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Although it has not yet received the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), PurTox is expected to receive such approval in 2010. When it comes on the
market, PurTox will be a direct competitor of two similar products, Botox and Dysport.
Similarities and Differences
Like Botox and Dysport, PurTox contains a refined form of botulinum toxin, which
temporarily blocks the nerve signals that cause facial muscles to contract. (The
repeated contraction of those muscles is what causes permanent wrinkles to form.)
Like Botox, PurTox was developed by researchers at the University of Wisconsin.
PurTox’s manufacturer, the Mentor Corporation, claims, that its product uses a purer
form of botulinum toxin than Botox. The company also claims that its product can
treat a slightly wider area of wrinkles than Botox (thus requiring fewer injections),
and that it lasts longer. Those claims will have to be confirmed by clinical trials,
however.
The Treatment—and Afterwards
PurTox treatments, like those for Botox and Dysport, take no more than 10 to 20
minutes. Side effects appear to be the same: some temporary redness, swelling, and
bruising. In rare cases, a patient may experience ptosis (a drooping of the upper
eyelid), but that situation usually resolves itself within a few weeks.
Botulinum toxins are not a permanent solution to removing wrinkles. How often patients
will need to return for PurTox touch-up treatments has not yet been determined.
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