Quick reminder: Aging is a natural part of the human experience, but it’s hard to embrace some of the signs of aging (don’t demonize those forehead lines!). If you’d rather treat fine lines and wrinkles instead of letting them do their thing, then you probably already have quite the anti-aging skin-care routine in place. However, there’s one popular option that can help soften and smooth the appearance of frown lines between the brows: Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA)*, an injectable neuromodulator approved to temporarily smooth the frown lines between the brows. (*Please see Full Important Safety Information, including Distant Spread of Toxin Effect Boxed Warning at the end of this article).
When using Dysport, the results have shown to appear more natural-looking1#. Interested in trying an injectable like Dysport, but still have some hesitations? We tapped New York City dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross to help soothe your worries. Here, he explains everything there is to know about Dysport, including how to ensure you get natural-looking results post-treatment.
First, what is Dysport?
“Dysport is a neuromodulator that causes a temporary relaxation of the facial muscles, allowing the skin that’s attached to those muscles to also relax,” explains Dr. Gross. “This can cause the fine lines and wrinkles that appear on the skin’s surface to temporarily smooth out.”
By minimizing movement in the treated area, Dysport can soften frown lines between the brows (also known as the “elevens”) for results that may last up to five months3-5§. It also kicks in at about two to three days post-treatment2-4‡, allowing for fast-acting results2-4‡ that help you feel confident6† just in time for that big event around the corner.
Why do some people look different after undergoing neurotoxin injections?
According to Dr. Gross, the “frozen” or unnatural look that someone may experience post-treatment can be the result of an improperly placed injection. “When placed correctly, the chances of side effects may be reduced, but when placed imprecisely or in excess, you may not receive the aesthetic look you desire.” This can cause temporary side effects like the temporary flattening or drooping of your eyebrow, which is why consulting with a qualified professional is key.
The most common side effects of Dysport are nose and throat irritation, headache, injection site pain, injection site skin reaction, upper respiratory tract infection, eyelid swelling, eyelid drooping, sinus inflammation, and nausea. See the bottom of this article for more important safety information, including Distant Spread of Toxin Effect Boxed Warning.
How can you avoid looking frozen or different post-treatment?
The most important thing to remember when heading in for a Dysport injection is that you want to make sure you’re seeing an experienced, trained professional.
Also, it’s vital to be transparent with your injector about the outcome you’re looking for. “The patient needs to really verbally express what their aesthetic desires are and how they want to look,” says Dr. Gross. “If you want a natural-looking appearance, I like to say, ‘let’s start slow so we can see what your results look like.'”
A Natural-Looking Neuromodulator
“I have treated over 150,000 patients at this point in my career,” says Dr. Gross. “And in my experience, if you want a natural-looking appearance, I prefer to use Dysport for the majority of people.”
Not only does Dr. Gross say Dysport gives a subtle look, but real patients do too. In a clinical study of Dysport, 98% of users** say their results look natural6† and 97% would try the treatment again6†.
Ultimately, Dysport is a safe and effective option for reducing fine lines and wrinkles between your brows in a way that suits your style without taking away from your natural look. And no one will know—unless you tell them. Just be sure to book your appointment with an experienced professional to help you get the best outcome possible.
**Users=clinical trial subjects
#Subject’s satisfaction and self perception reported 3 weeks after treatment (n=531).
§GL-1 and GL-3 evaluated subjects for at least 150 days following treatment. Based on a ≥1-Grade GLSS improvement from baseline utilizing data from two double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled pivotal studies (GL-1, GL-3) in a post-hoc analysis.
†Subject-reported at 12 months (N=120) after two treatments six months apart in a phase IV, multicenter, prospective study.
‡A secondary endpoint based on Kaplan-Meier estimates of cumulative rate of time to onset of response. The median time to onset of response was 3 days in GL-1 (Dysport 55/105 [52%], Placebo 3/53 [6%]) and GL-2 (Dysport 36/71 [51%], Placebo 9/71 [13%]), and 2 days in GL-3 (Dysport 110/200 [55%], Placebo 4/100 [4%]).
1. Molina B, Grangier Y, Male B, et al. Patient satisfaction after the treatment of glabellar lines with Botulinum toxin type A (Speywood Unit): a multi-centre, prospective, non-interventional European observational study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2015 (7):1382-1388.
2. Data on file. GL-Y-97-52120-085 (GL-2) Clinical Study Report. Fort Worth, TX: Galderma Laboratories, L.P., 2007
3. Data on file. GL-Y-97-52120-719 (GL-1) Clinical Study Report. Fort Worth, TX: Galderma Laboratories, L.P., 2007
4. Data on file. GL-Y-97-52120-718 (GL-3) Clinical Study Report. Fort Worth, TX: Galderma Laboratories, L.P., 2007.
5. Data on file. MA-35497. Post Hoc Analysis. Fort Worth, TX: Galderma Laboratories, L.P., 2017
6. Data on file. 43USD1802 Clinical Study Report. Fort Worth, TX: Galderma Laboratories, L.P., 2020.
Important Safety Information
Dysport® (abobotulinumtoxinA) 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.
What is the most important information you should know about Dysport? Spread of Toxin Effects: In some cases, the effects of Dysport and all botulinum toxin products may affect areas of the body away from the injection site. Symptoms can happen hours to weeks after injection and may include swallowing and breathing problems, loss of strength and muscle weakness all over the body, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice,trouble saying words clearly, or loss of bladder control. Swallowing and breathing problems can be life threatening and there have been reports of death. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre‐existing before injection.
These effects could make it unsafe for you to drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.
Do not have Dysport treatment if you: are allergic to Dysport or any of its ingredients (see the end of the Medication Guide for a list of ingredients), are allergic to cow’s milk protein, had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product, such as Myobloc®, Botox®, or Xeomin®, have a skin infection at the planned injection site, under 18 years of age, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The dose of Dysport is not the same as the dose of any other botulinum toxin product and cannot be compared to the dose of any other product you may have used.
Tell your doctor about any swallowing or breathing difficulties and all your muscle or nerve conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease], myasthenia gravis, or Lambert‐Eaton syndrome, which may increase the risk of serious side effects including difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing. Serious allergic reactions have occurred with the use of Dysport. Dry eye has also been reported.
Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you have surgical changes to your face, very weak muscles in the treatment area, any abnormal facial change, injection site inflammation, droopy eyelids or sagging eyelid folds, deep facial scars, thick oily skin, wrinkles that can’t be smoothed by spreading them apart, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant or breastfeed.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins and herbal and other natural products. Using Dysport with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Do not start any new medicines while taking Dysport without talking to your doctor first.
Especially tell your doctor if you: have received any other botulinum toxin product, such as Myobloc® (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Botox® (onabotulinumtoxinA), or Xeomin® (incobotulinumtoxinA), in the last four months or any in the past (be sure your doctor knows exactly which product you received), have recently received an antibiotic by injection, take muscle relaxants, take an allergy or cold medicine, or take a sleep medicine.
Common Side Effects
The most common side effects are nose and throat irritation, headache, injection site pain, injection site skin reaction, upper respiratory tract infection, eyelid swelling, eyelid drooping, sinus inflammation, and nausea.
Ask your doctor if Dysport is right for you.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Dysport Full Prescribing Information including Medication Guide at DysportUSA.com.
