Similarities And Differences Between Botox And Dysport

 

Botox and Dysport:

Back in the nineties, when Botox was first introduced to the public, it spewed a lot of scepticismin public. Nobody wanted themselves to be injected with a certain deadly poison to paralyse healthy muscles in hopes of getting rid of wrinkles. People thought that only the frivolous, vein or reckless people would try it. But apparently, there were a lot of frivolous, reckless, and vain individuals who tried it and made Botox the number one most performed cosmetic procedure globally. Today, more than three million people make the Botox appointment thrice a year with almost as much ceremony as a manicure. Botox has been manufactured by Allegan, who holds the patent for the past 20 years and has a very safe and effective drug profile.

In April 2009, FDA approved a new Botox competitor Dysport. Dysport is marketed by a company named Medicis which also manufactures Restylane. Dysport is relatively new in the US, but it has been used in Europe for some years. Formerly, Dysport was marketed in the name of Reloxin. Botox and Dysport are very similar in nature because both of them are a type of Botulinum Toxin A. comparing them is like comparing different types of apples. Although they are different in colour and taste, they are still apples. Similarly, Dysport and Botox differ in their molecular size only; Dysport has a smaller molecular size due to which its unit measurements are different than Botox. Dysport and Botox have similar safety profiles and their lasting times are three to six months. Dysport might be slightly less expensive in some clinics, but it also depends upon the location and the number of sessions to complete the treatment. They are so similar in their characteristics that doctors were unable to tell them apart in double-blind clinical studies. Both Botox and Dysport are used for the treatment of age related fine lines and wrinkles by relaxing the responsible muscles and controlling the contraction. Both temporarily block the nerve impulses decreasing the muscle movement. Another similarity between the two is that the effect of both is temporary. After 3-4 months, the effect begins to wear off, and the nerve impulses start reaching the muscle again. As a result, the wrinkles start reappearing.

 

Differences between Botox and Dysport:

As discussed above, there aren’t many differences between the two muscle paralysing agents except the following:

• Dysport has a shorter longevity in vivo, i.e. it does not last as long as Botox.
• The onset of action of Dysport is shorter as compared to Botox. The results start appearing within 2-5 days of the treatment, while in Botox the result appears after 4-7 days.
• Due to its smaller molecular size, Dysport diffuses more into the muscles. This property is sometimes advantageous while sometimes due to the diffusion neighbouring muscles are also affected.
• Doctors need more amount of Dysport to get the results that are obtained with lesser amounts of Botox.

Some physicians are elated that there is finally a competitor of Botox in the market because it had monopolised the market for a very long time. But the approval of Dysport has failed to reduce the price of Botox by much as many people thought it would. We live in a society where brand recognition is important, and because Botox has been used for longer and is widely known, people are more comfortable with it. Allergan has also spent a significant amount of money to direct customer advertisement for its publicity. Medicis will have to do similar marketing for Dysport to run successfully in the cosmetic industry.

In my opinion, the more important factor is WHO is injecting the product, rather than which of the two products you are injecting. The ill effects and the mistakes caused by both Botox and Dysport are made by the doctor, not by the product itself as both the products have passed the rigorous safety tests. Botox clinic London branch of CosmeDocs houses the most experienced physicians in the cosmetic industry who know about the nuances of Botox very well. The only effect you will see on your face after getting treated by them is the disappearance of wrinkles from your face.