Botox v Dysport: What's The Difference?
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There are so many injectibles on the market, from neurotoxins to dermal fillers, it’s a challenge to keep them all straight – let alone determine the best fit for you.
With two of the more popular injections being Botox and Dysport, the biggest question asked in both the Dallas and Colleyville SkinSpaMED locations is: “what’s the difference?”
Botox is an injectable that relaxes the muscles that cause wrinkles such as frown line, forehead lines, and crows feet. It’s made by a company called Allergan, has been around for more than 20 years, and has an extremely high safety and efficacy profile.
“Ultimately, it is far more important WHO is injecting your Botox or Dysport, than which of these two products you are using.”
In April of 2009 the FDA approved a new Botox competitor, Dysport.
Dysport is marketed by a company called Medicis (also the company who makes Restylane), and although it’s relatively new here in the US, it has been available in Europe for quite some time. You may also have heard of Dysport as Reloxin, which was its former name.
Overall Botox and Dysport are very similar. Both are a type of botulinum type A used to relax the muscles that cause frown lines and other over active muscles of the face, like forehead lines and crows feet. We tell our clients it’s like comparing apples to apples. There’s a difference between a delicious red apple and a granny apple, but they are still both apples. Dysport is a smaller-sized molecule so its unit measurement is different than Botox.
Both have a high safety profile, both can be used on other parts of the face and body, and both Dysport and Botox must be injected every 3-6 months.
Dysport may be slightly less expensive in some offices, but it depends on the office and, of course, the total amount needed to accomplish your goals. Both show similar efficacy and side effects, and in most double blind clinical studies both the patient and the doctor were unable to tell the results apart.
Main Differences:
Dysport may not last quite as long (duration of efficacy). This is still being debated and studied.
Dysport has a slightly quicker onset (2-5 days vs 4-7 days for Botox)
Dysport diffuses more (i.e., spreads to a wider area). This is an advantage in some areas of the face and a disadvantage in others.
You need more Dysport to get the same result as Botox. This is being studied and debated still.
Ultimately, it is far more important WHO is injecting your Botox or Dysport, than which of these two products you are using.
Contact SkinSpaMED in Dallas at (972) 392-3895, or in Colleyville at (817) 281-8181 with any questions or to book an appointment.
