Dysport
FDA approved for cosmetic use in April 2009, Dysport is the latest injectable wrinkle relaxer to be 
introduced to the U.S. market since Botox Cosmetic was FDA approved in April 2002. Dysport and Botox are very similar and now compete to treat aesthetic concerns, such as:
- Frown lines or eyebrow furrows
- Laugh lines around the eyes
- Neck bands
- Forehead wrinkles
- Mildly droopy eyebrows
Additionally, Dysport is FDA approved for therapeutic use to treat cervical dystonia, or spasmodic torticollis, a condition that causes painful, involuntary muscle contractions in the neck and sometimes shoulders.
Are you a candidate for Dysport treatment?
Dysport treatment effectively reduces moderate to severe dynamic wrinkles, or wrinkles caused by facial muscle movement, for up to six months in both men and women. Medicis, the company that makes Dysport, suggests that treatment is ideally for adults over 18 and younger than 65, however there is no real age limit for Dysport treatment.
Dr. Ljung may recommend Dysport treatment after talking with you about your facial rejuvenation goals and evaluating your health and medical history. Dysport is not suitable for patients who are allergic to cow’s milk protein or any of the ingredients in Dysport, as well as patients who have had an adverse or allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product, such as Botox.
How Dysport injections work
Dysport is a botulinum type A neurotoxin that works by inhibiting the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that controls facial muscle contractions. When Dysport injections are administered, facial muscles are prevented from contracting, which stops dynamic wrinkles from forming and prevents the creation of static wrinkles that occur due to repeated dynamic wrinkling.
Thus, Dysport injections can not only effectively reduce the appearance of dynamic wrinkles, it can also prevent permanent static wrinkles from forming over time.
Dysport side effects
The most common Dysport side effects that have been reported include:
- Headache
- Injection site bruising and swelling
- Temporarily droopy eyelids or eyebrows
- Skin reaction near the injection site
Most potential Dysport side effects can be avoided when Dysport is administered by an experienced injector and all instructions for pre-procedure preparation and post-procedure care are followed.
It is also important to refrain from rubbing or massaging the area treated with Dysport after your injections, as doing so may cause increased Dysport migration to unintended areas of the face.
Botox vs. Dysport
Although no major differences in the effects of Dysport vs. Botox have been proven, some physicians suggest that Dysport may take effect slightly faster than Botox (within one to 10 days), however both products seem to offer the same duration of results. Dysport has also been noted to spread from the injection site slightly more than Botox.
Dysport is measured in units that each constitute about a third of a Botox unit, so while more units of Dysport will be needed to achieve the same results as Botox, each Dysport unit is priced lower than each Botox unit, causing the overall Dysport cost per treatment to roughly equal the overall Botox cost per treatment.
Dysport rebate
Through September 2010, Medicis is offering a special promotion called the Dysport Challenge, which offers patients a $75 rebate toward their next Dysport treatment if they love the results. If patients dislike the results of Dysport injections, the $75 rebate may be used toward treatment with another botulinum type A product, such as Botox.
