In late April of 2009 Dysport, a new drug for the treatment of wrinkles and excessive sweating, gained FDA approval. Dysport, which is derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, was originally used to treat far more serious conditions. It was used to treat problems with the neck’s alignment, muscle spasms, and even cerebral palsy. But since then doctors have discovered that it can also provide amazing benefits in the area of wrinkle removal. Many doctors followed Dysport’s progress through the FDA approval process.

For years people have known about a drug called Botox. Dysport is very similar to Botox but with some notable differences. Both treatments are injected into the facial muscles, and both will get rid of wrinkles. But Dysport is less likely to cause a patient to have an allergic reaction. And another important difference is likely to interest doctor and patient alike: Dysport is cheaper.

Actors and models aren’t the only people who will benefit from Dysport’s arrival. Because it is supposed to be cheaper than earlier forms of wrinkle treatments, patients won’t necessarily have to be rich and famous to afford treatment. Dysport might have appeal to a much larger crowd.

Patients say that the Dysport treatment is nearly painless. The amount of each injection is tiny. And to make it the treatment even more attractive, doctors have discovered that a single injection of Dysport affects a larger area than a single injection of a similar substance. Less injections mean less pain, and less injections might mean less money.

When Dysport is injected into a muscle, it loses the ability to contract. When it can’t contract, it can’t cause wrinkles. The muscles next to the treated muscle still perform as usual. For instance, the muscles under the eye where the wrinkles are found are treated, but the ones that control the eyelids and eyebrows are left alone. It sometimes takes a few days for the full effect of Dysport to take hold, but once it does the wrinkles are gone.

Botox has been around for several years, so there are already plenty of cosmetic surgery doctors with the experience necessary to handle Dysport injections. Many of these doctors have eagerly awaited final FDA approval of Dysport, because Dysport should be administered in smaller amounts per injection.

Reports of side effects have been rare, but a few of the patients receiving Dysport for treatment of wrinkles have had allergic reactions to the bacteria found in Dysport. Before deciding on any medical treatment, patients should consider the possibility of side effects.

Virtually all doctors have applauded the introduction of this new drug. They say that Dysport will be a benefit to everyone seeking to erase facial wrinkles. Many also believe that added competition in the marketplace will lower prices and increase the popularity of treatment.

Tags: Anti Ageing