As many of my patients know, I thoroughly research and investigate any new product on the market in order to provide the best possible cosmetic care to my patients.   I will only introduce something new into my practice if I think it will be better or adjunctive to what is already avaialble.  In addition, safety is a major concern for me. This way my patients know that they are getting both the best possible and safest care around.  I take this trust very seriously and it’s the cornerstone of my practice.

This being said, I am excited to announce the introduction of Dysport when it becomes available in the next couple of weeks.  Just like Botox, Dysport is a simple, in-the-office procedure that can be performed with no downtime. Dysport is a neurotoxin, just like Botox, that improves your appearance by correcting the dynamic wrinkles of your face.

I want to recap some of the potential differences between the two products. In order to best do this, we need to break down the potential benefits into several categories.

1) Effect- Which will achieve the best results- Botox or Dysport? Theoretically they both work in exactly the same fashion, so they should be about the same. Anyway you look at it, Botox is the gold standard and Dysport needs to prove that it is at least as good as Botox. Phase 3 clinical trials usually require that the new product be at least as good as the gold standard. So receiving FDA approval tells us at least that much about Reloxin.

One thing that is important to note is that Dysport has been used in the past on patients who were resistant to Botox. I have seen several patients receive no benefit from a botox injection.  Dysport was effective and beneficial for them.

Dysport is said to spread more easily then Botox. This means that it has an effect farther away from the point of injection. This could be very beneficial in some instances and not so much in others. For example, injecting the crow’s feet or the forehead may require only one injection instead of several. I see this as a moot point since I have never had a patient complain of any pain when I inject their crow’s feet. However, less injection points will lead to less bruising, in the rare instances that bruising can occur. On the other hand, there are areas where you want to minimize the spread of product, Botox may have the upper hand in these regions.

2) Longevity- As Botox lasts 4-6 months, how long will Dysport last? Several research studies have compared the two products. Anytime I look at a study of a commercial product, I pay attention to the influence of the pharmaceutical company on the study.  If the study was funded by one of the copanies, it is an obviosu bias that may impact the results. One study, which was NOT biased by support from either company, revealed that Reloxin actually lasted longer then Botox. I wouldn’t make the final conclusion just yet because other research studies have shown the opposite.

3) Price- Allergan, the makers of Botox Cosmetic, have enjoyed a competition free environment up until now. Perhaps consumers will reap benefits from increased competition in the marketplace. The pricing has come out and Dysport may have a slight advantage over Botox.

We are excited to be one of the first practices in the area to carry this product. Amazingly there is already a waiting list of patients excited about it. Please call us to reserve a spot if you are interested.