Dysport®

BOTOX Alternative for frowns, worry lines, crows' feet and more

Dysport is an injectable chemical muscle relaxant which works almost identically as BOTOX. Developed in the UK in the early '90s, Dysport has been used in Europe for many years for both medical and cosmetic purposes. Dysport was approved here in the U.S. in April 2009 for the treatment deep lines between the eyebrows.

In our first uses at La Jolla Cosmetic Laser Clinic, we’ve found Dysport to be a faster-acting product. Because it is still new to use in the U.S. we don’t have support that it lasts longer, but we’ve heard that some patients in the UK and some FDA clinical trials patients felt Dysport did last longer, though by weeks as opposed to months.

New York Times Article reviews international physicians' opinions on Dysport

Dysport Safety

Dysport was tested in over 2,900 patients in over 80 study sites across the country and was approved as a safe and effective product for reducing unwanted muscle activity in the glabellar area. The dosing Units of DYSPORT are not the same as and are not interchangeable with those of BOTOX. Dosing is determined by a variety of factors such as muscle thickness, patient gender, strength of muscle action and past patient response to neurotoxin injections. Dysport is distributed by Medicis, the same company that provides Restylane.

Dysport Vs. BOTOX

Dysport is made from the same botulinum toxin Type A as BOTOX and is injected in the same way as BOTOX. Both work by temporarily preventing or reducing muscle action, which reduces lines and furrows.

Dysport helps reduce the incidence of frowning, scowling or forehead wrinkling.

Dysport injections are most commonly used between the eyebrows, in the forehead and next to the eyes, where "crow's feet" form. Dysport affects only dynamically caused wrinkles, not those caused by aging or collagen depletion. These lines we can treat with various fillers or lasers such as the ActiveFX or DeepFX.

Dysport in some cases has been found to work well for patients who have developed antibodies to BOTOX referred to as “BOTOX resistance” by some patients.

Good to know: Clinical studies of Dysport found it "spreads more" during injection. This is both a good and a bad thing. It is good in that large areas that need injection (forehead, armpits) would require fewer injections due to the spreading. This would mean less likelihood of potential discomfort, swelling or bruising for the patient. It is bad in that unless the Physician is an experienced injector with a good understanding of more complex musculature (around the eyes, between the eyebrows), the Dysport could spread into unwanted areas causing untoward side effects (blurry vision, droopy eyebrows). Comment source - Realself.com

Related Treatments

• ActiveFX/DeepFX for skin resurfacing and wrinkle reduction
• BOTOX® for relaxing wrinkles on the face caused by muscle contraction
• Medical Grade Skin Peels to chemically remove rough surface skin, improve texture and tone and help reduce pigmentation.

If you would like to learn more about what La Jolla Cosmetic Laser Clinic can do for you, please contact our office today to schedule your first appointment.