Are Botox® and Dysport® the Same?

If you’ve never received antiaging injections before, you might be surprised by how many cosmetic injectables exist. With so many neurotoxins and fillers on the market, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and confused while going over your options. 

While Botox® and Dysport® are similar, there are a few key differences you should discuss with your aesthetician before moving forward. They may come from the same source, but their potency and method of application are markedly different. 

At DiGeronimo MD Advanced Plastic Surgery in Miami, Florida, Dr. Ernest M. DiGeronimo can help determine whether Botox or Dysport is right for you. 

Using injectables to manage wrinkles

A well-known treatment for wrinkles is the trusted injectable. Some injectables are best for filling in the skin under static wrinkles, which are wrinkles caused by gravity, aging, and slow loss of collagen and elastin under the skin surface. These injectables are usually referred to as fillers, and most are made of hyaluronic acid, a substance that occurs naturally in your body.

Other injectables, such as Botox and Dysport, are neuromodulators. These injectables work on dynamic wrinkles (the ones acquired by repeated facial expressions). Neuromodulators temporarily paralyze the facial muscles that are responsible for micromovements. This allows you to laugh, smile, frown, and talk naturally, but you don’t get the bunch of small lines radiating out from the corners of your eyes or forehead wrinkles. 

Botox vs. Dysport 

The main ingredient in both Botox and Dysport is a safe form of a neuromodulator found in botulinum toxin. Botox is more concentrated, and injected directly along the line of each wrinkle around the eyes to address crow’s-feet. Botox is the better known of the two injectables, and is the most widely used.

Dysport is a diluted form of the toxin, and is injected for forehead lines along the deepest wrinkles. Since it’s made of smaller molecules, the injectable spreads out and addresses a larger area. Your doctor will discuss your options with you, evaluate your face, and recommend the option they feel will have the best effects at minimizing your wrinkles and lines. 

How long injections last

Dr. DiGeronimo will inject the appropriate form of the extract into the muscles just below your skin. It usually starts to work immediately, causing the tiny muscles to relax and wrinkles to smooth out.  You can expect the results to last 3-6 months, and the muscle paralysis can also prevent new wrinkles from forming. When the injectable wears off, you can come back for another treatment.  

Are Botox and Dysport safe?

Most patients do well on either Botox or Dysport. Both versions are FDA-approved for treating lines and wrinkles. It isn’t uncommon to feel a little tingling and warmth for a few days. (Use cold packs to take away that feeling.) You may also get a small amount of reddening or puffiness that will fade quickly. 

If you are tired of wrinkles and would like to try injectables, schedule a consultation with Dr. DiGeronimo by calling 305-376-0378, or by requesting an appointment online.