Dysport™ is the highly anticipated and newly FDA-approved alternative to Botox®. It is a simple procedure that will erase your wrinkles and fine lines in between your eyebrows, on the forehead and around the eyes, just to name a few. It works by gently relaxing the muscles responsible for creating facial wrinkles and frown lines.
Dysport™ is a painless and quick procedure, involving the tiniest of injections of muscle relaxing medication to treat localized regions of wrinkles throughout your face. No anesthesia is required, although your doctor may choose to numb the area with a cold pack or anesthetic cream prior to injecting. Discomfort is usually minimal and brief. Anti-inflammatory medication like aspirin or ibuprofen should be avoided two weeks before your Dysport™ treatment to reduce bruising.
During the procedure, Dysport™ will be injected into specific muscles (based on your desired results) using a narrow gauge needle. Your doctor will determine where to administer the injections by examining your ability to move certain muscles in the treated area. The location, size, and use of the muscles that create a wrinkle vary markedly among individuals. You should not rub or massage the treated area for at least twelve hours after your Dysport™ injections.
The Dysport™ procedure usually takes about 15-20 minutes. There is no healing or recovery time after the treatment, so you can continue with your daily routine immediately after the treatment. Most men and women notice initial results 1-2 days following the procedure, but full results will not be evident for several days, as the solution takes effect in the muscle tissue. You may have some swelling and slight redness following the injections which resolve soon after the procedure. Though the results are only temporary, it may last up to 4-6 months. If you discontinue treatment, the frown lines gradually will look like they did before treatment.
As an injector, what difference(s) have you seen with Botox® versus Dysport™? Does one last longer than the other?
Answer:
Botox and Dysport are both Botulinum Toxin A but are made by different companies. They both contain the same active molecule, which causes hyperactive muscles to relax by temporarily disabling the connection from the nerve fiber to the muscle.
Botox has been available for longer, but Dysport is now FDA approved and has been found to be as effective and as safe as Botox. I have been using Botox for almost 7 years and Dysport for about 1 year. From a clinical standpoint, Dysport has a faster onset of action (2-3days) than Botox (3-5 days). Both appear to have an equivalent duration of activity (3-5 months)and efficacy.
A Botox "unit" does not equate to a Dysport "unit." The same effect can be achieved with somewhere around 2.5 to 3 units of Dysport compared to 1 unit of Botox. Most clinics price their products, on a dose equivalency basis, at almost the same price. Both products offer patient rebates.
What is the difference between wrinkle correctors like Botox® and Dysport™ compared to injectable fillers such as Juvederm® and Restylane®?
Answer:
Wrinkle Correctors and Injectable fillers are considered as non-invasive procedures used to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles in men and women. They have been increasing in popularity for those who want to dramatically improve their appearance without undergoing actual surgery.
Botox and Dysport injections use a solution to relax facial muscles to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. They work on the dynamic lines, the lines that move. About two to three days after the BOTOX or Dysport has been injected, results become apparent and can last for three to five months.
Dermal fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm, and Perlane are hyaluronic acid based fillers that restore volume in facial lines and wrinkles. They work on the static lines such as the marionette lines, laugh lines, brow lines, and other wrinkles. Most dermal fillers last for about six to nine months.
While Wrinkle Relaxers and Injectable Dermal Fillers work in different ways, both of these treatments are effective in treating wrinkles and helping patients look years younger.
After years of anticipation, Botox®’s biggest competitor has finally been approved by the FDA for cosmetic use in the U.S. This new wrinkle relaxer has been used to treat neurological disorders outside the United States for more than 15 years and is now approved to treat wrinkles in 23 countries. Dysport™ is made from the same active ingredient as Botox®, Clostridium botulinum toxin type A and is only the second drug to be approved by the agency as a wrinkle treatment.
As we age, dynamic wrinkles form in the upper regions of our face. Dynamic wrinkles include those lines across the forehead (horizontal rhytids), around the eyes (crow's feet), and between the eyebrows (glabella). Dysport™ works by treating specific, wrinkle-causing facial muscles in order to eliminate the dynamic wrinkles. In the proper hands Dysport™ can provide a very natural appearing and dramatic improvement in your appearance.
Dysport™ works by weakening the muscles of facial expression that insert onto the surface of the skin. Once injected, Dysport™ blocks the nerve impulses that cause facial muscles to contract. Weakening the pull of these muscles will decrease the tension that they place on the skin, allowing the wrinkles to smoothen out for an extended period of time, reducing the appearance of wrinkles.
Dysport™ treatments may be more appealing to Botox® treatments in several ways. Dysport™ generally spreads further from the injection site than Botox®, which can be a benefit when large areas are treated. Men and women generally see the results of their treatment with Dysport™ faster than people do after Botox®. Results of Dysport™ are usually visible after one or two days while results of Botox® are visible after three to five days. Results from Dysport™ may also last longer than Botox®, 4-6 months versus 3-4 months. Being the new injectable on the market, Dysport™ may also be more affordable than Botox®.
Potential side effects of Dysport™ are similar to those associated with Botox® treatment. They include local numbness, swelling bruising, and headache. A small percentage of patients may develop eyelid drooping. This usually resolves in three weeks. This development is usually caused by migration of the Dysport™ and for this reason; the treated area should not be rubbed for 12 hours after injection or the patient should not lie down for three to four hours.
Patients who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a neurological disease should not use Dysport™.
Cost
Dysport™ is the newest neuromuscular blocking agent to be approved by the FDA. As a direct competitor to Botox®, pricing of Dysport™ may be one of the top features of this product.
Like Botox®, the price of Dysport™ will vary by injector experience, geographic region, the time of year, how much an individual needs and wishes to get, and the way all injectables are priced in the office. Being the new kid on the block, Dysport™ versus Botox® may have a cost savings in some areas. The costs seen for Dysport™ have ranged from a 5 to 15% savings.
If a practice charges Botox® per unit, then they will most likely do the same for Dysport™. However, it is not a straight unit to unit conversion. Whatever amount of Botox® units it took to achieve the desired results will be different for Dysport™. Dysport™ requires more units per area than Botox® to obtain similar results, therefore the price per unit will be less than that for Botox®. As with anything, actual cost will vary by market area.
Many offices are offering an introductory price for Dysport™, such as $300 for 75 units. Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons may also advertise other discounts such as Dysport™ Banking, where a client will receive a discount on Dysport™ if a specified amount of Dysport™ units is purchased, which can be used over a certain period of time. Some are offering specials in which a patient purchases a set amount of Dysport™ units and they may receive additional units free. There also may be specials combined with the purchase of other cosmetic services, such as dermal fillers.
In summary, the initial pricing of Dysport™ may be considerably less than Botox® and is expected to increase with demand and exposure for both of these products as the other tries to maintain or create market share.
The pros and cons section offers a quick, at-a-glance list of why or why not to have a certain procedure or try a given product. Use this list to share and learn with others about what procedures and products you feel are the best or not-so-best. Honest feedback from real people that have experienced the treatment or product themselves!
