Anti-wrinkle injection pricing in Christchurch in 2026 ranges from roughly $5 to $20 per unit, with most reputable clinics sitting between $7 and $15. The total cost of treating a single area, such as the frown lines, typically lands between $180 and $500 depending on the product, the units required, and the clinic.
That is the short answer. The longer answer is more useful, because the per-unit number is only one part of what you actually pay for.
I am Shontelle, the registered nurse who runs Silk Clinical Aesthetics on Victoria Street. This article walks through how anti-wrinkle pricing actually works, what changes the final number, and how to read a quote you have been given by any clinic in the city.
How Anti-Wrinkle Pricing Works
Anti-wrinkle injections are charged by the unit, not by the area. A unit is a measure of the active ingredient (botulinum toxin type A) in the product. Two products dominate the New Zealand market: Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) and Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA).
The two products are not measured on the same scale. One unit of Botox is roughly equivalent to 2.5 to 3 units of Dysport. This means the per-unit price of Dysport will always look lower than Botox, but the total cost of treating the same area is broadly similar.
When you compare clinics, do not compare unit prices in isolation. Ask for the total cost of treating the specific area you want done, with the product the practitioner is recommending. That is the number that actually compares.
For the clinical differences between the two products and how a practitioner chooses, see Anti-Wrinkle Injections: Botox vs Dysport, What's the Difference?.
Typical Cost by Area
These ranges reflect what reputable Christchurch clinics charge in 2026 for a single area, including the product, the treatment, and a basic follow-up. They are guidance, not quotes. Your actual cost depends on your muscle strength and the units required.
Frown lines (glabella): typically 20 to 25 units of Botox or 50 to 60 units of Dysport. Total cost in Christchurch ranges roughly from $200 to $400.
Forehead lines: typically 10 to 20 units of Botox or 30 to 60 units of Dysport. Total cost ranges roughly from $150 to $350. The forehead is often treated together with the frown lines because relaxing one without the other can produce an unbalanced result.
Crow's feet (around the eyes): typically 12 to 24 units of Botox per side, or 30 to 60 units of Dysport per side. Total cost ranges roughly from $200 to $450 for both sides.
Bunny lines (nose): typically 4 to 10 units of Botox. Total cost ranges roughly from $50 to $150.
Lip flip: typically 4 to 6 units of Botox. Total cost ranges roughly from $50 to $100.
Masseter (jawline slimming and bruxism): typically 25 to 50 units of Botox per side, or 60 to 120 units of Dysport per side. Total cost ranges roughly from $400 to $1,000 for both sides. This is a larger treatment that doubles as a clinical intervention for jaw clenching and grinding.
Neck bands (platysma): typically 25 to 50 units of Botox. Total cost ranges roughly from $400 to $800.
Hyperhidrosis (excessive underarm sweating): typically 100 units of Botox total across both underarms. Total cost ranges roughly from $1,000 to $1,400. This is a larger treatment with a longer duration of effect.
A multi-area treatment, often called a "three-area treatment" (frown, forehead, crow's feet), typically falls between $500 and $900 in total. Many people start with a single area and add others over time.
What Affects Your Final Price
Several clinical and practical factors influence what you actually pay.
Muscle strength: People with stronger muscles need more units to achieve the same result. Younger patients and men often require higher dosing than older patients or women. This is not about gender, it is about muscle mass.
Severity of lines: Static lines (visible at rest) often need a higher dose to soften than dynamic lines (only visible when moving). Established lines may also benefit from filler in addition to anti-wrinkle injections, which is a different conversation.
Treatment area: Some areas, such as the masseter, simply require more product because the muscle is large. The unit count is not negotiable for a clinical result.
Product chosen: Dysport often works out at a slightly lower per-area cost for larger areas because of the conversion ratio. For smaller, more precise areas, Botox is often the practitioner's choice for clinical reasons, not pricing reasons.
First treatment vs maintenance: Your first treatment may use slightly more units to establish the result. Subsequent maintenance treatments often need fewer, because the muscle has weakened from reduced use. This is a real saving over time.
Practitioner experience: More experienced injectors do not necessarily charge more, but they tend to use product more efficiently, achieving the desired result with fewer units. A senior injector at $14 per unit may produce a better result for less total money than a junior injector at $9 per unit.
How to Read a Quote
A reasonable anti-wrinkle quote should include the product being used, the per-unit price, the estimated number of units for each area, the total cost, and any additional fees (consultation, follow-up). If any of those are missing, ask.
If the quote is presented as a flat package price for an unspecified number of units, ask how many units that includes. Package pricing is fine when the unit count is disclosed, and a flag when it is not.
Be cautious of prices presented as a discount from a fictional higher price. Reputable clinics do not run discount-style promotions on prescription medicines.
What you are Paying For Beyond the Product
The product itself accounts for a portion of what you pay. The rest covers everything that surrounds the injection.
The practitioner's time: A registered nurse with years of injecting experience charges for that experience. The injection itself takes minutes; the assessment, planning, and aftercare conversation is what makes the result good.
Consumables and clinical overhead: Single-use needles, syringes, sterile supplies, the prescriber relationship, premises, equipment, insurance, and the regulatory compliance that comes with administering a prescription medicine.
The follow-up: A clinic that includes a two-week review in the price will catch any asymmetry or under-dosing while there is still time to correct it. A clinic that charges separately for follow-up may not see you again until your next treatment.
Emergency preparedness: Cosmetic injectables carry rare but serious risks. A clinic that maintains an emergency protocol, keeps hyaluronidase on site, and has a documented response plan absorbs the cost of all of that into its pricing.
Pricing at Silk Clinical
Our 2026 anti-wrinkle pricing is straightforward.
- Dysport: $6 per unit
- Botox: $14 per unit
The per-unit price includes the consultation, the treatment itself, and a follow-up review if you want one. There are no separate consultation fees for an injectable appointment, no booking fees, and no extra cost for using one product over the other.
For a typical three-area treatment (frown, forehead, crow's feet), most patients land between $500 and $850 with us depending on dosing. For single-area treatments, the most common starting point is the frown lines at $280 to $350.
For a full quote on your specific treatment, the most accurate path is a consultation. We will assess your face, recommend the units required, and quote the total before any treatment is done. If the quote is not what you expected, you are free to walk away. We expect that to happen sometimes and we do not pressure on the day.
For our current full pricing, see the pricing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Dysport cheaper per unit than Botox?
Dysport's units are smaller. A unit of Dysport contains less active ingredient than a unit of Botox, so you need more Dysport units to achieve the same effect. The conversion is roughly 1 unit of Botox to 2.5 to 3 units of Dysport. Once you account for that, the cost of treating the same area is broadly similar between the two products.
Is the cheapest Botox in Christchurch a bad idea?
Not always, but it warrants more questions. A low price can reflect a clinic legitimately keeping costs down or a junior injector still building experience, both of which can be fine. It can also reflect cut corners. The relevant questions are who is injecting, what product, what is included in the price, and what happens if there is a complication. If those answers hold up, the price is fine.
How often do I need to come back?
Anti-wrinkle injections typically last three to four months. Most patients book maintenance every three to four months for the first year, then often extend the interval to four to six months as the muscle weakens with reduced use. Annual cost stabilises after the first year.
Are there any hidden costs?
There should not be. Ask explicitly during the consultation: is there anything else I would be paying for beyond the units you have quoted. The answer should be no, or a clear explanation if there is. Top-ups within two weeks of an initial treatment are usually included or free at reputable clinics, because the clinical convention is to under-dose rather than over-dose on first treatment.
Do prices include GST?
In New Zealand, displayed cosmetic clinic prices typically include GST, but verify this when you book. At Silk, all displayed prices include GST.
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