Muscle relaxers are an effective way to smooth away fine lines and facial creases that are wreaking havoc with your appearance. While Botox has led the market as the wrinkle relaxer of choice for many years, a new kid in town gives patients a second option in anti-aging treatments. Dysport, a product very similar to Botox, was introduced a few short years ago and is giving Botox a bit of a run for the money in the battle on aging. Which injectable treatment is the right choice for you?

Similarities

Both Botox and Dysport contain trace amounts of the botulinum toxin type A. The Introduction of this toxin into the targeted muscles of the face can effectively relax the muscles, thus smoothing away the appearance of wrinkles when certain facial expressions are made. The formulations between Dysport and Botox are extremely similar, although Dysport’s solution contains slightly smaller particles.

Both Botox and Dysport have been approved by the FDA for treating the following:

• Horizontal forehead lines
• Vertical lines between the eyebrows (frown lines)
• Fine lines in the outer corners of the eyes (crow’s feet)

In addition to their cosmetic uses, Botox and Dysport are both used in the medical realm to treat chronic conditions like excessive sweating, cervical dystonia, and uncontrollable eye twitching (blepharospasm). The medications may also be used to treat stress urinary incontinence and chronic migraines when other treatments have proven ineffective.

Differences

While differences between Botox and Dysport are fairly negligible, there are some variances to note. The smoother formulation of Dysport makes it diffuse better once it is injected under the skin. This may lead to slightly improved results in some treatment areas. In fact, one small study found that patients that receive Dysport for their crow’s feet tended to be more satisfied with the results of their procedures than patients that received Botox.

In addition, the diffusing action may lead to slightly faster results with Dysport. While Botox results tend to appear in 5-7 days, results of Dysport often see in just 4-6 days. This might make a difference if you are getting your treatment in anticipation of an upcoming event. Some studies have suggested the Dysport might not last as long as Botox, but the jury is still out on that until further clinical studies are performed.

Making the Choice

The bottom line is that both Dysport and Botox are effective anti-aging treatments, which is why we offer both injectable options at Cole Aesthetic Center. Some patients may find that if one of the treatments has not given them the results they were hoping for in the past, the other formulation might provide a better choice.

The experienced staff at Cole Aesthetics will listen to your specific concerns and desired results before recommending the best injectable wrinkle relaxer for you. Rest assured that even more important than the formulation you choose, the experience and expertise of the provider will be the biggest factor in a successful procedure. Dr. Cole has been working with these medications for many years and knows precisely where to place injections to give you the best possible results.

Whether you choose Botox or Dysport, reducing the appearance of wrinkles is as easy as a 10-minute injectable treatment. To learn more, contact Cole Aesthetics at 360.613.2600.