All three brands are effective treatments with a slightly different formulation of the same substance, bacterium Clostridium Botulinum, or Botulinum Toxin A, but they all work the same way. They temporarily paralyze the targeted muscle areas on the face to relax and ease out the appearance of wrinkles.
Botox arrived on the market in 2002, and enjoyed seven years in the US as the only neuromodulator. This complete control of the market ended when Dysport was approved by the FDA in 2009. Xeomin was the last to hit the market when it was FDA approved in 2011.
Botox
Botox is the most commonly known and most popular neuromodulator, partially because it has been on the market the longest. Made by Allergan, it has a full complement of protective proteins and weighs about 900kD. These proteins provide protection and are clustered around the botulinum enabling it to last a little longer.
Botox has many uses, including medical uses such as severe sweating, eyelid spasm, or chronic migraines, as well as cosmetic uses like wrinkles on the forehead, glabella, or around the mouth.
This wrinkle solution takes only a few minutes to administer without a need for anesthesia, and may start working 1-3 days after the treatment. One treatment can last 3 to 12 months.
Dysport
Dysport (made by Medicis) is unique because it contains a smaller carrier protein than Botox and thus weighs slightly less and is more diluted. In theory, this would allow for more spread of the toxin after injection. However, there is also the possibility of Dysport “drifting” when it diffuses, which can accidentally cause muscle relaxation in a different area than the one being treated.
This neuromodulator is usually used to target glabellar lines, which are the vertical lines between your eyebrows. The procedure should be a quick 10-20 minutes, without anesthetic, where the doctor will typically inject Dysport in five different areas around the glabellar lines.
Dysport can take effect around 2-3 days after treatment, and may last up to 5 months.
Xeomin
Xeomin (made by Merz) is a purified neuromodulator containing only botulinum toxin and is referred to as the “naked Botox” due to its absence of carrier proteins. In theory, this absence of protein carriers would result in fewer allergic reactions, and fewer people will develop resistance via antibody formation.
Xeomin can be used to treat neck spasms, muscle stiffness in extremities, and especially facial wrinkles, particularly glabellar lines. Xeomin injections can thus be administered in multiple different locations to treat a variety of problem areas.
Xeomin mirrors Botox's 3-5 day onset and is a slightly less expensive option. It also lasts around 3-4 months.
Dysport vs Botox vs Xeomin
Dysport and Botox are fairly similar since they both contain added proteins. Still, Dysport is mainly used for glabellar lines, while Botox is approved to treat other areas of the face as well. Dysport is only injected around the forehead and eyebrows to treat the glabellar lines, while Botox can be injected near the eyes, forehead and mouth.
Dysport is typically less expensive per unit on average than Botox. However, Dysport vs Botox unit size is an important consideration. One unit of Botox is about equivalent to 2-3 units of Dysport, meaning you need at least twice as much Dysport to achieve similar results to Botox. Xeomin unit size is roughly equal to Botox, so you need about the same number of units for a similar effect.
One of the main advantages of Xeomin is that thanks to its lack of additives, it does not need to be refrigerated like Botox and Dysport making it easier to ship and store. This also means that with Xeomin, people develop less antibody resistance, which increases over time with frequent use of Botox and Dysport.
However, another important consideration is that Botox can be used as a preventative treatment for wrinkles, while Dysport is meant for after the glabellar lines are already clearly present.
Final Thoughts
Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin are used to treat similar areas, and do not differ widely in the time it takes to see effects. All these neuromodulators last for a similar duration of time, on average.
However, the small differences and varied personal responses to each one may play an important role in your cosmetic procedure decision. To learn more about your options in southern California, get in touch with botox professionals today.