Aesthetic neuromuscular modulators, known more commonly as Botox, Dysport and now Xeomin, has been a decades old concept from an FDA standpoint….and twice that long as an off-label use for the treatment of unwanted facial expressions and wrinkles. Because the dose of each of these injectates will vary between each patient, it has become clear that their use is as much art as it is a science. While manuals exist as guidelines for where to inject and doses to use, each patient must still be treated individually.
The dosing issue has become more complicated now that there is more than just Botox available. Most physicians feel that there is a 3:1 unit comparison between Dysport and Botox and the jury is still out on where Xeomin will compare. I generally use 24 to 30 unitsof Botox for the glabella, frontalis and crow’s feet areas, the most common area for neurotoxin use. This works well for most patients and is a good value point for a cosmetic treatment that will last around four months. By comparison, the comparative dose of Dysport would be 70 to 90 units for the same areas.
There remains some controversy about whether Botox or Dysport is ‘better’. There is tremendous brand loyalty amongst providers to Botox and the company certainly does a lot of marketing and promotions to maintain it. I think Dysport has done a relatively poor job of how it markets and promotes its equivalent and, as a result, it continues to be occupy a relatively small piece of the injectable neurotoxin market in the United States. Whether that will change depends ultimately on how well it works in the years ahead.
It appears fairly clear that Dysport does have a few days of earlier onset and a greater zone of diffusion than Botox. This makes it preferable to those who want to have a quick onset of action and may be better in the crow’s feet area where the orbicularis muscles are broad. Because of this greater diffusion, some feel that it has a higher risk of unintended effect in areas where numerous muscles have opposing actions such as around the mouth. I have heard and read that Dysport lasts longer and is more cost-effective but these claims are not substantiated by any clinical study.
Unlike ten years ago, the one area that Botox and its competitive analogues have had increasing use is as an adjunct and sometimes a replacement for surgery. For many patients, reducing muscle action in the forehead can delay or eliminate the need for a surgical browlift. While this so-called chemical or pharmacologic browlift is very useful in the forehead, it is ineffective for the mid- or lower face as a lifting technique. For those patients actually undergoing a browlift, injecting Botox either before or after the procedure can enhance the results. I find it particularly useful in my Indianapolis browlift patients for injecting during surgery to get the best lift possible in the tail of the eyebrow. This is an area that can be the most difficult to surgically lift as opposed to the central brow.
Another area that injectable neuromuscular modulators are very helpful is in laser skin resurfacing. By injecting at least a week before surgery, the muscles are relaxed so there is not as much pull on the healing skin as it is healing. That does provide some better comfort although touting it as promoting better healing is not based on any science. A good protocol that I use is to inject Botox two weeks prior to laser resurfacing and then again at three or four months afterwards to maintain a good smooth result. Keeping the muscles relaxed will also prolong the results of many non-surgical treatments besides laser resurfacing such asinjectable fillers, chemical peels, and skin tightening devices. (Skin Tyte, Thermage, Ulthera, Exilis)
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana