Botox

Dysport is the new injectable treatment for frown lines and wrinkles. Although it is made from the same neurotoxin (botulinum toxin type A) as Botox, there are some subtle differences between the two. Dysport is only new in the US as it has been used to smooth wrinkles in Europe for several years. It was originally developed in the 1990s to treat neuromuscular disorders. Just very recently, Dysport had the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the United States.

Botox is currently the most popular cosmetic procedure in the US and Dysport is poised to compete head to head with this market leader. The differences between Botox and Dysport are fairly small. Both drugs contain the same main ingredient: the botulism toxin. Like Botox, Dysport temporarily freezes the muscles that cause facial wrinkles. One of the main differences with Dysport is that its effect starts faster than Botox. Rather than waiting for a week to see results with Botox, Dysport begins to work in just a day or so. A second difference is that Dysport diffuses to a larger area when injected making it easier to treat such areas as the forehead and glabella.

One of the common misconceptions about Dysport is that it is 1/3 the strength of Botox. Untrue. Dysport comes in a 300-unit vial while Botox comes in 100 units. However, a one-to-one comparison between the two is like comparing apples to oranges due to the different dilution. Bottom line is as a patient, just because you need more units of Dysport than Botox does not mean that Dysport is an inferior product at all.

It is not quite clear yet as to whether Dysport will become as popular as Botox. If widespread clinical practice does show that Dysport is as good as Botox or better, it is unlikely than a lower price for Dysport will persist for long.

Katy Issa
Senior Aesthetician - Aura Laser Skin Care

Ever since the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved Botox Cosmetic for aesthetic uses, the popularity of Botox in the United States and abroad to fight wrinkles has been on an exponential rise. Today, Botox has almost become a necessity in beauty upkeep that both women and men are comfortable telling their friends and family they had a Botox injection done.

The most popular aesthetic use of Botox is to create a combination brow and eyelift by injecting into strategic locations of the face. The eyes take on a pleasing almond-shape and the whole face seems rejuvenated. Botox is normally injected on the forehead and the sides of the eyes (crow’s feet). Men and women of varying ethnicities have been treated with Botox. Because Botox works only on the underlying muscles, it has no effect on skin color.

High quality Botox has longer lasting effect. The effect of the injection should last around four full months although full muscle activity may not be returned until five to six months post-procedure. If the effects of your Botox procedure begin to wear off before four  months, it is in your best interest to make inquiries about the dilution practices of your Botox specialist and how long ago the Botox was mixed and prepared.

None of the wrinkle reduction topical creams that you see advertised on TV and in magazines live up to Botox. The proof is in the data as Botox Cosmetic was the most popular physician-administered cosmetic procedure in the United States for the fifth year in a row with nearly 3.2 million treatments in 2006 and it seems that more and more patients are combining Botox with other aesthetic procedures such as laser skin firming, IPL skin rejuvenation, or skin resurfacing for more pronounced results.

Only licensed and trained healthcare professionals have the experience and qualifications necessary to administer Botox. So before you book your appointment make sure you are being treated by a licensed healthcare professional.

Katy Issa

Senior Aesthetician

Aura Laser Skin Care

Wrinkles used to promote wisdom but in the last couple of decades people have started frowning upon them. In recent years treating wrinkles have advanced far beyond the over the counter facial cream that your local drug store used to carry. Today many products and procedures promise to reduce wrinkles. Some do little or nothing (like the products that claim they reduce “the appearance of fine lines,” which means that they don’t reduce the lines themselves). Others can achieve a fair amount of success.

With the constant exposure to the sun and elements, add to that our diet and hormonal changes in the body, such factors do contribute to the dryness, roughness, sagginess, and skin growths like keratoses as well as wrinkles.

Most wrinkles appear on the parts of the body where sun exposure is greatest. These especially include the face, neck, the backs of the hands, and the tops of the forearms. Wrinkles come in two categories: fine surface lines and deep furrows. Wrinkle treatments are in general much more effective for fine lines. Deeper creases may require more aggressive techniques, such injection of fillers or plastic surgery.

Factors that promote wrinkling include: Alcohol consumption, smoking, sun damage especially in the lighter skin type, heredity (some families wrinkle more than others), hairstyle (some styles provide cover and protection against sun damage), dress (hats, long sleeves, etc.), occupational and recreational habits (Sailing, golfing, farming, using tanning booths, and so forth)

For the majority of the factors above we are almost out of control. The only factors we are able to minimize or take measures against are smoking, alcohol consumption, and exposure to the sun.

SPF numbers on sunscreen labels refer to protection against UVB radiation (shortwave ultraviolet light, the “sunburn rays”). More and more sunscreens offer protection against UVA radiation (longer-wave ultraviolet light) as well. UVA rays are the ones you get in tanning salons; they may not cause immediate sunburn but do promote sun damage and skin cancer risk over time. (Sorry, but there is no such thing as a “safe tan.”) Sunscreens that block UVA indicate this on the label and include such ingredients as Parsol 1789. The FDA has recently approved Mexoryl, another UVA-blocking ingredient, which has been available in Europe for quite some time.

Wrinkles can be treated or prevented using topical treatments or cosmetic procedures or a combination of the two:

Topical treatments can include any one of the following: Ordinary moisturizers, vitamin A Acid (tretinoin, Retin-A, Renova), alpha-hydroxy acids, and antioxidants.

Cosmetic procedures can include the following: Glycolic acid peels, deeper peels, microdermabrasion, non-ablative laser rejuvenation, laser resurfacing, fractional resurfacing, Botox, fillers, and finally plastic surgical procedures.

A consult with a skin care specialist is always recommended in order to assess your skin condition and recommend the appropriate treatment and the in-home care.

Katy Issa

Senior Aesthetician - Aura Laser Skin Care