Dysport, like Botox, is an injectable that aims to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles on the face. It uses a form of botulinum toxin type A, which blocks the nerve signals that make the muscles contract. In addition, it can help treat hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, in the armpits.
In cosmetic dermatology, Dysport is used to erase moderate to severe forehead and glabellar (or 11 lines) wrinkles. These lines occur due to repeated facial movements, like squinting at the sun or frowning. These areas of the face can be treated using just one injection into each of the five points between and above your eyebrows.
As you might expect from a product that aims to erase facial wrinkles, Dysport is a very safe, effective treatment. But, there are a few things to be aware of before getting your first treatment.
Be sure to tell your doctor about any allergies you have, as well as any other medications you take that could be impacted by an allergic reaction. This includes any other botulinum toxin products you have or have received, muscle relaxants, allergy or cold medicines, and sleep medication.
You can also ask your doctor about whether Dysport is right for you if you have a medical condition, such as blepharospasm, cervical dystonia, or hemifacial spasm. If so, you may want to consider a non-cosmetic version of the drug to treat the spasm.
Besides helping to minimize the appearance of facial lines, Dysport can also reduce or eliminate urinary incontinence due to neurogenic detrusor overactivity, an abnormal muscle tightening that occurs in people with MS or spinal cord injury. In a clinical trial, 750 units of Dysport was injected into 15 or 30 sites on the detrusor muscle in patients with NDO and it reduced their urinary incontinence by about 75%, 12 weeks after treatment.
The results of the study were so promising that Ipsen recently launched two international Phase 3 clinical trials, CONTENT1 and CONTENT2, to test Dysport for NDO. The studies involved 485 patients with Dysport NDO caused by MS or spinal cord injury.
Ipsen found that participants who were injected with the higher concentration of Dysport saw longer-lasting results than those who were injected with the lower concentration. That’s because there is a notably greater amount of active neurotoxin in Dysport when compared to Botox or Xeomin, which means the block of neurotransmitter release at the neuromuscular junction lasts longer after injection.
If you’re interested in trying Dysport, consult with a board-certified dermatologist who has experience administering the treatment and can discuss all the benefits and risks. Your doctor should also be able to recommend a suitable schedule for your treatment.
It’s important to note that you should not receive multiple treatments within a short period of time. Generally, treatments should be spaced at least four months apart.
Be sure to let your doctor know about any medications you take that could interact with Dysport, as these can impact the effectiveness of the treatment and increase the risk of side effects. These include aspirin, fish oil, and blood thinners.