What Is Dysport + What Are the Benefits?
Dysport offers just as many benefits as Botox, but for some reason, it doesn’t get nearly as much attention.
At Skin Pharm, our skin care providers regularly perform both Botox and Dysport, and we want you to know about all the options available to help you reach your goals.
What is Dysport? By the end of this article, we want you to know and love this injectable cosmetic treatment as much as we do.
What is Dysport?
Dysport is the brand name for AbobotulinumtoxinA, a form of botulinum toxin. When injected into targeted facial muscles, that toxin gets to work, slowly freezing them into place.
Although it looks like the injectable cosmetic treatment is magically erasing fine lines and wrinkles, it’s actually stopping the motion of the muscle just underneath them. Instead of removing the fine lines and wrinkles, Dysport smooths the skin to make them appear far less visible.
Dysport (like Botox) can also be used as a preventative. If the muscles aren’t moving as much, fine lines and wrinkles might not form in the first place. However, you don’t want to start getting injectable cosmetic treatments too early — discuss your concerns with your skin care provider to find your sweet spot.
We can also use Dysport with a filler like Juvaderm to get more impressive results. It’s all about finding the right combination of skin care products and treatments to care for your uniquely beautiful skin.
How are Dysport and Botox different?
But what makes Dysport different from Botox? Aren’t they essentially the same thing?
Yes, Botox is also made out of botulinum toxin. Still, the form used to make that specific injectable cosmetic treatment (onabotulinumtoxinA) is a far more concentrated form than the one used to make Dysport. While it may seem like a more concentrated formula would be more beneficial, that isn’t always the case.
Dysport also starts working quicker than Botox, which is a significant benefit if time is of the essence. Where it can take up to two weeks for the full effects of Botox to be seen on the skin, Dysport becomes apparent by day two or three.
While the impact may not be as dramatic as it can be with Botox, it’s a great option if you want a little sprucing up before a big event. However, remember that you may have some side effects for the first few days, so we don’t recommend scheduling your appointment the day before your event.
How long does Dysport last?
Since Dysport is less concentrated than Botox, it’s easy to assume it doesn’t last as long.
Luckily, this is not the case! We find that Dysport lasts just as long as Botox, which is about three to four months on average. Once it starts to wear off, you’ll notice that the injected muscles slowly begin to come back to life. Once these muscles start moving again, the fine lines and wrinkles that were already present on your face will also be more visible.
What are the benefits of Dysport?
Botox and Dysport may be similar, but that doesn’t mean they provide the same benefits. After all, we wouldn’t offer two different injectable cosmetic wrinkle treatments if they didn’t each have their unique benefits!
When it comes to Dysport, there is a specific subset of benefits that it’s particularly good at providing.
SMOOTHING THE APPEARANCE OF FINE LINES AND WRINKLES—
Like its big brother Botox, Dysport is excellent at helping to smooth out the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the face. However, it is exceptionally great at one particular type of wrinkle — glabellar lines (also known as the “11s” due to their appearance).
The glabella is the area of skin between the eyebrows and above the bridge of your nose. Although they are also nicknamed “frown lines,” glabellar lines form due to any repetitive motion of the four muscles in that area — squinting at bright sunlight, frowning or any other way you tend to emote repeatedly.
Because Dysport isn’t as concentrated as Botox, it can impact these bigger muscle groups more effectively.
MAY PRODUCE MORE “NATURAL” LOOKING RESULTS—
Although we aim for everyone to have natural-looking results from our injectable cosmetic treatments, Dysport’s more diluted formulation can be more effective at making that happen. Like Botox, Dysport is injected by the unit.
After a consultation with one of our providers, you can develop a game plan that uses the best treatment to get the results you’re looking for. We’ve found that our clients are extremely satisfied with the results they get from Dysport injections, and we think you will be, too, if you give it a try for yourself!
What side effects should I expect with Dysport?
The most common side effects of Dysport are the same as we see with Botox injections. Mostly, these side effects are due to the physical act of injection, not the medication itself. These include:
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Redness
There is also the possibility of more severe side effects or an allergic reaction, but these usually occur only in rare instances. If you’re concerned about side effects, talk to your skin care provider about ways to reduce the likelihood of them occurring.
Cutting back on alcohol and caffeine before your appointment, icing your injection sites (for no more than 20 minutes at a time) and being open about any other medications you’re taking can help. It’s also extremely crucial that you avoid touching your face as much as possible for at least four hours following your appointment — this includes limiting exercise, too!
To sum things up...
What is Dysport? Although it may not have the same immediate name recognition as Botox, Dysport provides nearly all of the same benefits with a slightly less concentrated formula.
If you’re looking to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, especially on the forehead, Dysport can be an effective form of injectable cosmetic treatment to help your skin really shine.
Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference, so we recommend trying both Botox and Dysport to see which you prefer! Schedule a consultation with one of our advanced practice providers today to get started.
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