achieve the same softening effect. Under-dosing is the most common reason men leave a session disappointed with results that last only 6–8 weeks instead of the expected 3–4 months.
Placement and depth need to adjust. The injections need to reach deeper into the muscle belly. A technique calibrated for thinner female musculature won’t adequately relax heavier male anatomy.
Skin thickness also plays a role. Male skin tends to be thicker on average, which affects how the neurotoxin diffuses and informs how I assess results at follow-up.
The Brow: The Most Important Male-Specific Consideration
This is where male Botox can go visibly wrong. In women, we often use Botox to subtly lift and arch the lateral brow. In men, the brow should stay flat. A strong, straight brow reads as masculine; an arched brow is a dead giveaway that something was done.
I map my male patients’ brow position before every injection. The goal is softening the lines without altering brow position which requires a precise, conservative approach to the lateral frontalis. Too much relaxation there, and the brow migrates upward in an unnatural way.
The Areas That Matter Most for Men
My male patients typically focus on three areas:
Forehead lines. Deep horizontal creases that can make a man look older or more stressed than he feels. The goal is softening, not freezing you should still be able to raise your eyebrows. The face should move; it just shouldn’t be etched.
The “11s” (glabellar lines). The vertical crease between the brows that reads as perpetually angry or tired. Men often have very deep-set 11s that require firm dosing of the procerus and corrugator supercilii.
Crow’s feet. For men, the goal is usually softening rather than elimination. Total elimination around the eyes can look unnatural on a male face a light softening preserves the character without erasing it.
If you’re curious what a full upper face treatment looks like, I’ve outlined the approach on the service page.
Masseter Botox: A Particularly Useful Treatment for Men
One of the most rewarding treatments I offer male patients is masseter Botox — injections into the large chewing muscles at the sides of the jaw. Where women often seek this to soften a square jaw, many of my male patients want something different: they want to refine the jaw while managing jaw tension, grinding, or TMJ discomfort.
Relaxing the masseter can reduce chronic clenching headaches while giving the jaw a cleaner, more angular appearance not slimmer, but sharper. It’s a genuinely functional treatment with an aesthetic benefit, which is often exactly what resonates with male patients.
If you grind your teeth, clench under stress, or wake with jaw or neck tension, masseter and grinding Botox is worth a conversation.
What Men Actually Want From Botox
My male patients tend to want one thing above everything: deniability. No one at the office, no one at home, no one across the table in a meeting should know they did anything. The goal is to look like you’ve been sleeping well, working out, and managing your stress.
That shapes every decision I make. I won’t over-relax the forehead. I won’t touch areas that don’t need treating. I won’t give you the same protocol I’d give a 38-year-old woman.
The Botox Club: The Most Efficient Way for Men to Maintain Results
Once my male patients see results, they want to maintain them consistently — without the friction of rebooking from scratch each time or potentially seeing a different injector. That’s exactly why I created the Botox Club: a prepaid annual membership that guarantees the same injector, at a predictable cadence, with touch-ups included.
For male patients especially, consistency and privacy matter. Same appointment, same result, same discretion every time.
Ready to start? Book a consultation at 455 Madison Avenue, Spa Level, NY 10022.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many units of Botox does a man need?
Men typically need more units than women because of stronger, denser facial muscles. For the classic three areas (forehead, 11s, crow’s feet), most men need 35–60+ units depending on muscle strength and depth. I assess this individually at every appointment I never prescribe a fixed number without seeing how your muscles respond.
Is men’s Botox obvious?
Only if it’s done incorrectly. The most common signs of overdone male Botox are a frozen forehead, an arched brow, or a face that doesn’t move. Done correctly with dosing calibrated to male anatomy and a conservative brow approach the result looks like you’ve had a very good month, not a procedure.
How long does Botox last for men?
In my clinical observation, men often metabolize neurotoxin slightly faster than women, particularly those with higher muscle mass or very active lifestyles. A 3–3.5 month treatment interval is realistic for most men. Starting treatment before lines deepen at rest tends to extend the interval over time.
What areas do you recommend for men new to Botox?
I usually suggest starting with the area that bothers you most for most men, that’s the 11s or the forehead. I assess muscle strength at your first visit, start conservatively, and adjust at your two-week follow-up. I’d rather under-treat on session one and correct at two weeks than over-treat and leave you with an unexpected result.
Do men need a different injector?
Not a different injector, but an experienced one who understands male anatomy and aesthetics. An injector who primarily treats women and applies the same technique to male patients tends to under-dose or produce brow changes that don’t suit a male face. Ask specifically about their experience treating men.