Botox vs Dysport vs Nuceiva vs Xeomin: side-by-side comparison
| Factor | Botox | Dysport | Nuceiva | Xeomin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onset of visible effect | 5-7 days | 3-4 days | 5-7 days | 5-7 days |
| Spread from injection site | Localized | Wider diffusion | Localized | Localized |
| Duration of effect | 3-4 months | 3-4 months | 3-4 months | 3-4 months |
| Contains cow milk protein | No | Yes | No | No |
| Health Canada approved | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Precise muscle targeting | Wide flat areas (forehead) | Budget alternative | Antibody-resistant patients |
From our injection team: For Fitzpatrick I-VI patients, all four products perform identically when injected by an experienced clinician. The main reason a patient ends up on Xeomin is documented Botox resistance after 2-3 cycles of diminishing returns.
Dysport in Toronto, What the AbobotulinumtoxinA Actually Does and How We Use It at Bar Beauty Medical
By Basil Russo, Founder, Bar Beauty Medical, 46 Fort York Blvd, CityPlace Toronto Clinically reviewed by Julia Barabas, Medical Aesthetician and Glow Specialist at Bar Beauty Medical
Dysport is a neuromodulator with a faster onset and broader spread than Botox, favoured for forehead and large-area smoothing. It’s made by Galderma. At Bar Beauty Medical we carry it because it earns its place in our cabinet, not because the rep brought us pastries. This page explains what’s in the syringe, what we use it for, what it costs, and why it might or might not be the right choice for your face.
Book Your Consult Online → Call 416-923-1200
What exactly is Dysport and what is it made of?
Dysport is built around AbobotulinumtoxinA. The product line currently available in Canada includes Dysport. Each formulation is engineered for a different use, softer products for lip border and mobile areas, firmer products for structural lift in the cheek and chin, and specialised formulations for specific anatomical zones.
Here’s the part most clinics skip: not every Dysport product is appropriate for every patient or area. The product choice is the most important decision in your treatment plan, and it’s made by your injector at consult based on your anatomy, your skin quality, and what you’re trying to accomplish.
When does Dysport make sense compared to other options at our clinic?
Dysport is in our cabinet alongside Stylage, Stylage, Stylage, Radiesse, and Sculptra. Each has a personality. Shahram, our Master Injector, will pick Dysport when:
- The product’s rheology (the gel’s stiffness and stretch) matches the anatomical demand of your face
- Your skin moves a particular way that favours Dysport’s flow characteristics
- The longevity expectation matches your maintenance schedule
- You’ve responded well to Dysport previously and want the same molecule
We don’t push one brand over another based on margin. We pick the product that fits.
Book Your Consult Online → Call 416-923-1200
How much does Dysport cost at Bar Beauty Medical?
Live pricing as of today, mirrored on /price-list/.
Series and multi-syringe sessions are discounted on the full price list. We don’t negotiate at the chair. The price you see online is the price you pay.
What does a Dysport appointment look like at Bar Beauty?
- Online intake through Jane before you arrive
- Free consult with Shahram or Jasmine, twenty minutes, photo documentation, treatment plan in writing
- Numbing if you want it, topical, 15 minutes
- Injection, needle for some areas, cannula for others. Injector choice based on what’s safest for the anatomy
- Aftercare card in your hand, follow-up text at 48 hours, free 2-week check if applicable
Standard appointments run 30-45 minutes including numbing.
How long does Dysport actually last?
3-4 months. The honest range. Real-world longevity in our patients varies with:
- Metabolism, younger patients metabolise HA faster
- Movement, mobile areas (lips, perioral) break down filler faster than static areas (cheekbone, chin)
- Product choice, Stylage in lips runs 9-12 months, Stylage L in cheeks runs 18-24
- Skincare, well-supported skin holds filler shape longer
- Activity, high-cardio patients metabolise filler faster than sedentary peers
We track all of this in your chart. By your second appointment we know how your face holds product.
Are there any reasons not to choose Dysport?
Yes, and we’ll tell you at consult.
- Active herpes outbreak on the treatment area
- Pregnancy or active breastfeeding
- Allergy to lidocaine or any ingredient in the carrier
- Active autoimmune flare
- Recent dental work in the area within 2 weeks
- Recent vaccination within 2 weeks
- History of granuloma formation
- Recent course of isotretinoin (Accutane) within 6 months
If any of these apply we either wait or recommend a different product.
Who actually injects at Bar Beauty Medical?
Shahram, our Master Injector, advanced injector, non-physician, never addressed as “Dr.” He has trained extensively on Dysport and across the filler categories. Jasmine, our RN injector, runs lip and lower-face filler appointments. All filler decisions and emergency protocols operate under Dr. Henneberry-Fudge’s standing orders. If a vascular event happens, the hyaluronidase protocol is on the counter and the MD is reachable on a dedicated line.
Will Dysport make me look “done” or obvious?
Not if we do it right. The Bar Beauty house style is conservative, small volumes, anatomical respect, natural movement preserved. The compliment most of our patients hear is “you look rested” or “your skin looks great,” not “you look like you had work done.”
We will turn you away if you ask for volume your face doesn’t support. This happens enough that it’s worth saying out loud.
How is Dysport different from other HA fillers at your clinic?
Each filler line has a different rheology, the technical word for how the gel behaves under compression and stretch. Dysport sits at one point on that spectrum. The clinical difference shows up in three places:
- How the filler integrates with tissue over the first 14 days
- How visible the product is in animation versus rest
- How it metabolises over the lifetime of the treatment
We don’t pretend these differences are huge for every patient. For some faces they matter a lot. Your consult tells us which camp you’re in.
What Should I Ask at My Consult?
The free consult is twenty minutes. Most patients waste fifteen of those minutes on questions Google could have answered, and then run out of time before getting to the ones that actually predict their outcome. Here’s the list we wish every patient brought in.
About the person treating you
- “How many of this exact treatment have you personally done in the last twelve months?” Volume tracks skill more reliably than years in practice.
- “Who supervises your work, and can I verify their CPSO number?” Dr. Henneberry-Fudge is CPSO #95972, verifiable on the public register in 30 seconds.
- “Are you the person who will treat me on the day, or will I be handed off?” At Bar Beauty, the injector you consult with is the injector who treats you.
About the product or device
- “What exact product are you using on me, and why that one over the alternatives?” If the answer is “this is what we stock,” that’s a margin answer, not a clinical one.
- “Can I see the box and the lot number before you draw it up?” Any clinic should say yes without hesitation. We do this by default on every appointment.
- “What’s the manufacturer training certification for this device or product?” Real certifications are checkable.
About what happens if things go wrong
- “What’s your protocol for a vascular event with filler?” The answer should include hyaluronidase on the counter, not in a drawer down the hall.
- “Who do I call at 11pm if something feels off?” We have a 24/7 patient line, many clinics do not.
- “What’s your touch-up policy?” Ours is free at the 2-week mark for toxin, included in your initial fee, as long as no promotion or discount was applied to your original treatment.
About the result you want
- “Is the result I’m describing anatomically realistic for my face?” Patients who don’t ask this end up disappointed.
- “What’s the maintenance schedule and total annual cost if I commit?” The single-session price is the start of the conversation, not the end.
- “What would you say no to today?” An injector who can’t name something they’d refuse is an injector you should leave.
Bring this list. Read it off your phone if you have to. The patients with the best long-term outcomes are the patients who acted like consumers, not patients.
How do I book?
Book online on Jane anytime. Or call 416-923-1200. Free consults, no obligation, written treatment plan in your hand before any injection.
Book Your Consult Online → Call 416-923-1200 Meet Our Medical Director → Meet The Team → View Full Price List →
FAQ, Patient Questions We Hear Most Often
How much does Dysport cost at Bar Beauty?
From $10 per unit (units differ from botox). Full price list at /price-list/.
How long does Dysport last?
3-4 months. Varies by area, metabolism, and product within the Dysport line.
Does Dysport hurt?
Most areas are tolerable with topical numbing. Lips are the most sensitive area and we offer dental block in addition to topical for lip-specific work.
Can Dysport be dissolved if I don’t like the result?
If it’s HA-based, yes, hyaluronidase reverses HA filler. Non-HA biostimulators like Sculptra and Radiesse are not dissolvable; they wear off over their natural lifespan.
How soon can I see Dysport results?
HA fillers show shape immediately. Final settled result is 14 days post-injection.
What’s the swelling like after Dysport?
Lips swell most, 24-72 hours of visible puffiness. Cheek and chin areas have less obvious swelling, typically resolved by 48 hours.
Can I exercise after my Dysport appointment?
Light activity yes, hot yoga or heavy cardio no for 24-48 hours.
Will Dysport migrate?
Improperly placed filler can migrate. Properly placed filler from a trained injector stays where it’s placed for the lifespan of the product.
How does Dysport compare to Botox?
Different category. Filler adds volume and shape. Botox relaxes muscles. Many of our patients use both.
Is Dysport permanent?
No. HA fillers metabolise. Biostimulators rebuild collagen and the collagen response lasts longer than the carrier.
Can I combine Dysport with Aerolase or Morpheus 8?
Yes, with timing. We typically do laser before filler, or wait 2 weeks after filler before laser in the same anatomical area.
Do you offer Dysport consultations at no cost?
Yes. Book a free consult on Jane or call 416-923-1200.
What does long-term use of Dysport look like in our chair?
We don’t sell single appointments. Patients who do well with Dysport long-term are on a 12-month programme that combines this product with sensible maintenance and the right combination of other modalities. A typical Bar Beauty Dysport patient’s year:
- Months 1-2: First treatment, photographs, second visit at the 4-week mark for touch-up
- Months 3-6: Settled result, optional pairing with Aerolase or Morpheus 8 for skin quality
- Months 9-12: Maintenance dose to extend the result, mapped at consult
- Daily: Medical-grade skincare, mineral SPF 50, no over-the-counter “filler-dissolving” gimmicks
- Quarterly: Photo review with Shahram or Jasmine
The patients who treat aesthetic medicine as a continuous practice rather than a series of emergencies get visibly better results.
How does Dysport fit alongside the other treatments at Bar Beauty?
The whole point of a multi-product cabinet is that one product is rarely the answer for a real face. The Bar Beauty house approach combines:
- Dysport for the specific anatomical role it’s best at
- A complementary HA filler line where Dysport’s rheology isn’t the right fit
- Botox / Dysport / Nuceiva for the dynamic component
- A biostimulator (Sculptra or Radiesse) for collagen scaffolding
- Aerolase and Morpheus 8 for skin quality
- Medical-grade skincare and daily mineral SPF
Most Bar Beauty patients use three to five of these in combination across a year. The consult is where we plan the calendar.
Why does the product choice matter so much within the Dysport line?
Each formulation within Dysport has a different rheology, the technical word for how the gel behaves under compression and stretch. The thinner products integrate beautifully into mobile areas like the lip vermillion but won’t structurally support a chin projection. The firmer products provide architectural lift in the cheek bone but would read lumpy in a thin-tissue area.
The product choice is the most important decision in your treatment plan. It’s made by your injector at consult based on your anatomy, your skin quality, your tissue characteristics, and what you’re trying to accomplish. We carry the full Dysport range so the choice can be made on clinical grounds, not on what we happen to have on the shelf.
What does the Dysport clinical research actually support?
Each Dysport product is Health Canada approved with documented safety and efficacy data in its on-label indication. The peer-reviewed literature consistently supports the molecule in the use cases we offer at Bar Beauty. Dr. Henneberry-Fudge reviews new clinical evidence as it emerges and our protocols update when warranted.
We will not use Dysport in an off-label indication unless the evidence base supports it and your consent is explicit. Common off-label uses (e.g. tear-trough work) are discussed in detail at consult, and we’ll tell you when the on-label choice is better.
Is this treatment safe for darker skin tones (Fitzpatrick IV-VI)?
For most of what we offer, yes. Aerolase NeoElit at 1064 nm is genuinely safe across all phototypes and is our default for vascular and pigment work in darker skin. Injectables (toxin and HA filler) are equally safe across phototypes. Morpheus 8 carries a small post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation risk in Fitzpatrick V-VI that we mitigate with conservative energy settings and prophylactic topical lightening under Dr. Henneberry-Fudge’s prescription where appropriate.
Can I do this while breastfeeding?
Generally no for injectables, with rare exceptions discussed with Dr. Henneberry-Fudge. The published safety data in breastfeeding is sparse, and the Canadian medical aesthetic community defaults to deferral. Most patients return to treatment three to six months after weaning. Laser treatments and most facials are fine throughout nursing.
How does this compare to Yorkville pricing at twice the price?
In most cases the product is identical, the training is comparable, and the differential is rent, location, and brand premium, not clinical skill. We’ve corrected enough work from Yorkville addresses to know that price does not track outcome reliably. We publish prices because the patient deserves to know what they’re paying for.
Can I get this treatment if I’m on Ozempic or another GLP-1 medication?
Yes, but planning matters. Significant weight loss redistributes facial fat over six to twelve months. We tend to stage filler and biostimulator decisions for patients in active weight loss and revisit at every visit. Toxin and laser work are unaffected by GLP-1 status.
Will I look “done” when I go back to work the next day?
Not if we do it right. The Bar Beauty house style is restrained, small doses, conservative volumes, natural movement preserved. The most common compliment patients hear at the office the next day is “you look rested” or “did you sleep well this weekend.” Visible swelling on day one is normal; visible artifice in week two means the dose was wrong.