Know Your Stuff: Botox vs. Dysport

Try as we might, wrinkles still appear to haunt us.  They are the effects of smoking, skin exposure, facial expressions, and just downright aging.  Luckily, science has come to the rescue!  Research on the main ingredient in Botox, botulinum toxin, has been ongoing since the 1800’s, however it wasn’t until 1949 that Arnold Burgen discovered the modern use for botulinum toxin. By the 1960’s the drug was under rigorous testing, and in the 1980’s a plastic surgeon found it useful in the ongoing battle against wrinkles.  By 2002, the FDA had approved Botox for cosmetic use in the glabellar lines (between the eyebrows).  The race was on! Botox, may be the leader of the pack in the US, with over 3 million Botox treatments performed annually.  But Dysport has been battling head-to-head in Europe for several years. 

But how do Botox and Dysport work?

Though it might take someone well versed in human anatomy and biochemistry to fully understand how these products work, both Botox and Dysport utilize the protein botulinum toxin.  Botulinum toxin inhibits the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that activates muscle activity.  Once the product has been injected into the muscle and absorbed, they block the muscle’s ability to contract, causing the overlying skin to relax.  And voilà! No muscle activity, fewer  wrinkles!  There are differences between wrinkles, however.  Dynamic wrinkles only occur when the muscle underneath the skin contracts and are typically easily treated with Botox or Dysport.  Static wrinkles do not necessarily depend on muscle contraction, so they can be more difficult to treat.

What are the differences between Botox and Dysport?

1.    Structural difference: Dypsort’s protein is smaller than Botox’s protein, which at a cellular level makes a difference for those biochemists and doctors, but for those less well versed, makes little difference in understanding the mechanism of action.  However, the smaller protein of Dysport does have some important side effects that you DO need to know and are listed next.

2.    Different Result Onset Times: Because Dysport’s protein is smaller, you may see results faster than with Botox.  Botox results are visible as early as 5-7 days, but can take up to 14 days for full effect.  However, Dysport will often provide results in as little as 3 days, and may take up to a week to see full effect.

3.    Spread: Because of its smaller protein size, Dysport tends to spread out more from the injection site.  Although that may sound like a huge advantage at first, it does mean  the injector has to use more caution, especially when treating areas such as crow’s feet or the brow lines, so injection expertise becomes even more important.

4.    Unit Amounts: Dysport will be priced significantly cheaper than Botox, however it will typically take 3 times as many Dysport units to achieve the same effect as one Botox unit.  Thus, despite the seemingly cheaper price tag of Dysport, most of us can plan on paying about the same price for either product to achieve similar effects.

How do I know which product is right for me?

With so many options available, and different advantages to each, how do you choose which medication?  If you are allergic to cow’s milk protein, use Botox NOT Dysport.  Sometimes people can build up a “resistance” to Botox.  If you feel you fall into that category, Dysport might be a new option to try.  Because of its smaller protein, it will have fewer problems with antibodies.  If you are in a real hurry to see results (for instance if you have waited until the last minute for a big event) then Dysport is definitely the way to go.  Except for the indications above, choosing between the two is very similar to choosing between Coke and Pepsi, Anne Taylor and Banana Republic, or Domino’s and Pizza Hut.  Try them both out, and see which one you prefer!