... well, sort of. As you know, Botox finally got some competition earlier this year in the form of Dysport. Same drug, essentially, but with a couple tweaks to give it some sort of market advantage over the industry standard (can you really be the industry standard, if you're the only game in town?).
Dr. Weintraub and I were intrigued by Dysport, as were many of our patients. Who wouldn't be - with promises of quicker onset, longer duration of action, and cheaper? Although we've seen the scientific studies and heard the testimonials, we've been trying to reserve our professional judgment until we used it ourselves.
This is purely anecdoctal "evidence", but I will share with you the reactions of two patients with you, which have been pretty representative of our overall experience.
One woman in her mid-thirties, who was a "botulinum toxin virgin", tried Dysport to correct her glabellar folds and a few crinkles beside her eyes. She reported back to us, saying that the medication seemed to kick in that very night. The morning after the injection, she called the Duet office, absolutely ecstatic over the results: "I look like I have the face of an 18-year old again!"
The other story is perhaps a little more telling. This woman in her early forties is a long-time patient of ours who got Botox regularly. She was willing to try Dysport, and she too was thrilled with the outcome. Being very familiar with the action of Botox, she liked how Dysport seemed to work slightly faster but was really enthralled by how this injection was equally effective, but had a "softer look and feel."
And the verdict? It's still a little early to tell whether or not the longevity claims will pan out, and by no means is this a scientifically unassailable conclusion, but our patients seem to really like using Dysport and having the choice between products. I'll keep you posted.
