Dysport vs. Botox

Dysport vs. Botox: Choosing the Right Option for You

When it comes to non-surgical cosmetic treatments for reducing wrinkles and achieving a more youthful appearance, two popular choices are Dysport and Botox. Both of these treatments are widely used to smooth out facial lines and restore a more refreshed look. However, there are some differences between the two that should be considered when choosing the right option for you.
1. Active Ingredients:
The primary difference between Dysport and Botox lies in their active ingredients. Botox is made from onabotulinumtoxinA, while Dysport uses abobotulinumtoxinA. Although both are derived from the same bacterium, Clostridium botulinum, the molecular structures of these substances differ slightly. This distinction can result in variations in how they spread and the dosages required.
2. Onset and Duration:
Another important consideration is the speed at which Dysport and Botox take effect and how long their effects last. Generally, Dysport tends to show results sooner than Botox, with patients noticing improvements within two to three days. Botox, on the other hand, may take a little longer, typically around four to seven days, to see results. In terms of duration, both treatments offer relatively similar timelines, with Dysport's effects lasting around four months and Botox lasting about three months. However, individual results may vary.
3. Diffusion and Spread:
Due to their differences in molecular structure, Dysport is known to have a slightly broader spread than Botox. This characteristic can be advantageous when treating larger areas or addressing wrinkles that are further apart.
4. Personal Preferences and Treatment Objectives:
Deciding between Dysport and Botox often comes down to personal preferences and treatment goals. Some individuals may find that one treatment works better for them. It is essential to consult with a qualified medical professional, such as a licensed injector, who can evaluate your unique needs and advise you on which option may be best suited to achieve your desired outcomes.
In Conclusion:
In the end, both Dysport and Botox are effective treatments with their own set of benefits. Understanding the slight variations between these two neurotoxins is crucial in making an informed decision. By considering factors such as active ingredients, onset and duration, diffusion, and your personal preferences, you can work with your medical professional to determine which option is most suitable for you. Whether you choose Dysport or Botox, remember that both treatments should only be administered by skilled professionals in a safe and controlled medical environment to ensure optimal results and patient satisfaction.

A personal note from our Founder, Kate:

I love Dysport for Cosmetic procedures. I want to be able to move my eyebrows and animate in the way I did before getting tox. Dysport allows me to have natural movement while allowing my expression lines not to take over. It lasts longer for me, too! I like to joke I’m high maintenance so that I can be low maintenance. So, the fewer treatments I have to keep up with throughout the year, the better! Now, here is where I change my story. When it comes to Therapeutic applications for my TMJ and shoulder tension, I go to Botox. I think Botox performs better for Therapeutic applications than Dysport. Our office also takes part in the Alle and Aspire rewards programs. So, we make it easy to save on each treatment!

Okay, okay, so there are so many things to consider. I mean, this is your FACE!!! It’s the first thing people usually see unless you have some epic fashion choices. It’s essential to educate yourself. Please remember these are considerations I would make as a person, professional, and founder of a medspa. These opinions in no way reflect or are meant to put down any provider that may practice in a way I don’t personally agree with, aka no shade!

In no specific order…

1- Make sure you go to a provider that carries more than one brand of tox. This helps you know that they understand that one size DOES NOT fit all.

2-Make sure they perform a lot of tox treatments. As with any treatment or procedure, there can be complications, and should on the rare chance one arise, you want to make sure they’re going to know how to fix it. If they don’t do a significant amount of volume, there is a higher chance they will be less educated on how to fix it.

3-Make sure they are placing the appropriate amount of units in your FACE.  When I say countless, I mean genuinely myriad people who have come into our office for tox and told us how many units they had somewhere else locally, and I’m shocked (jaw on the floor).  This provider is convincing these patients that they need 50 units of tox in their forehead.   Now follow me down the rabbit hole 50 units is a lot of units.  I can think of 1-2 patients who needed 50 units in my entire Medical Aesthetics life.  One of them doesn’t even count because it was revision work from a car accident she had, and her muscles' anatomy was not the same after the accident.  The other had what she referred to “as the skin of a tortoise.”  Yes, she was hilarious, but I digress.   I say that to say that 50 units should NEVER be the starting point for someone.  

Here’s the shady side of the 50 units and why you should be educated.  When Botox or Dysport arrives at our office, we have to do what’s called reconstituting it.  It’s where we take saline and bring to life the Botox or Dysport to make it a liquid so we can inject it.   Think like a drink packet you get; you’d never put the packet into your mouth.  You’d put it in your Stanley or add it to a water bottle, and boom, you have a flavored drink.  Like Botox or Dysport, we inject the saline in the bottle, and boom, we have injectable Botox or Dysport. 

So here is where the shady part comes in: good, honest providers like us and others around reconstitute our Botox or Dysport with a 1:1 ratio, meaning we don’t put two times the saline.  Some providers (I cringe because it’s the most dishonest thing you could do) hyper-dilute their Botox or Dysport, meaning  THEY WATER DOWN THEIR BOTOX AND DYSPORT.  They tell you, okay, you got 50 units today, it will be $500.  When they watered down their Botox or Dysport, they had to give you so many units to compensate for it being watered down.  They advertise $10 a unit or something lower to get you in the door and then make up for it by giving you watered-down units, so you need more. It hurts our hearts, but it happens.

4- Make sure you know the plan. Be curious; ask your provider what tox brand and how many units they inject. It never hurts to run through the treatment with them so you are both sure to be on the same page. You also want to have price transparency before you get to checkout. We charge $299 to treat your forehead and glabella (between your eyes).

5- Understand how your Alle and Aspire accounts work. Both give you 100 points = $10 off. Please make sure your provider asks you before they use your points and verifies with you that you want to use the points. They belong to you. Some Medspas will use the points without asking you first, irritating the patients who planned on saving them or using them for other things like CoolSculpting or Latisse.

6- As with most treatments, it’s a marathon, not a race. You’ll have to find what works best for you. We like to start patients with the expectation they will need to come back in two weeks for a follow-up appointment. At the follow-up appointment, we will determine if their muscles need additional units for best results. Everyone’s muscles are unique. We include any units needed at your two-week follow-up in our pricing at your initial appointment, but some providers don’t, so make sure you have clarity.

7- Lucky number 7 and one of the more important ones. Make sure you like the way your injector looks! More so her injectables. It’s not rude to ask a provider what work they’ve had done or do personally. We choose to be in this industry. That means we love it. We love talking about it. Medical Aesthetics marries medicine with art. Every injector has a different approach. If you walk in and they have loads of filler, and it doesn’t look natural, chances are you’ll end up looking similar. It’s inherently their style. Same for tox: if you walk in and their eyebrows aren’t where they should be, yours probably won’t be either. That goes both ways, though. If someone comes into 127 SKIN and wants that unnatural look, then we aren’t going to be the best provider for them. We do a high volume of natural-looking injectables. That’s what we specialize in.