How is Dysport different from Botox?

Two product names on a treatment menu can look like a choice between two different drugs. If you are in Mamaroneck, Larchmont or elsewhere in Westchester and comparing Dysport with Botox, the first fact to know is what they share.

The direct answer

The Cleveland Clinic states that Botox and Dysport "are both derived from botulinum toxin type A."

Both come from the same type of toxin, so the two names describe related products and not unrelated drugs.

What this means for your decision

The shared origin is the point to hold onto. Which product suits you is a decision for your clinician, made at your consultation, not from a menu.

For a neutral reference on the whole category, read the American Society of Plastic Surgeons page on botulinum toxin. MedlinePlus also publishes drug information on daxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm, a further botulinum toxin product name you may see.

What you can do now

Ask which product the clinic uses and why. Write down the name so you can tell the next provider exactly what you received.

What to leave alone

Do not assume a different brand name means a different kind of treatment, and do not switch providers to chase a brand without asking the questions above. Call the clinic if anything after treatment worries you.

The question that comes next

Most readers then ask which one is approved for the lines they care about, such as crow's feet. That question has its own answer and is worth settling before you book.