So….i am not sure how i felt about Dysport a few months ago when i first posted about it ( i dont remember what i did yesterday for that matter). I do have a decent impression of it after 6 months of very regular use and patient follow up. And the verdict is good. First off, it definetely kicks in quicker that Botox (my own face kicked in, in only 1 day). As for the length of effect- i have found, with the right dose, i can get it to last about as long as Botox, in the right patient. In older patients or those with deeper wrinkles, maybe its length of action is about 10 percent less in time. BUT…which is a surprising plus….i have definetely found that in the many patients that have used Botox for years and are getting decreasing aesthetic returns in both length and quality of wrinkle reduction, Dysport has given this group a new ‘boost’. I compare it very much to a chronic wine drinker who no longer gets that tipsy buzz they used to get. Give that person a gin and tonic and they are on the floor dancin!. I do believe there will be a role in the future to maybe alternate Botox and Dysport in the same patient. Also….on younger patients and 1st timers Dysport has been equally effective. Thus far it represents about 20-25% of my ‘toxin injections’. Botox still is the #1 name brand and for patients that have always done well with it, i see no reason to change. It is nice to have options…no one likes a monopoly. I do believe Dysport will also play a strong role in the treatment of excess sweating. Stay tuned.

So its about time that Botox, the wonder drug, made by Allergan Corportion now has some competition. Dysport, aka abobotulinum toxin A, has been approved in the USA for several months now. Although used throughout Europe for several years, it took quite some time to come over here. Unfortunately, with its approval, the FDA has placed several warnings and restriction on all available forms of botulinum toxins used in the USA. In addition, the name that Dysport was to be given originally- Reloxin, was nixed during the approval process. So…to answer the common questions- Reloxin IS Dysport and vice versa. The drug itself is a slightly different subtype of the botulinum toxin A compound that “Botox” name brand was originally known for. Is it better? Does it last longer? does it treat wrinkles better? Is it cheaper? Well, after several months of clinical use i will say, for now, that although i am glad that i have the option to use it, it is not a game changer. It definetely kicks in quicker- 1-2 days (as compared to 4-5 days). I believe at the appropriate doses its length of effect is equivalent to Botox but definitely not longer. It certainly doesnt work better. The way that it is used is different- it is a different “language” of use . I tend to use it on younger patients, particularly 1st timers. Also on older patients that have developed some resistance to Botox, i have found Dysport to provide a new jolt of efficacy. Overall Dysport is a nice addition but it will certainly not replace Botox name brand. Although the cost is a bit cheaper, in order to get it to last, higher doses are necessary. In the long run the cost to the patient is equivalent.