Important Info about Botox and Dysport (Reloxin)

The FDA has recently approved the cosmetic use of a new brand of Botulinum Toxin Type A, known as Dysport or Reloxin.  Dysport is a competitor to Botox, which up until now was the only FDA approved wrinkle reduction product of its kind.   Dysport claims to take effect more quickly and could potentially be lower in price than Botox.  It will hit the cosmetic market within the next two months.

The approval of Dysport comes at a time when the FDA has issued new labeleling requirements for all botulinum based drugs, including Botox.  Both products must now carry labels warning that they have the potential to spread to other areas of the body after injection with possibly serious risks.  I want to assure my patients that when used as directed by a trained professional the cosmetic use of these products is safe! The new labels are a reaction to unapproved or “off-label” use, such as overdosing to treat leg or arm muscle spasms.  This unapproved medical use should not be confused with the cosmetic application.  The small amounts used for wrinkle softening and underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis) are safe and not linked to any harmful migration or serious adverse reactions.  I am more than satisfied with the long-term safety studies of this material for aesthetic purposes.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the office.

Tags: Botox, botulinum, cosmetic, dysport, FDA, labels, reloxin

This entry was posted on Monday, May 4th, 2009 at 12:51 am and is filed under Botox. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.