Posts

, , ,

Is Botox Losing the Dermal Filler War?

Starting in May of 2009, a battle broke out between two different kinds of wrinkle smoothing injections. Botox, a product by Allergan which has been the market standard for years, faces a new competitor. This new competitor is Dysport, by Medicis. The facial injection wrinkle treatment industry is a multi-billion dollar section of the market that has traditionally been most heavily driven by Botox. While the economic crash did have an effect on many of the more costlier cosmetic options, it did not seem to have any effect on the sales of Botox. Botox, of course, is not the only facial injection on the market. It was, however, the only muscle paralyzing injection available, with all of the other options working to rejuvenate the skin rather than relax the muscles. Dysport has changed that dynamic. This puts Allergan and Medicis on more equal footing, both companies now offering both a neurotoxin and a dermal filler.

Allergan has responded to this change in the market by creating the “Botox Brilliant Distinctions” program. This program allows customers who purchase treatments from Allergan to redeem points which can be used on other Allergan treatments. Medicis, on the other hand, has created the “Dysport ‘Love it or Leave it Challenge.'” This option allows new customers to try out Dysport and receive a seventy five dollar rebate. They can then decide how much they are satisfied with the treatment, and then after three months they can buy either Botox or Dysport, receiving a second seventy five dollar rebate no matter which of the two options that they choose to go with.

According to Jeffrey Adelglass, the surgery director for SKINTASTIC which is a cosmetic company that runs its operations in Texas, customers are taking advantage of both of these programs, and truly are trying both available products. He says that there are in fact “distinct benefits to each of the treatments; they do behave slightly differently.” The savings are exciting to Adelglass as well, because they mean that his patients have more money available to use on some of his other procedures such as cosmetic laser surgery. Customers should always verify that any one who is injecting anything in to their face is a licensed medical professional and that they have had a great deal of experience with facial injections. Understanding how much experience that they have with the procedures is something that a customer should probably be aware of before they even visit their office.

/by
,

How Well Do You Know Botox

Who would have thought that modern medical scientists could tame a substance once called “The most poisonous poison on earth” and harness its power to use for goodness? The miracle of controlling Botox, also called Dysport in the United Kingdom and Ireland has resulted in the successful treatment of voice tremors, urinary incontinence, prostatic disease and even depression. The cosmetic applications extend even further, Botox can help control underarm perspiration, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, lift the eyelids and make lips look fuller. So, what was once seen as a terrible poison is now a miracle drug.

Some people are concerned that Botox injections will give them a glazed, expressionless face, but at the hands of a skilled and realistic practitioner, that’s not likely to happen. Certified and expert physicians who use Botox for cosmetic purposes understand how the cells in the face toned to age and relax over time, and use Botox to work with the body’s natural weak spots, providing a firmer resistance. Properly applied, a patient won’t look fake, plastic or expressionless at all.

Another common misconception about Botox is that it’s toxic. True, it’s derived from a toxic substance, but before being approved for cosmetic purposes, it goes through a rigorous safety process that ensures it’s diluted and that the final injection isn’t strong enough to hurt anyone. In fact, most drugs are derived from toxins. In small amounts, they’re used effectively to treat diseases and disorders. In large amounts, though, they’re dangerous.

Belladonna is an example of this. A relative of the potato plant, Belladonna has been used over the centuries as an aphrodisiac, a poison and as a cosmetic eye drop. Today, ophthalmologist use a formula derived from Belladonna to dilate the patient’s upils for an optometric examination. Once dilated, the doctor can see the retina clearly. So any substance that can be called toxic, can also be diluted in order to work with the body instead of against it. “Everything in moderation,” so the saying goes.

The best thing a client can do, when considering whether or not to use Botox or Dysport, is to discuss the matter with a physician who’s informed and trained in using Botox effectively. When there are so many misconceptions and misconstrued information floating around, it’s no wonder that some of the people who would benefit the most from Botox injections may be afraid to pursue the matter.

/by