Botox vs. Dysport: My Experience

A lot of you all have been waiting for this highly requested post and I am so excited to bring my Botox and Dysport experiences to you all today.  I would like to preface this post by stating that I am not a medical expert and I am merely telling you all about my experience with both Botulinum toxins and how they worked for me.  Please keep in mind that everyone and every body is different, so feel free to do your own “clinical trial”.

If you are looking for a more extensive post on Botox and injections specifically, I’ve written posts here and here that you can check out.

Botox and Dysport- What’s the Difference?

I’d say the number one question that I get asked is what is the difference between Botox and Dysport.  I think the best analogy is saying they are kind of like Tylenol and Advil.  Both Botox and Dysport are Botulinum Toxins, which means they are both a protein that paralyzes the muscles, essentially relaxing them.  Botox and Dysport are both indicated for use on the forehead, crows feet, and in between the brows.  Botox is manufactured by a pharmaceutical company called Allergan who also makes Juvederm, which is an injectable filler composed of hyaluronic acid.  Dysport is manufactured by a pharmaceutical company called Galderma who also makes Restalyne, an injectable filler.

How much do you get of each one?

So the units of Botox and Dysport are measured differently and can be a little tricky.  I typically get anywhere from 25-50 units of Botox, depending on how long I’ve gone between appointments.  With Dysport, you typically need double the dose of Botox, so I get anywhere from 50-80 units.  The pricing, however, is around the same price.  I know, it sounds so confusing.

Which do you like better?

Ok, so this is a tricky question to answer.  I like both Botox and Dysport for different reasons, but I’m honestly leaning towards liking Dysport better than Botox and here’s why:  I noticed within days that the Dysport was working.  Usually Botox takes a solid 5-7 days to take effect for me.  I noticed that within about 3 days of getting the Dysport that my forehead was not moving at all and I had that “heavy” feeling that we all get when the toxins start kicking in.  I also think the Dysport diffuses more, meaning that even though I got it injected in just a few spots, it made my entire forehead frozen (which I love, by the way).  I don’t really know how else to explain it, I just think the Dysport worked better.  I will say the only negative thing that I’ve noticed with Dysport and not with Botox is that it made my forehead feel very “heavy” for a couple of weeks, but it went away.

Where do you go to get it done?

If I’m in Memphis, I have been going to Germantown Aesthetics and I really love Dr. Laurence and his whole staff.  I actually was fortunate enough to get the Dysport from Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery group in New York City the last time I was there and they were great as well.  Heather Rypien, RN did my Dysport and she did an amazing job.  Just make sure you do your research and ask around before you pick your injector.  You definitely want to find someone that has experience and happy patients and reviews.

I hope you all enjoyed this post and as always, feel free to message me or email me if you have any questions at all.  I absolutely love talking about beauty products and procedures and I’m an open book!