Botox was first approved by the FDA in 2002 and has been the industry standard in wrinkle-relaxing injectables ever since. Despite the entry of Dysport and Xeomin in recent years, Botox has continued to dominate the market. Here at MagnifaSkin we use both Botox and Dysport. But now there’s another option which may appeal to many of our clients for its affordability. In February of 2019, Jeuveau received FDA approval, and this new product has taken off in record time. Every bit as effective as Botox, Jeuveau has already earned the nickname of Newtox (#NEWTOX).
While Botox is a great product and has almost 20 years of proven performance behind it, the price has been a barrier to some. While we strive to make our treatments affordable for all, we have to pay the manufacturer for each vial we purchase. In fact, when you get a Botox treatment at MagnifaSkin, the majority of the cost is for the Botox itself.
Often available at up to 30% less than Botox, Jeuveau produces exactly the same results. And of course, it should. Molecularly, Botox and Newtox are identical. Both contain the Clostridium Botulinum bacteria as the active ingredient.
But where Botox is produced by Allergan in Westport, Ireland, Jeuveau’s production facility is located in Seoul, South Korea. Be sure not to confuse South Korea with North Korea. North and South Korea split over 60 years ago, at the end of the Second World War. North Korea has of course been in the news in recent years as the regime of dictator Kim Yong-Un. South Korea is as democratic a country as America and has many cultural similarities to us. Labor and production costs there, however, are certainly cheaper than Ireland. This means a quality product at a better price.
Regardless of your age, it’s never too late to benefit from wrinkle relaxers and fillers. We can remove years from your appearance, and make you look as young as you feel.
Chemically they are identical. Botox is derived from onabotulinumtoxinA, while Jeuveau is made from prabotulinumtoxinA, a nearly identical strain of the same bacteria, but the active ingredient that is processed is the same. This is common in the pharmaceutical world. While Allergan doesn’t have a patent on the onabotulinumtoxinA bacteria (you can’t patent something that occurs naturally, and Clostridium Botulinum is found commonly in nature) they do have a patent on the extraction process. This is why it’s taken so long for competitors to come along, and why after almost 20 years there are only three: Dysport, Xeomin and now Jeuveau. Each manufacturer had to find a different, safe, process for extracting the active ingredient. Despite this slightly different source and extraction process, the risks and potential side effects listed by the respective companies are identical.
Evolus, the company that makes Jeuveau, intentionally created it to be an equal-quality but lower-priced competitor to Allergan’s flagship product. As such, they approached FDA approval from a different direction.
Botox was originally used for treating chronic migraines, and for other medical uses. Evolus created Jeuveau as an entirely cosmetic product. This means that much of the required testing and approval steps for a medical product were not necessary. Drug development is a very expensive process, so by restricting Newtox to only cosmetic uses, Evolus is able to pass the development savings on to their customers.
Evolus’ marketing strategy and target market are also different from other manufacturers of wrinkle relaxing injectables. If you check out their website at evolus.com, the first thing you’ll notice is their prominent use of bright orange, a color calculated to appeal to millennials. They also make more aggressive use of social media, diversity in their models (all colors and sizes!), emojis, and they even have an app.
They are clearly pursuing a younger client base, and no doubt hoping for continued customer loyalty in the years to come to grow their market.
There’s no simple answer. These three products are similar or identical, however, one may work better for you than the others. Also, while Botox was originally only used for glabellar lines, or ‘11s’, it was later found that it could also effectively treat crow’s feet, smile lines, and forehead wrinkles. This means that we may recommend different products for different areas on the same patient. If you’re not sure what would be best for you and your needs, come see us for a free consultation.
For now, here’s a quick rundown of each of these three products:
The new kid on the block and only FDA approved since February of 2019. The final, processed active ingredient is identical to Botox, but cheaper due to where it comes from, and the fact that it was created for cosmetic purposes only.
You can expect final results identical to the same amount of Botox at a lower price.
The Clostridium Botulinum bacteria occurs commonly in nature, but the toxins that are derived from it, which have a variety of medical uses, are almost always produced in laboratories under carefully controlled conditions.
The original. While Newtox is chemically identical, Botox has the advantage of years of proven performance. FDA approved in 2002, Botox has improved the appearance of literally millions of women and men since.
If you’re a real stickler for quality, you might appreciate knowing that Allergan produces Botox at a 61 acre, secure facility in Ireland. Their extraction process is a closely guarded secret, but they have a reputation for producing a safe product manufactured to the highest standards. While we’re not aware of any quality control issues with Newtox (and wouldn’t be using it on our patients if we did), some people will feel more comfortable with the more established brand.
While Dysport is also refined from the Clostridium Botulinum bacteria, due to a slightly different process, the active protein molecules in it are smaller than those in Newtox and Botox. This means that for at least some patients, the body may break it down more slowly, giving longer-lasting results.
The downside? Dysport is only approved for the treatment of glabellar lines, whereas Botox and Newtox can be used in other areas as well.
Despite a thorough search before adopting Jeuveau for use at our medical spa, we couldn’t find any evidence of a higher risk of adverse side effects with Newtox than there are with Botox.
Most patients can use any of our three wrinkle-relaxers with no ill effects. However, all three may have side effects in some cases. These can include creepage of the injectable to nearby. Also, in rare cases an allergic reaction or respiratory tract infection. However, in blind studies compared to a placebo, these side effects occurred in only 2 to 3% of cases after an average of three treatments. Most unwanted effects were minor and passed after the first week. Get more information here.
Wrinkles that are visible all the time are called ‘passive’ lines. These started out as ‘active’ lines – wrinkles that were only visible when we made certain facial expressions. Repeating these expressions many times every day, combined with the loss of essential compounds in and under our skin, such as collagen and elastin, cause these lines to become permanent over time.
This happens because the creases that the muscular contractions cause in these areas make the collagen and elastin work harder to ‘spring back’ the skin. That results in these essential proteins breaking down faster in these areas. So, forehead lines in our 30’s that were only visible when we raised our eyebrows, for example, become permanent or passive lines by our 40’s or 50’s.
The sooner we start using Newtox, Botox, or Dysport treatments the fewer muscular contractions these areas are subjected to, and the longer it takes for those lines to become passive lines. We don’t like to use the word ‘permanent’ for these lines because they are treatable with fillers. But it’s still beneficial to delay the development of these lines for as long as possible.
Most of us will eventually need a comprehensive treatment plan that includes a mixture of Jeuveau and fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm or Revanesse. A plan such as this will address both active and passive lines.
The short answer is ‘3 to 6 months’. The longer answer is ‘it depends’. The actual time a given injection will last is dependent upon a number of factors. First, where is the injection? If it’s in an area where muscles around those affected by the injection can still cause movement in that area, such as the around the mouth, then the Newtox will be flushed away sooner simply due to increased circulation resulting from the extra movement. Injections to the forehead tend to last longest. There aren’t any really active muscles surrounding the area so the forehead stays relatively still.
Other factors are your overall activity level and genetics. If you are very active this means your metabolism is running in a higher gear than most people. This might mean that the effects will wear off sooner. This once again is simply due to increased circulation. In this case over your entire body, but that effects the treated areas as well. Genetics also plays a role. Some people just retain the Newtox longer than others.
The procedure is quick and discomfort is minimal for most patients. We use very fine needles and the injections are quite small. The sensation is often described as pressure, stinging or burning rather than the piercing pain that most expect from a needle. Some patients feel nothing at all. For the ladies, there is some evidence that being close to your period may increase nerve sensitivity and thus discomfort. If you’re concerned about this you should set your appointment for a week or two after. Finally, should you be one of the very few who do experience an unacceptable level of discomfort during the procedure please let us know.
You should avoid alcohol for at least one week prior to treatment. Aspirin (which can act as a blood thinner) and anti-inflammatory medications should be stopped at least two weeks prior. This will reduce bruising.
As your body flushes the Newtox away, you’ll notice a gradual lessening of the effects. Lines will gradually reappear in the treated area. This should be the time when you contact us to make another appointment. As already mentioned above, this time will vary by individual and treatment area.
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