Q&A with Dr. Kulick! On the menu this week:

Q: “What’s the difference between Dysport and Botox? Is one recommended over the other?”

A: Before they enter my office, many patients are already familiar with Botox, an injectable that relaxes the muscles that cause wrinkles such as frown lines, forehead lines, and crow’s feet. Botox is manufactured by Allergan and has been around for over 20 years. It has an extremely high safety and efficacy profile.

In 2009, Medicis (the maker of Restylane) brought a Botox competitor to market, by the name of Dysport. Although it is newer to the US, it has been available in Europe for a long time (it was previously known as Reloxin).

Overall, the two injectables are very similar. Both utilize botulinum type A to relax the muscles that cause lines to appear on the face. Dysport is a smaller-sized molecule so its unit measurement is different than Botox. Both have been in use for years, have a high safety profile and both can be injected every three to six months. In double-blind clinical studies, both the patient and the doctor could not tell the results apart.

Here are the main differences between Botox and Dysport:

• Dysport may not last quite as long (duration of efficacy). This is still being debated and studied.
• Dysport has a slightly quicker onset (2-5 days vs. 4-7 days for Botox)
• Dysport can diffuse more (i.e., spread to a wider area). This can be advantage in some areas of the face and a disadvantage in others.
• You may need more Dysport to get the same result as Botox. (This is being still being studied and debated.)

Ultimately, it is far more important WHO is injecting your Botox or Dysport, than which of these two products you are using. Mistakes (e.g, “the droopy eye”) are often the result of people’s actions, not the product.

ALWAYS do your homework and select a board-certified plastic surgeon for your invasive or non-invasive treatments. To learn more, check out Dr. Kulick’s website, or contact our office!