Botox & Dysport

Botox Cosmetic and Dysport are both non-invasive treatments that are used to eliminate the frown lines between the brows, flatten deep forehead wrinkles, and soften ‘crow’s feet’ eye wrinkles. They work by relaxing the muscles of the face, which helps to produce a smooth and relaxed appearance. Contrary to what some believe, the aim of this treatment is not to create a frozen look with no expression; the goal is to soften lines with preservation of a natural appearance. The treatment is relatively quick, and patients can immediately return to normal activities.

The most common areas treated with Botox or Dysport are the glabellar lines (in between the brows), forehead wrinkles, and crows feet. There are “specialty” areas listed below that our plastic surgeons could treat:

Gummy Smile Reduction
Masseter Reduction for jawline slimming
Mentalis Muscle for chin dimpling
Platysma muscle for neck wrinkles and muscle banding

FAQS:
There is no downtime after this treatment.
Patients can return immediately to work after treatment.
Most patients will notice an improvement within 3 – 5 days, but the maximum effect may take up to two weeks.
Most patients experience little to no pain during treatment.
While most patients experience results for three to four months, some may note results lasting up to six months.
This treatment is not performed on women planning to get pregnant, pregnant women or breast feeding women.

There is very little preparation for a treatment. However, patients should avoid taking aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, St. John’s wort, or high doses of Vitamin E supplements for one week prior to treatment. These agents could lead to bruising after injection. Also, patients who have previously suffered from facial cold sores are sometimes prescribed a medication to minimize recurrence.

The difference between the two products comes down to varying formula characteristics:

Dilution:
Dysport is diluted differently than botox. So if a patient is used to a certain number of Botox units for a treatment they will likely need to increase the number of units when switching to Dysport (or vice versa). However, greater dilution does not mean that Dysport is less effective than Botox. It just means that a higher quantity of Dysport is needed to achieve the same level of result. For clinics that price the products by the unit, you will find that that price per unit of Dysport is typically much lower than the price per unit of Botox, but to get a similar treatment result the final cost may be about the same.

Molecule size:
The Dysport formula contains smaller molecules compared to Botox, which may be beneficial. Smaller molecules enable Dysport to work faster than Botox and a larger area of spreading. In some areas this is beneficial and in some areas this is not. That is why it is very important to go to a provider who has lots of experience and expertise in proper dosing and placement of your neurotoxin.

Diffusion:
Dysport tends to diffuse more than Botox, causing it to spread to a broader area after it’s injected. This means a larger treatment area can be addressed in fewer injections, which can be beneficial when addressing larger treatment areas. However, this diffusion means Dysport is less effective in treating smaller areas where more precision is needed or areas with thicker muscles.

Onset:
Compared to Botox, Dysport has the quickest “onset” of action; typically requiring 24 hours for all results to be realized. Botox can take up to 72 hours for results to fully establish.