If you crinkle your nose when you laugh or concentrate, chances are you’ve seen a pair of diagonal creases appear along the sides of your upper nose. Those are bunny lines. They look charming in motion, less so when they stick around at rest. The surprising part is how much difference a small, carefully placed dose of botulinum toxin can make. As a provider who treats these lines weekly, I’ve learned that tiny adjustments in technique change the entire expression of the midface, for better or worse. Done thoughtfully, bunny line botox softens what you don’t love without touching what you do.
What bunny lines are, and why they linger
Bunny lines show up as fine, oblique wrinkles that fan from the bridge of the nose toward the inner corners of the eyes. They are produced by the nasalis muscle, especially the transverse portion, which compresses the nasal bridge when you squint, grin, or sniff. Some people use their nasalis as a compensation pattern after botox for frown lines or crow’s feet, a bit like how the brow recruits different muscles once the frontalis settles. Over time, repeated folding becomes etched in the skin, moving from dynamic lines that appear with expression to static lines that are visible even when the face is still.
Skin quality shapes how quickly these lines set. Photoaging, smoking, and thin skin with low collagen support all nudge expression lines into permanent territory sooner. I have patients in their early thirties who notice bunny lines after several cycles of botox for crow’s feet, and patients in their fifties who have deeper creases because their nasalis works hard to crinkle the nose every time they smile. In both cases, a small correction makes a disproportionate impact because of the location. The nose sits at the visual center of the face. Softening that “pinch” narrows the spotlight on midface movement, which often reads as friendlier and fresher.
Why a small dose does so much
The nasalis is a compact muscle with a specific job. Unlike the frontalis or masseter, which sometimes require larger units for effect, bunny lines usually respond to a micro-approach. Think precision over power. Most patients do well with a total of 4 to 8 units of onabotulinumtoxinA, split on both sides. Some need as few as 2 to 3 units per side if their lines are subtle. The point is not to freeze the nose. It is to quiet the crease that exaggerates when you scrunch.
Small dosing offers three advantages. First, it minimizes migration and unintended spread to tiny muscles that help with smiling and upper lip movement. Second, it gives you control. If a patient returns at two weeks wanting a touch more smoothing, you can add a unit per side rather than wishing you could take units back. Third, it maintains expression. Bunny lines are attractive in motion for many people. Over-treating can flatten character.
Mapping the anatomy that matters
You can feel the transverse nasalis when you snarl lightly, the kind of sniff you do when a scent surprises you. The muscle forms a horizontal band across the bridge of the nose. It lies close to the skin, so very superficial injections usually suffice. Beyond the nasalis, two nearby players matter: the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi (the long name you hear when someone talks about gummy smile treatment), and the orbicularis oculi at the crow’s feet zone. If your units creep forward or up, you might soften the wrong action. That is why placement counts as much as dose.
I mark two points per side in most cases. The first sits along the upper lateral nose, just off the nose bridge, where the crease forms. The second sits slightly lower and posterior, where the wrinkle tail ends. I angle the needle shallow, almost parallel to the skin, and inject intradermally or just subdermally. A small bleb forms when the plane is right. That micro-bleb is a useful visual cue for botox injections on the nose. Deep placement increases the chance of spreading down to lip elevators, which can drop the upper lip in an unflattering way.
The appointment and what to expect
A typical botox appointment for bunny lines takes less than 15 minutes. Patients arrive with clean skin, or we cleanse quickly with alcohol or chlorhexidine. I ask them to scrunch their nose a few times so I can see the exact pattern. Some lines are tight and short, others fan farther. That pattern informs both the number of points and the units per point. For a new patient I err on the conservative side. The first session is as much a calibration as a treatment.
The injections feel like a series of tiny pinches. On the nose they can feel sharper than in the forehead because the skin is thin and nerve endings are close to the surface. Most patients rate it as a two or three out of ten for discomfort. Ice or a vibrating distraction device helps. There is usually no topical numbing because the area is small and numbing cream can increase redness and swelling.
You might see small wheals at the injection sites for 10 to 20 minutes. Mild redness is common. Makeup can go on later that day if the skin is intact. I suggest no heavy glasses resting on the upper nose for a few hours to avoid pressure over the treated spots. No facials, aggressive scrubbing, or nose contour massage for the day. Standard aftercare for botox cosmetic injections applies: keep the head upright for a few hours, avoid vigorous exercise until the next day, and skip saunas or steam rooms for the evening.
When results show and how long they last
Bunny line botox begins to show effect within three to five days for most people, with full results around day 10 to 14. Because this is a small functional area, the shift can feel quick. The next time you smile in the mirror you may see less diagonal crinkling across the bridge. If the movement looks perfect at rest but lifeless in animation, that is a sign the dose was a touch high. I prefer to under-dose and bring you back for a quick add of one or two units at the two-week mark rather than overshoot on day one.
Duration falls in the classic botox range, typically 10 to 14 weeks, sometimes a little less if your metabolism runs fast or if you are particularly expressive. Patients who pair bunny line treatment with crow’s feet or a brow lift often schedule all areas on the same maintenance cycle. Over time, with consistent treatment, the muscle learns a softer pattern and the skin gets a break from repeated folding. That can stretch the interval a bit or reduce the units needed per session.
Who benefits most
Three groups tend to get the most mileage from bunny line treatment. The first is anyone whose midface looks pinched when they smile for photos. They often love their eyes and their cheeks, but the bridge lines betray tension. The second is patients who already receive botox for forehead lines, frown lines, or crow’s feet. When you quiet those larger patterns, the nasalis sometimes jumps in to keep the expression strong. Treating the bunny lines restores balance, so you do not trade one set of creases for another. The third group is people with thin, photodamaged skin who see etched lines at rest along the nose. Paired with skin care and resurfacing options, botox can smooth the movement that keeps those lines active.
Men and women both do well. Men may need a hair more product if their nasalis is thick, but the dose difference remains small relative to other facial zones. People new to botox often find bunny line treatment a gentle first step. It is quick, targeted, and low risk in experienced hands, and the improvement shows up neatly in selfies without changing the overall personality of the face.
How bunny lines fit into a full-face strategy
Botox facial injections work best when the face is treated as a team sport. No muscle moves alone. If you only treat the forehead, the brow may drop or the person overuses crow’s feet to show expression. If you only treat the crow’s feet, the nasalis may crinkle harder. Bunny lines live at that intersection between the eye and midface. So I look at the full dynamic picture before a botox session.
A balanced plan might include light anti wrinkle injections to the glabella for frown lines, a few units around the lateral canthus for crow’s feet, and a micro-dose for bunny lines to keep the midface smooth. Some patients also benefit from a subtle botox brow lift, which opens the eye without making the forehead glossy. Others ask about a lip flip or treatment for lip lines. Those can complement the midface if done modestly. In select cases, botox for a gummy smile uses different points along the alar base and upper lip elevators, and it is critical to separate that pattern from bunny line treatment so the smile stays natural.
For patients bothered by jaw tension or lower face width, botox for masseter or jaw slimming sits in a completely different dose range and timeline. It can reshape the lower face over months, but it will not touch bunny lines. I flag this in consults because people sometimes want one treatment to do too many things. Precision wins. Match each concern to its own plan.
Managing expectations and avoiding a frozen look
The most common fear I hear is that botox will erase expression or make the nose look odd. That happens when the dose is too high or placement is too central. If the product lands too close to the dorsal bridge, you can impede subtle nasal movement that helps shape a natural smile. If it spreads inferiorly toward the lip elevators, you can flatten the upper lip. Gentle doses and lateral placement keep motion where it matters and quiet only the creases that bother you.
Photos help. I take pre-treatment and two-week follow-up photos with the same lighting and a consistent smile. Side by side, patients see that their smile still reaches the eyes, the cheeks still lift, and the bridge looks smoother. This is one of the cleanest examples of botox before and after you can show. The change is real, but it is not the headline. That is the sweet spot in aesthetic medicine.
Safety, side effects, and what to watch
Botox is well studied and widely used, and the nose area involves small doses, which lowers risk further. That said, there are real considerations. Tiny bruises can happen, especially if you take fish oil, aspirin, or other blood-thinning supplements. Plan around big events and consider pausing non-essential supplements for a week if your prescribing clinician agrees. Swelling is usually minimal and resolves quickly.
Transient headache shows up in a small percentage of patients after any botox cosmetic procedure, more often with forehead work than the nose. True allergies to botulinum toxin are rare. The most relevant functional risk for bunny lines is smile asymmetry if the toxin diffuses into the levator complex. This is usually mild and fades as the product wears in a few weeks. Conservative dosing is the antidote.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a neuromuscular disorder, botox therapy is not recommended. Always disclose medical conditions and medications. Choose a qualified botox provider who understands facial anatomy well and uses authentic product.
The role of skin quality
You can quiet a muscle perfectly and still see a faint crease if the overlying skin has lost bounce. That is not a failure of botox. It is a reminder that lines are half muscle, half skin. I pair bunny line treatment with a skin plan: daily sunscreen, a retinoid for collagen support, and gentle exfoliation. In-office, light fractional lasers or microneedling can soften etched lines. For people with melasma or sensitive skin, we adjust accordingly. Botox for face concerns often opens the door, and skin care does the long-term lifting.
Hyaluronic acid fillers around the upper nose are sometimes requested. I approach that carefully. The nose has a sensitive blood supply, and the area near the alar base is not an ideal playground for filler. For etched bunny lines, a trace of very soft filler placed superficially by an experienced injector can help, but I reserve that for rare cases and lean first on botox and skin work.
Cost and value
Prices vary by city and clinic, but a small zone like bunny lines usually sits at the low end of botox cost. You are paying for a few units and for expertise. In many practices, this is billed either per unit or as a mini-package. The range can land anywhere from 60 to 200 USD depending on market, dose, and provider. In my clinic, patients often add bunny lines to their crow’s feet or forehead appointment with two to four units per side, which keeps the overall price manageable.
Beware of deals that sound too good. Authentic product, safe storage, single-patient vials or careful vial handling, and a clinician who has treated many noses all matter more than saving a few dollars. Bad placement costs more to live with than you saved at checkout. If you are new to botox, ask during your botox consultation how many bunny line treatments the provider performs in a typical week. It is a small area, but it rewards practiced hands.
Aftercare that makes a difference
Most aftercare is common sense. Do not press or massage the nose bridge for the first day. Hold off on heavy frames and sports goggles that sit right where you were injected. Sleep as usual, preferably not face down the first night. Resume workouts the next day. If you see a small bruise, a dab of arnica or topical vitamin K can help it fade. If you ever notice unusual pain or blanching in the skin, call your clinic, though this is exceedingly rare with superficial intradermal dosing for bunny lines.
Keeping a simple log helps with botox maintenance treatment. Note your session date, units used, and the day you first noticed movement returning. Over a few cycles you will see your personal pattern. Some patients hold perfectly for three months, others for two and a half. That lets you book a botox appointment proactively, so you do not ride a roller coaster of on-and-off results.
How bunny lines intersect with other functional treatments
Not every botox treatment is about lines. Many people use botox for migraine prevention, for headache patterns related to muscle tension, for sweating with hyperhidrosis, and for TMJ or bruxism tied to overactive masseters. If you are already on a schedule for these medical or functional indications, bunny lines can ride along in the same botox session. Tell your provider so dosing totals and product brands remain consistent, and so the timing of follow-ups makes sense.
For those using botox for under eyes or near the tear trough area, proceed gently. That skin is unforgiving if over-relaxed. Often I prefer to focus on crow’s feet and bunny lines first to refresh the periorbital zone. If you like the change but want more smoothing under the eye, we can consider fractional laser or a touch of neuromodulator placed carefully later.
Real-world examples from practice
A photographer in her late thirties came in for a standard refresh treatment: forehead, frown lines, crow’s feet. She avoided bunny lines because she worried about looking overdone. Two weeks later, her eyes looked great, but her nose creased higher and harder in every smile. We added two units per side to the nasalis. At her next visit she brought side-by-side photos. The difference was not dramatic, yet the whole midface looked calmer. She said clients stopped asking for second takes because her smile read as relaxed on the first try.
A runner in his forties who grinned with his entire face wanted a subtle tune-up but feared a frozen effect. He had thin, sun-exposed skin and light etching at rest across the nose. We used three units per side and left the crow’s feet almost untouched. Two weeks later, he still had lively eyes and cheeks, but the diagonal creases had faded. He called it the most efficient use of six units he had ever tried. Less effort in photos, less self-consciousness at close range.
When not to treat
If your bunny lines only appear faintly and you love them, skip treating them. If your goal is perfect porcelain stillness, know that the nose contributes to the nuance of a real smile. Heavy-handed dosing can sanitize expression. Also, if you are actively ill, on antibiotics for a major infection, or have new sinus swelling, push your botox session a week or two. The nose is a busy zone when you are congested, and waiting improves comfort and precision.
There are rare facial asymmetries where the nasalis is not the main player. Some people show diagonal lines driven more by cheek lift and orbicularis action. In those cases, a few test units help confirm diagnosis. If no change occurs at two weeks, we retarget. This is where an experienced botox specialist earns their keep: by watching the movie of your face, not just the freeze-frame.
Building a maintenance rhythm
A graceful result rarely comes from a single heroic session. The best outcomes come from a steady rhythm of light treatments, clear communication, and a willingness to tweak. I encourage patients to speak up at follow-up: do you miss a bit more crinkle, or do you want it a touch smoother? That feedback adjusts the next dose by a unit or two. Over a few cycles, we land on a formula that feels like you on your best day.
If budget matters, and it usually does, prioritize zones that bother you most. Bunny lines are often a high-yield, low-cost add-on. For some, they rank higher than a lip flip or an eyebrow lift because they influence how the whole midface reads. For others, they are the final polish after forehead and crow’s feet. There is no single botox right order. The right order is the one that matches your mirror and your life.
The bottom line on a small fix with a big payoff
Bunny lines remind me that the face rewards subtlety. You do not need a full face overhaul to look more open, rested, and kind. Sometimes two to eight well-placed units along the bridge of the nose release tension, balance expressions after other botox face treatments, and make your smile photograph the way it feels. That is the quiet magic of targeted botox aesthetic care: one small area, tuned just right, shapes how the whole story reads.
If you are considering botox for bunny lines, bring a few candid photos to your consultation. Show how your face moves when you laugh and talk. Ask your provider to map the nasalis, discuss the dose range they recommend, and set a two-week check. Respect the anatomy, respect the dose, and let time do the rest. When you see the next set of pictures, you will understand why such a small area can create such a big impact.