Botox® & Dysport® Injectable Treatments: Expert Wrinkle Reduction & Natural Results

Botox® is made by Allergan/AbbVie and is also known as onabotulinumtoxinA- it’s generic name.

Dysport® is made by Galderma and is also known as abobotulinumtoxinA, which is its generic name.

All medications have a trade name and a generic name. A trade name is the name that the original manufacturers of the medication call it. Example: Tylenol is a trade name, and its generic name is Acetaminophen.

Both brands are safe and have been well studied in therapeutic and cosmetic applications. They are different brand names and have a slightly different timing of onset and longevity, but this is also patient-specific. They also have different names for the measurement of botulinum toxin type A in the product.

Dysport® was launched in Europe for therapeutic use (muscle spasticity- in adults and children) in 1990, and for cosmetic use in 2009. Botox® was introduced in Europe in 1994 for therapeutic indications (muscle spasticity- in adults and children), and for cosmetic indications in 2003.

Botox® Cosmetic was the first neuromodulator to be released in Canada in 2001, and Dysport® became available for cosmetic use in Canada in 2013 due to timing differences in Health Canada approval (we take the longest in the world to pass and approve new drugs). They both act on the muscles underlying the skin to smooth lines of expression on the face and neck, and can be used to help contour and slim the jawline, shoulder and calf muscles.

The onset of action of Dysport® is slightly faster and may last a few weeks longer than Botox® in most people. Your injector will recommend the best option based on your goals and muscle anatomy.

Yes - it is safe to switch between Dysport® and Botox®. Most practitioners have a preference for one product versus the other based on their ability to produce optimal results in their patients.

No! If you choose to discontinue neuromodulator treatments, your muscles will simply return to their pre-treatment strength (maybe slightly softer), so you never have to worry about your lines being worse than before you had a treatment. You will, however, continue to use those muscles at their full strength and experience collagen loss in the wrinkles as you age, making lines more prominent as time passes. Collagen-stimulating treatments can help with this, too

The onset of action of Dysport® is slightly faster and may last a few weeks longer than Botox® in most people. Most people start to see changes in their facial lines within 2-6 days with Dysport®, where Botox® starts working in the 3-7 day window.

It’s important to note that different people will have a slightly different onset time and longevity with either brand. Both brands produce their intended results after 2 weeks and last 3-4 months, with Dysport® lasting slightly longer in some people (~4-5 months versus ~3-4 months with Botox®). The effects of both brands wear off subtly and slowly, so you won’t wake up one morning at the 4-month mark with severe and noticeable lines.

No. Our approach focuses on softening movement, not removing it. You’ll still look expressive, natural, and refreshed.

Absolutely. Preventative wrinkle reduction treatments with Botox® or Dysport® are one of the most effective ways to slow the development of deeper lines.

Yes, Botox® and Dysport® are Health Canada-approved and have decades of clinical research supporting their safety when administered by trained professionals.