Dysport vs. Botox- What’s the Difference?

To age gracefully is everyone's dream. However, everyone's idea of how to age gracefully is different. Some believe in aging naturally, without cosmetic procedures, and some want a little help to look more youthful a little longer. Nowadays, many people are saying 60 is the new 40 and 40 is the new 20. You are your own person, and it is your choice on how you want to look and feel every day of your life. If you are interested in a little help from injectables like Botox or Dysport, keep reading as we compare the two to help you decide which is best for you.

What are Botox and Dysport?

Before getting into the differences between the two injectable wrinkle erasers, we will discuss how they are similar. Both are a form of botilinumtoxinA, which is a neuromodulator, or neurotoxin, that stops the nerves from reaching the muscle receptors. It temporarily stops the muscle function and, over time, with repeated treatments will weaken the muscle. This means that even though these treatments will not "iron out" your wrinkles, they will temporarily smooth them out and make them less noticeable over time.

What Do the Treatments Do?

Both are FDA approved for the treatment of dynamic wrinkles. Dynamic wrinkles are those that are created by muscle movement, i.e., frowning, squinting, scowling, laughing, furrowing your brows, etc. Static wrinkles are those that form from loss of collagen and elasticity. Static wrinkles are treated with a combination of hyaluronic acid fillers and a neurotoxin injectable.

What is the Treatment Process?

When you visit your med spa, like ours, Royalty Care Med Spa, or aestheticians office, you will receive a consultation to assess your needs and which treatments would best work for you. Once you've decided that a neurotoxin treatment is for you, here is what the process will be like for both Dysport and Botox treatments.

Many do not feel pain during the procedure, but your doctor might use topical anesthesia, ice, and vibration anesthesia (a massage technique) to make you more comfortable during the procedure.

The procedure can last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on the areas being treated and the number of units being injected. Because the treatment doesn't last long, this means you can go during your lunch hour to receive your treatment.

There is little to no discomfort after the procedure. You might feel some soreness where the needle was inserted, but that is only temporary and lasts only a couple of hours.

The treatments are temporary, both lasting about 3-6 months. There is some variability in each person's length of results because of how their body reacts to the treatment. We took a more in-depth look at the botox treatment length in our article "How Long Does Botox Last?"

Age Limit

There is no age limit for those who want to receive treatment. Both treatments are approved for medical purposes like muscle spasms, excessive sweating, overactive bladder, migraines, and even depression. These treatments have been used during pediatric medical procedures as well as helping the older population.

The Differences Between Botox and Dysport

Now that we have discussed the similarities, we will discuss the differences in each treatment.

Who Shouldn't Get the Treatment

Even if getting the treatment for purely cosmetic purposes, it is not recommended for people who are pregnant or take medications for muscle spasms. Additionally, Dysport is not recommended for people who have milk allergies. Having a milk allergy could be the deciding factor in which treatment you receive.

It is imperative to talk to your doctor about all of your medical diagnoses and medications you take, even the over-the-counter medicines. Your medical history and medication use could be the difference between a fantastic procedure and one that leads to reactions and needing more medical attention.

Treatment Areas

The FDA approved Botox in 2002 for treating crow’s feet, glabellar lines, aka the "II" between the eyebrows and forehead wrinkles.

The FDA approved Dysport in 2009 approved for moderate to severe glabellar lines and crow's feet. However, Dysport can be used to treat the same areas as Botox.

Results

One of the most significant differences between the two treatments is the time it takes to see the results. Botox results can take between 1-2 weeks to see the treatment's final effect, while Dysport only takes about 5 days to start seeing the full effect.