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Paying $4 for a cup of Starbucks may be a little pricey for your morning joe, but many are willing to spend more for liquid Botox.

Botox sales jumped 13 percent last quarter to nearly $316 million according to a recent American Society for Dermatologic Surgery survey. This Botox boom comes at an unexpected time, during an economic slump. It's causing some to ask, has looking good become a necessity?

After years of living in sunny California, Denise Buchanan says her face isn't glowing. "When I moved here and started looking in the mirror, I went, 'Oh my goodness, what are those'?"

Buchanan started looking for an easy way to look years younger without breaking the bank and still have facial expressions. She decided Botox was her best bet.

Dr. Michelle Welch with Dermatology of Lexington agrees. She says, "It's not a matter of how many wrinkles you have because I can't make all the wrinkles go away. I soften them and give them a much more youthful appearance by softening their features."

Botched Botox can happen and that's why doctors say you should only get fillers from someone who's experienced.

"I tailor each treatment to what I see they [the patient] might need," says Welch.

Botox isn't just for the rich and famous. "It could be for the teacher, the girl working at Zaxby's, or the mom that does carpool," says Welch.

Buchanan says it's not painful at all. Just a little sting. "I feel more beautiful now than I did 10 years ago," says Buchanan.

With unemployment on the rise, a little injection might be the boost some are looking for. Dr. Welch says, "Sometimes those extra lines and wrinkles make them feel like they can't compete with a 24-year-old out of college."

"People still want to be beautiful. I don't care how dirt poor you are, when you look younger, you wanna act younger, you're out there doing more," says Buchanan.

Maybe that's why Botox is booming. Reports show procedures are up 40 percent in just the last six months. Dr. Welch says that could be because there's no down time adding, "It's very simple and very quick. I'll get you in and get you back out. You can go back to work or pick up the kids from carpool."

If you're thinking about getting Botox, doctors say don't shop around based on price. Make sure a board-certified dermatologist or a plastic surgeon does the job.

Dr. Welch says a basic treatment costs about $280 and that should last several months, depending on the patient's skin.