Dysport vs Botox: Which One to Choose?

What do you hear when you come to get botulinum toxin injections? It’s something like, “Which product do you want to use? Dysport or Botox?” Most patients don’t know the difference and seek help. If you’re lucky enough, your healthcare provider will assess your face and recommend you the best. In the worst scenario, the injector will try to sell what’s available. What to do in this case? You should take matters into your own hands and prepare in advance. Dysport vs Botox is what we are going to discuss.

What is Botox?

Botox is a drug of the American company Allergan got from a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The main functions of this drug are to reduce skin lines and help relieve some medical conditions. It was first authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1989 to treat twitching and crossed eyes.

In 2002, Botox broke into aesthetic medicine and became an official beauty treatment for frown lines. As of 2017, Allergan earned about $3.2 billion from sales of Botox worldwide. According to recent statistics, the demand for its product will keep growing and increase to about $4.6 billion by 2024.

What is Dysport?

Dysport is a “younger brother” of Botox made by Ipsen in France. If we root deep into history, we discover some interesting facts. In the early 1970s, Alan Scott, the “Father of Botox,” trained his UK doctors in treating strabism with botulinum toxin injections. When the British returned home, they realized that this drug could be an effective option for other diseases.

Dysport was first approved in Europe for the treatment of muscle spasms in 1990. Today, it is the only FDA-approved botulinum toxin treatment to cure pediatric spasticity. In 2009, Dysport eventually gained FDA trust as an aesthetic treatment. Like Botox, it is made from the same active ingredient – Clostridium botulinum toxin type A and has an identical injection technique. So what’s the difference?

Dysport vs Botox

Amount of Drug in a Vial

• Dysport - 300 Units or 500 Units of freeze-dried botulinum neurotoxin type-A

• Botox - 50 Units, 100 Units, or 200 Units of vacuum-dried botulinum neurotoxin type-A

Additional Components

• Dysport - 0.125 milligrams of human albumin, which softens the action of the BT and reduces its diffusion; 2,5 mg of lactose monohydrate. This is a classical excipient in pharmacology used to obtain dosage forms

• Botox - 0.5 mg of human albumin, which softens the action of the BT and reduces its diffusion; 0.9 mg of sodium chloride – component, which helps to dissolve the crystalline complex of BT

Molecular Weight

The smaller it is, the more evenly the drug is distributed over the muscle

• Dysport - 800 kDa

• Botox - 900 kDa

Indications

• Dysport - Facial wrinkles, muscle spasms of the body, and excessive sweating

• Botox - Facial wrinkles, muscle spasms of the body, and excessive sweating

Drug Calculations

• Dysport - 1 U of Botox equals 3 Units of Dysport

• Botox - 1 U of Botox equals 3 Units of Dysport

Price Per Unit

• Dysport - $4-$8 in the US

• Botox - $10-$20 in the US

Average Final Cost

It is based on the following factors: how prominent your wrinkles are, how aggressively you want to treat them, and consequently, the amount of drug injected.

• Dysport - $466, according to 2020 statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons

• Botox - $466, according to 2020 statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons

Onset of Action

• Dysport - 24 hours

• Botox - 72 hours

Effect Duration

• Dysport - 4-5 months

• Botox - 2-3 months

Side Effects

• Dysport - Mild pain, bruising at injection sites, headache, temporary brow ptosis. People with a true milk allergy are best to avoid Dysport because it contains lactose

• Botox - Mild pain, bruising at injection sites, headache, temporary brow ptosis. Botox is absolutely safe for people with milk allergy

Dysport vs Botox: Which One to Choose?

• Dysport and Botox are similar yet different. They both contain the same actives – botulinum toxin type A but have different weights and additives.

• Dysport has less albumin, and its molecular weight is lower than Botox. It can easily spread around, so it best suits moderate to severe frown lines like glabella and forehead wrinkles.

• Botox is more precise and doesn’t spread a lot, making it more suitable for crow’s feet or vertical lip lines. In addition, it doesn’t contain lactose and will be well-tolerated by people with a true milk allergy.