You have decided to ask about injectable treatment, then the brand names start multiplying: Botox, Dysport, Xeomin. Should you request the one your friend likes? Stay with the product you used before? Choose the lowest price per unit?

Start with the change you are hoping for. A brand is one part of the decision, alongside the area being assessed, your health and your previous treatment. You do not have to choose it before booking a consultation.

Three brands, different formulations

Botox Cosmetic, Dysport Aesthetic and Xeomin Cosmetic are separate prescription products. Their medicinal ingredients are onabotulinumtoxinA, abobotulinumtoxinA and incobotulinumtoxinA, respectively. Each has its own Canadian product information and precautions.

There are formulation differences, too. Botox Cosmetic is supplied as a neurotoxin complex; Xeomin Cosmetic is made without complexing proteins. That difference alone does not establish which product is best for you. Allergies also matter: Dysport Aesthetic must not be used by someone with a known allergy to cow’s milk proteins.

Bring these questions to your injectable consultation at Glamazing: which product is being proposed, why it is appropriate for the area, and which precautions apply to you.

A lower price per unit is not the whole comparison

The units of these products are not interchangeable. The same number of units from two brands is not an equivalent treatment, so the price printed beside a unit cannot tell you the total cost on its own.

Ask for an estimate for the proposed treatment, including what is covered and any separate charges. If you are looking at Glamazing membership options, check the membership fee and which services receive member pricing. Membership is optional; compare the complete cost before deciding.

If you have had treatment before, bring the record

The product name, treatment date and areas treated are useful details to bring. If you have a written treatment record, bring that rather than trying to reconstruct it from memory.

Tell the practitioner what you liked and what you would prefer to change. Perhaps movement matters to you, or you want to discuss an area that was not treated last time. Those preferences are more useful than asking for someone else’s exact treatment.

For a first visit, a short list is enough:

• Which area do I want assessed?
• What change am I hoping for?
• When should I expect to assess the response, and what does follow-up involve?
• What are the alternatives, limitations and risks?

Make room for the medical questions

Share your medicines, allergies and relevant medical history, including previous botulinum toxin treatment, difficulty swallowing or breathing, and pregnancy or breastfeeding. The practitioner needs that information to assess suitability.

These treatments can cause adverse effects. The Canadian product information warns that toxin effects can spread beyond the injection area. Difficulty breathing, swallowing or speaking after treatment needs immediate medical attention.

Ready to ask about your options?

Glamazing offers Botox, Dysport and Xeomin consultations in Toronto. Contact the clinic with the area you would like assessed and whether you have had treatment before. We are at 863 Broadview Avenue; the contact page includes parking directions.

Product information

For the Canadian prescribing and patient information, see Botox Cosmetic, Dysport Aesthetic (French) and Xeomin Cosmetic.