September 20, 2022
When talking about injectables, you’ve mostly likely heard about Botox, but there’s another that should also be taken into consideration—Dysport. Is there a difference between botox and dysport? If so, what? How do you know which injectable is right for you? I’m going to answer all of your botox and dysport questions, also breaking down how they work and what to expect.
By: Kristin Gaskins, NP
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Botox and Dysport are two different brands of neuromodulators or neurotoxins. These types of medications work by blocking chemical signals between the nerves that tell the muscles to contract. By blocking this signal, the muscles can then relax. This results in decreased muscle movement and over time can help with dynamic (moving) and static (at rest) lines/wrinkles. There are other brands on the market, but these are the two that we offer at Atalo Aesthetics.
So yes, botox & dysport are technically “the same” and work to improve or treat similar skin concerns. With that said, there are some differences, mainly in how long each lasts and how quickly results will begin to show.
As mentioned above, both Botox and Dysport have the same relaxing effect on the muscle. Each product lasts about three months. The duration of action is directly related to the dose of the medication, but it can also vary person-to-person based on individual metabolism.
It is also important to remember that both products take time to reach full effect, maintain the full effect for a number of weeks, and then gradually wear off resulting in more muscle movement over time. It is not ideal to do injections more frequently than every 12 weeks, so if you start to have movement significantly earlier than 10-12 weeks, discuss this with your injector.
One of the major differences between Botox and Dysport is onset of action. Typically, Dysport starts to have its effect on the muscle around day 3 with full effect at day 10. For Botox, muscle relaxation begins around days 5-7 with full effect at day 14.
Another difference between the two products can be in the preparation. Each product arrives in powder form. This powder is then mixed with water to form the product that is injected into the muscle. The amount of water used to mix the product can vary. This is determined by a number of factors and can often vary by office location/provider as well. Here at Atalo, we prepare both products exactly the same.
So how do you know what the best product is for you? This isn’t a black and white answer. It often comes down to personal preference. At our office, we use almost 95% Dysport on our patients. We also carry Botox for those patients who prefer this over Dysport. Often times, if the product seems to be wearing off faster despite increasing the dose, your provider may recommend switching brands. Each individual metabolizes the product differently and that is why we carry two options to provide the best results for patients.
We recommend trying both to see which works best for you! And like we said, if you’re not seeing results with one—try the other. Most of our patients find better results with Dysport, but it’s also great to have options when trying out new treatments.
Both Botox and Dysport can provide natural results. Talk with your provider to decide what is going to be best for you and the best to reach your individual goals. If you are interested in getting started with Botox or Dysport or would like to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our providers, click here to fill out our form and we’ll be in touch! You can also call us at (513)-984-2000 with any additional questions.