Then, earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration gave Dysport its approval for the treatment of glabellar lines, those deep forehead folds that form verticle ridges between the eyebrows. Suddenly, Botox had a U.S. competitor (although their rivalry was already well underway in Europe, Asia, and South America).
Competition is good news, of course, for consumers looking for ways to minimize the facial lines and folds that come with age (or, to be truly precise, with sun exposure). After all, the more treatment options available to you, the more likely you’ll receive the one that’s right for both your skin and for your pocketbook.
Shared characteristics
After several months of going head-to-head (or, rather, face-to-face) in the U.S., Dysport and Botox seem to be coexisting quite nicely. They have their unique qualities, but many physicians and other clinicians who use both Dysport and Botox are finding that the two products are often more similar than different.
The similarities include, of course, the fact that they’re both made from a protein extracted from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. And they both work on a wrinkle the same way: They temporarily block the nerve impulses that cause the muscle under the wrinkle to contract, thus relaxing the muscle—and smoothing out the wrinkle.
Differences: a matter of debate
As for differences, some physicians believe that one works faster and lasts longer than the other. Others disagree, saying that which product lasts longer is a matter of proper dosing (Dysport and Botox come in different-strength units) and that a skilled doctor should be able to achieve similar results with each.
Some physicians report that Dysport tends to spread a bit further from the injection point than Botox. This may be a good thing if you want a larger area treated. But it also means that the person doing the injection must be highly skilled to make sure Dysport doesn’t diffuse to nearby muscles, where it could have an undesirable effect, such as causing the eyelid to droop. Further studies comparing the activities of the toxins by skilled users familiar with both products should further clarify the similarities and differences of each product.
Here’s some reassuring news, however: Dysport’s U.S. marketer, Medicis, reports that the incidence of eyelid drooping (lidtosis) has been low—less than 3 percent—in its clinical trials.
Look for a track record
Finding a skilled physician—one with a thorough understanding of facial anatomy as well as the necessary clinical experience with Dysport—is key, of course, to avoiding unwanted side effects, as it is with any kind of skin treatment. Don’t hesitate to ask your physician questions, and, if you’re uneasy with the answers, seek treatment elsewhere. For more specifics about this latest injectable wrinkle-relaxer—including more about its possible side effects and how long it lasts—see Dysport.