Dysport
Dysport smooths out lines and wrinkles that occur when facial muscles contract. Although approved by the FDA only in 2009, Dysport has been used safely in Europe for years (as Reloxin) for both medical and cosmetic purposes. Dysport relaxes the facial muscles that cause wrinkles in the brow, forehead, and around the eyes. After treatment you look more relaxed and confident and this helps you to feel better about yourself.
You may be concerned that Dysport injections will cause botulism, a potentially fatal paralytic disease associated with a certain strain of bacteria. Although infection with this bacterium may cause botulism, injection of a chemical extract (Dysport) from these bacteria does not. Dysport is approved in the US to treat facial wrinkles of the brow and muscular spasm of the neck. All other uses of this FDA-approved product are considered “off-label,” meaning that these uses are not specifically approved by the FDA.
How do I know if I need Dysport?
If you have frown or forehead lines, crow’s feet, smile lines around your eyes, or all of these, Dysport injections will make you appear more relaxed and less tired.
You should not have Dysport if you are pregnant, have an infection at the site of Dysport injection, or have multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome. If you have any neurological disease or history of temporary paralysis, loss of vision, or double vision, you should not have Dysport injections. These disorders may increase the risk of complications with Dysport injection and worsen an underlying disorder.
How does Dysport work?
Most patients find that the procedure is very tolerable. The needle is tiny and cold air and ice packs minimize the slight burning sensation during injection. The treatment takes only 10 minutes. Patients who have the injections for the first time are relieved afterwards because the procedure was easier than they anticipated.
For cosmetic injections, your provider will cleanse the target area and ask you to frown, smile, or look surprised. These expressions will cause you to activate the muscles to be injected. The provider will mark the injection spots with a washable pen and then precede with the treatment, usually 5 to 20 injections.
What benefits can I expect?
Results depend on the area treated. Wrinkles on your forehead and around your eyes may become smoother, your brow may be lifted, and your eyelid may become more opened. Your overall facial expression will be one of greater relaxation and alertness. Wrinkle reduction varies among patients, but improvement typically lasts 4 months before another treatment is necessary.
What are the risks and side effects?
Occasionally Dysport injections cause the natural asymmetry of the face to become more pronounced. Or, the injections may abruptly cause a relaxed area of the face to look more active. The eyebrows may become pointed, creating a Spock brow. Either of these side effects is corrected by injecting a small amount of Dysport.
Other side effects include drooping eyebrow or eyelid, double vision, and weakness in closing the eyes. These conditions are rare and occur only if Dysport migrates to nearby tissues. If they do occur, they disappear in a few months because the effects of Dysport are temporary. Prescription eye drops might also help.
Dysport may also cause a headache, even though it is given to relieve a headache. The new headache occurs because other muscles start contracting to compensate for the muscles that have relaxed. A severe headache may persist up to 2 weeks after Dysport injections, but this is very rare.
Prior to treatment all potential risks and side effects will be discussed with you by your medical provider and cosmetic coordinator.
Dysport is a prescription injection for temporary improvement in the look of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines) in adults less than 65 years of age.