Dysport vs. Botox vs. Xeomin: Which is Best for You?

As the beauty industry evolves, a common question is which injectable treatment is best for you? Dysport vs. Botox? Botox vs. Xeomin? Or Dysport vs. Xeomin? It’s a mouthful, we know but it is essential to weigh the pros and cons of each option, if you wonder which will be best for you and your skin.

What are Cosmetic Injectables?

First, it is critical to develop an understanding of what cosmetic injectables refer to. The short answer is that they are non-invasive treatments that provide optimal results in promoting a natural, youthful appearance by reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Most convenient though, and what sets them apart from surgical treatments is that the procedures require no recovery time.

To be considered a prime cosmetic injectable candidate, it is ideal that a patient be in good physical health, does not possess a health history that includes neuromuscular diseases, is not pregnant or nursing a child, and should be at a minimum age of 18. This ideal candidate should be seeking a solution for their unwanted wrinkles and lines.

When comparing Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin as cosmetic injectables, their individuality does not lie in the actual procedure process. Each injectable is effective, lasts from three to six months, is applied by medical professionals worldwide, is FDA approved, and the successes have been supported in clinical trials.

Additionally, they all work in essentially the same way and share the same active ingredient: Botulinum type A. Whichever of the three you choose will be injected into the necessary muscle areas, will briefly paralyze and relax them, and thus, provide anti-aging benefits.

The desired injectable sites often include frown lines, forehead creases, crow's feet, and the eyebrow area. However, the list of desired areas for treatment continues to grow and expand as the effectiveness of Dysport, Botox, and Xeomin becomes more appreciated in the industry.

Although the functionalities of each injectable do share certain consistencies, there are also several key differences when you compare Dysport vs. Botox, Botox vs. Xeomin, and Dysport vs. Xeomin. Let's take a look.

Dysport Treatments & Effects

Early on, after Dysport was launched, it was viewed as merely the European version of Botox. After gaining FDA approval in 2009, it developed a reputation of effectiveness and convenience in the United States.

A key distinguishable factor of Dysport is that it is a more diluted product than Botox or Xeomin. As such, it spreads across the injection area and is an excellent choice for reducing wrinkles in larger areas of the face, like the forehead

It’s most prominent benefits include the obvious, a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, its versatility in the areas it can effectively treat, it’s safely personalized, works quickly, and offers long-term results.

The price per unit of Dysport is much less expensive than that of Botox. However, a larger quantity of units is required with dilution, meaning that the true cost of Dysport vs. Botox is quite similar.

With Dysport injectable treatment, it typically takes two to three days for results to appear. It’s often the go-to option for anyone who has stopped seeing Botox results since Dysport spreads further once injected.

Botox Treatments & Effects

Botox is the most common injectable in America compared to Dysport or Xeomin, likely because it was the first on the market. As previously mentioned, cost when looking at Dysport vs. Botox or Botox vs. Xeomin is not a differentiating factor, so what sets Botox apart?

Botox is undoubtedly the prime option for those deeper, muscle-related wrinkles. Because its ingredients stay isolated and spread less than Dysport, it can prove to be more valuable and effective for a specific treatment area that needs heavier attention. In addition, Botox can also be used to treat excessive sweating for up to nine months at a time in areas like the armpits, head, and hands. Typically, it takes about seven to ten days from a treatment to show demonstrated results.

Generally speaking, its most active benefits include its ability to quickly and effectively reduce wrinkles, but its effects go beyond just cosmetic adjustments. Botox is also a great tool for treating neck spasms, excessive sweating as previously mentioned, lazy eyes, overactive bladders, and even can assist with migraines.

Xeomin Treatments & Effects

Xeomin is best for treating glabellar lines, like those that appear between eyebrows, and takes about five to six days to see results. When compared to Dysport and Botox, it excels in decreasing the intensity of moderate to severe lines.

One unique attribute of Xeomin is that it is "lighter" than its counterparts. Botox and Dysport contain added proteins in their composition. Xeomin does not. This distinction holds pros and cons for the injectable and the results. The proteins allow Botox and Dysport to last often slightly longer than Xeomin. However, they also may inhibit the effectiveness of the chemical and may lead to a reduction in results over time. By not including the protein, it decreases Xeomin's risk for any potential allergic reaction.

The most significant benefits of Xeomin include again, its effectiveness is reducing wrinkles and unwanted fine lines, but beyond that, it is often the most sustainable treatment due to its purity and lack of added proteins. Additionally, it is used to treat upper lip spasticity, cervical dystonia, blepharospasm, and more.

Dysport, Xeomin, Botox Side Effects

Like any cosmetic treatment, Dysport, Xeomin, and Botox don’t come without any potential for side effects. Although none of the common post-treatment ailments are terribly serious, it is still important to note them. These are also the main reasons why you want to work with a reputable doctor from a spa or facility with a stellar reputation, to ensure risk of these side effects is vastly reduced.

Dysport Side Effects

The most common side effects of Dysport include irritation in the nose and throat, headaches, injection site pain and skin reactions, nausea, eyelid drooping and/or swelling, upper respiratory tract infections, and inflammation of the sinus.

Xeomin Side Effects

While Xeomin is less likely to cause an allergic reaction than its counterparts, it still may cause neck pain, headaches, drowsiness, dry eyes, eyelid swelling and/or bruising, pain in the injection site, and other minor side effects.

Botox Side Effects

The most well-known of the three cosmetic injectables, Botox, may cause pain and/or swelling at the injection site, headaches, flu-like symptoms, sagging eyelids, slouched smiles, drooling, and dry eyes.

Conclusion

Overall, Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin are all effective and safe cosmetic injectable options that, although similar, have slight nuances among them. While Botox may be the most popular, it is not as well-suited for larger areas of the face like Dysport. Whereas Dysport falls short to Botox in treating deeper fine lines in wrinkles that require more targeted treatment.

Similarly, while Xeomin may not hold the added protein that allows Botox and Dysport to, at times, last for a more extended period, it has a reduced risk for allergic reaction.

In any case, each injectable option is highly similar, and despite these nuances, the option that is best-suited for you is a decision that should be made between you and your selected professional. Discuss these injectable treatments with your cosmetic physician to decide which option is best for you. Then prepare to see incredible anti-aging results.