First Impressions of Dysport
Disclaimer - I pay to get Dysport injected into my face with my money! I have also not finished an entire cycle as of the time I'm writing this. It's still in full effect and has not worn off, so this is a "first four weeks" discussion. Not a medical professional or an expert - just a consumer!
A few weeks back, I got Dysport injected into my forehead. I had been growing increasingly self-conscious about my forehead lines. It's the kind of thing no one would notice except me…and it stared back at me from the mirror every day. If you are not familiar, Dysport is very similar to Botox. Things I liked that made it my preferred choice over Botox -- Dysport is better for treating a larger area. In my case, I wanted my whole forehead done, so that was a plus. It also shows up faster, only 2-3 days, compared to 7-9. It seemed like a no-brainer if I was going to take the plunge. Choosing between Dysport and Botox is like deciding to prefer Pepsi or Coke. They both get you the same result, but some people have a clear preference..
Day of the Appointment
I checked in and reviewed a long list of post-care instructions and a discussion of what I was looking for. My nurse injector mentioned keeping things conservative during my first appointment.
I had 50 units total put in, which cost about $200. When I say it didn't hurt, I mean it. The needle is such a tiny gauge, and they go quickly. The pain did kick in a little while later. I started to get a headache forming right between my eyebrows that persisted through a round of Tylenol—otherwise, nothing. My injection sites didn't swell or anything—just the headache.
Day 2
Day 2 was when I started to notice my face moving less. My headache was still happening but was more manageable by this point. It did not react to painkillers at all but was just an annoyance. An eyebrow raise was much less of a dramatic change (surprised face) than an angry face (between the brows). I really could see a difference in the frown lines. But the effect was supposed to keep kicking in for a few more days, so I held on.
Day 5
On Day 5, things plateaued. No more headaches and I reached maximum forehead-freeze. My eyebrows no longer pull together when I frown (at all), and my forehead lines are less prominent. Day 5 was the day I decided I would do it again, given the opportunity. I loved how it looked and would gladly get this done again, given that it lasts a sufficiently long time. Dysport is supposed to last 4-6 months, and even if it lasts just the four, I would be okay with that.
Day 14
Day 14 was my day to follow up with my injector. She looked, and we were delighted with the result—I didn't need a touch-up. I had a great reaction to Dysport. My nerves grab onto it and hang on. The results are great, and I'm happy with them. I lost much more movement than I expected (or wanted to lose). That said, it doesn't look unnatural or odd in any way. By day 14, I was feeling more confident with my appearance overall.
Final Thoughts
I'm so glad I did this. I'm my worst critic, and my forehead wrinkles bother me, and now they don't. The procedure was quick and easy, and it cost less than I was expecting. I have a protruding brow region, so I knew we wouldn't get the area 100% wrinkle-free due to my anatomy. Keeping in line with that, though, I love my results and can see myself becoming a regular. As I get older, I'll also start looking into doing my crow's feet around my eyes. It's so easy, and now that I've done it once, I can rip that bandaid off on other parts of my face..
No affiliate links or anything in this one, but if you want to know who I see in particular, and are in Northern MN, let me know, and I'll share some details with you. :)
As an update -- I've now gotten Dysport two more times. I am still feeling great and confident with my results. I can see myself still doing it in the future, and my results have been pretty typical of what I wrote above—a few days of headache and no other side effects.