Botox® Competition Soon

Did you know? Botox® has been a mainstay in non-surgical facial enhancement for over a decade, and has proven safe and effective. Every year we find more ways to use it (for example, to raise the corners of a downturned mouth, or soften the lines around the mouth). In the next one to seven years, expect to see up to three Botox®-like compounds approved for use in the United States.

The first compound likely to appear is Reloxin®, available now in Europe under the name Dysport, made by the Medicis Corporation. Also in the pipeline are Purtox®, by the Mentor company, and Xeomin®, by the Merz Corporation. It is expected that differences between the compounds will be relatively small. It will be interesting to note whether or not competition will result in a decrease in price.

Did you also know? Ophthalmologists were the first to use Botox both therapeutically and cosmetically. It was first used to weaken the muscles in certain cross-eyed conditions as well as to weaken the muscles in a condition called blepharospasm, where affected patients involuntarily squeeze their eyes shut.

I first used Botox® 15 years ago for patients with blepharospasm. My staff members would ask me to treat their wrinkles with the leftover medicine. Quickly they told my patients, and now it is a large and rewarding part of my practice!