A New Botox?

June 10th, 2009 | Posted in: Botox Restylane Juvederm - oh my! |

A New Botox?

Botox vs. Dysport

Sound the trumpets! A true challenger for the anti-wrinkle throne that has been monopolized by Botox will be available in about a month… Dysport!

Seriously though, Dysport has been clinically tested and used in Europe (under the name Reloxin) and South America with promising results… and now has been approved by the FDA for cosmetic use in reducing facial wrinkles. How do they compare, you ask? Well, here’s a summary of the current literature:

Similarities:

They are both the same basic ingredient: Botulinum Toxin A.

They both have similar mechanisms of action: Block neurotransmitter release, stopping the signals from nerves to muscles.

Differences:

In clinical studies, some researching doctors noted that Dysport “spreads more” during injection. This is beneficial in that large areas, like the forehead, may require fewer injections due to the spreading of product. But it can also be detrimental in that more side effects may be produced from spread into unwanted areas, like the eyelids. This makes it even more important to make sure your doctor is an experienced injector with an excellent understanding of the more complex facial musculature.

Dysport is reconstituted with more dilution as compared to Botox, which can cause some confusion for clinicians not adept at determining how many units to inject in each area. This dilution has resulted in better cost effectiveness in the United Kingdom as compared to Botox.

If Medicis, the maker of Dysport, follows in line with similar prices to those seen in the UK, we can expect it to be cheaper than Botox for similar treatments. As for which product lasts longer, many European doctors are very complimentary of Dysport, and claim that it lasts longer than Botox. U.S. clinical trials have not verified this, with some even saying that it has less efficacy than Botox. Only time will tell who is the true King of the anti-wrinkle ring.

While these two anti-wrinkle giants battle it out over the next year, they better keep both eyes open: Another contender is running towards the ring to challenge them in a Battle Royal very soon: Purtox!