Do you have unwanted wrinkles, lines, and folds? Two of the most popular ways to treat them are Botox and Dysport: noninvasive cosmetic treatments that can achieve wonders. Are you curious about the differences between these two products? At Plastic Surgery Specialists of South Florida in Hollywood, FL, we offer both to patients who want to address aging signs. We’re happy to help you understand the differences.
Essentially, these are two different brands, and in some ways, comparing them is a bit like comparing brands of soda or cereal. Do you prefer Sprite or 7-Up? There are subtle differences between the two, but they really have more in common than they do differences. When it comes to Botox and Dysport, most people can’t tell the difference in the results!
However, there are a few minor differences worth noting for the sake of comparison, though it’s important to note that they are both highly effective treatments.
Both of these treatments use A botulinum toxin, but Dysport uses ABO (abobotulinumtoxinA) and Botox uses ONA (onabotulinumtoxinA). ABO molecules are smaller than ONA molecules, and what this means is that the two products have different measurements. One dose of one product won’t be the same size as one dose of the other. There’s a 2.5:1 ratio between the two, so 25 units of Dysport are equivalent to about 10 units of Botox.
This also means ABO molecules tend to disperse more widely than ONA molecules. When treating some areas, therefore, Botox will be the best choice. For other areas, Dysport will have a better spread. We’ll talk to you about your specific treatment needs when you come in.
Botox was first released in 2002 and has been used by millions of people in the United States, and worldwide, since then. Due to its effective action, it has a very positive reputation and is by far the best-known treatment brand of its type. Dysport was not approved until 2009, so it hasn’t had the same amount of time to build a reputation. It’s catching up quickly, however, as more and more people discover how effective and safe it is.
ONA molecules tend to work just a little slower than ABO molecules. This means an ABO treatment will show results in just one to three days, though the full results of treatment will take a few weeks to develop no matter which type you choose. With an ONA treatment, you should see your initial results in about five days, though it could be just a bit longer with either of them. Much of this is down to your personal reaction, and that’s always different for each of us!
In general, ABO molecule-based treatment is slightly cheaper than ONA, but this isn’t always the case. A lot depends, ultimately, on how much of the product you actually need to get your final results. As mentioned, depending on the nature of your issue and the size of the treatment area, one type may actually be more effective for you than the other, making it ultimately the better deal.
Both of these A botulinum toxin injectable treatments are used for relaxing muscles that cause fine lines and wrinkles. They work by stopping signals to the nerves that control certain muscles in the face. This causes the muscles to relax and allows lines to recede. This process also stops new wrinkles from forming.
When injected by a properly trained professional, these treatments are very effective and never result in a “frozen” look. The only muscles affected are the ones that relate to your wrinkles and lines. You’ll still have full movement and normal facial expressions. Even better, both of these treatments offer the same great benefits.
This is, of course, the main reason people seek treatment. If you’re tired of pouring money into topical creams and serums that don’t work, or which used to work but aren’t enough anymore, then you’ll love the smooth skin you see after treatment. Injectables make a real difference: when the muscles behind those lines can’t make an expression, lines can’t form. You’ll notice smoother skin very quickly after treatment.
Some of us have lines and wrinkles not because of the effects of age but due to environmental factors, like pollution, or too much sun exposure. For many of us, that sun exposure came when we were younger and not paying much attention. Our skin seemed indestructible back then. It’s too late to change the past, but injectables can erase much of the evidence of all this damage.
Even if you spent your entire childhood under an umbrella, avoid all pollution, and eat like a saint, you will still develop wrinkles at some point. It happens to all of us, and there is a large genetic component to this. If your parents or grandparents looked older quickly, there’s a good chance you will too, even if you take good care of your skin. But you can temporarily undo these effects and choose the look you want to present to the world with injectable treatments.
In the real world, we can’t get away from stress. It’s a part of life, and in 2020 and 2021, stress levels across the globe have been at record levels. If you’re like 99% of us, you have plenty to worry about, and that might also mean you aren’t getting enough sleep. High levels of stress, combined with insomnia, cause our collagen levels to drop. This makes it all the easier for wrinkles to develop.
You have plenty to worry about: take the appearance of your skin off our worry list! Both of these treatments are great for smoothing out lines and helping you look more positive and refreshed.
Neither of these injectables creates an unnatural look when they are administered by experienced professionals. A good injector will be very familiar with the human face, the location of muscles, and the amount of product needed to get just the right look.
Injecting is half science and half art. Your injector needs to consider your goals, the product you’ve chosen, and know what they’re doing to get the perfect, natural look. When you come to see us regularly, we’ll get to know you better at each visit. This means we can minutely adjust the amount of product we give you in response to your satisfaction with the previous treatment. You’ll be pleased with your very first treatment, and it only gets better after that as you get an even better sense of what’s possible and what you want.
Both of these treatments are approved by the FDA and come with almost zero risks of side effects. People have been using these treatments for years without incident, so we know they’re safe. And, you won’t have to schedule out a huge block of time to get either treatment done. It only takes a few moments to get your injections, and you can go straight back to your normal life and activities after that. Some people even schedule injections over their lunch break!
Best of all, perhaps, is that this is a painless process, and you don’t have to worry about looking “weird” when you leave our office as you do after some cosmetic treatments. You’ll look like your normal self and can go back to work or run errands confident that no one will know you’ve had any treatments unless you choose to tell them.
A facelift is a wonderful treatment for refreshing your look, but it’s also a time-consuming and invasive procedure. While some people will need a facelift eventually, these injectables are a great alternative for a lot of people. Even better, they can actually prevent the need for facelifts or other cosmetic procedures, when used preventively. If you’re looking for something that’s a lot more effective than any over-the-counter product, but also less extreme than a surgery, you will love the results of these injectable treatments.
Neither of these treatments will take more than a few days to show initial results. Compare that with a lot of topical treatments that can require weeks and weeks of treatment to show any difference; if they show a difference at all! Once you’re happy with your look, you can maintain it indefinitely with just a few quick treatments a year.
These products are ultimately not that different in effect or administration. Sometimes the choice comes down to personal preference; at other times, you might find that your body reacts better to one than the other or that one is better suited for treating your specific area of concern. In blind tests, people couldn’t tell which product was used, and both are high-quality products that have been through rigorous testing and are used every day by people all over the world. It really is a win-win situation.
Ultimately, what’s more important than choosing a product is choosing a practitioner. Doing these injections well requires artistry as well as experience and training. At Plastic Surgery Specialists of South Florida, we’re committed to providing the best quality care to everyone who visits us. We hold ourselves to the highest standards and keep on top of all the latest information about these treatments and all the others we perform. We can help you decide if these treatments are best or recommend something else if there’s a better option for your needs and goals.
Are you interested in learning more or seeing if this treatment is right for you? The first step is to schedule a consultation with us. When you arrive, we can answer all the questions you have about both of these injectables. We can also answer questions about the best treatment for you, and together we’ll make a plan that gets you the beautiful, smooth skin and energetic, youthful look you’re hoping for. In many cases, we can perform your first injection treatments right after your consultation. Just come prepared to talk about your goals, treatments you’ve had before, and your general medical history, including any supplements and medications you’re taking.
Visit us today Plastic Surgery Specialists of South Florida in Hollywood, FL to get started. Come talk to us, and we’ll tailor-make a series of treatments just for you, to help you achieve your goals.
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