BOTOX® was once the only botulinum injectable available for treating facial lines and wrinkles, but that’s no longer the case. New products such as XEOMIN® mean that now you have a choice of products to use. The question of whether to choose XEOMIN or BOTOX may depend on issues such as cost, availability, and the facial area you want to treat.
What Are BOTOX and XEOMIN?
BOTOX and XEOMIN are injectable treatments that use botulinum, a bacteria-derived neurotoxin. These injectables are used to reduce the appearance of certain kinds of facial lines and wrinkles. Specifically, botulinum can treat wrinkles and lines that develop after years of repetitive muscle movements, such as those caused by frowning. These movements contribute to wrinkles because when your muscles contract, they cause the overlying skin to pull into folds.
Injectables like BOTOX and XEOMIN contain a neurotoxin that causes muscle paralysis. When injected beneath the skin into underlying muscle, those muscles can’t contract. This makes the muscles smooth out and causes the overlying skin to smooth out too. Deep facial folds and lines become less prominent, and some lines even disappear completely.
Both XEOMIN and BOTOX are temporary; they typically last a few months. Once the treatment wears off, the lines reappear.
XEOMIN vs. BOTOX: Similarities
BOTOX and XEOMIN are similar kinds of treatments, both used to treat facial lines and folds that develop because of repetitive facial expressions. Both treatments produce temporary results that last for a few months.
Treatment takes only a few minutes and involves injections at specific locations on the face. There’s no downtime with either BOTOX or XEOMIN treatments. After a course of injections—perhaps over your lunch break—you can return to work and the rest of your day right away.
Side Effects of BOTOX vs. XEOMIN
BOTOX and XEOMIN are both formulations of botulinum toxin, so they produce similar side effects. These include:
- Headaches
- Minor pain, redness, and swelling at injection sites
- Temporary numbness around injection sites
Most common side effects are mild and go away within a week.
There are some rare but potentially serious side effects such as difficulty breathing, swallowing, eating, or speaking. Anyone who experiences these side effects should seek emergency medical treatment.
Differences Between XEOMIN and BOTOX
BOTOX and XEOMIN are both used to treat moderate to severe facial lines and folds, and they work to do so in the same way. But they’re not exactly the same. There are some important differences that might affect which one is right for you.
Treatment Effects
BOTOX is used to treat facial folds and lines, and treatment results last for three to six months. The facial areas BOTOX can treat include:
- Forehead lines and wrinkles caused by frowning
- Frown lines between the eyebrows
- Crow’s feet lines and wrinkles around the eyes
BOTOX can also treat hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating. It does this by preventing sweat glands from making sweat. BOTOX can be used to treat excessive sweating in the underarms, hands, scalp, and head. BOTOX treatments for sweating last six to nine months.
XEOMIN is a special botulinum formulation that’s specifically for the treatment of glabellar lines. These are the frown lines that form between the eyebrows. Xeomin can treat moderate to severe lines, softening their appearance or even removing them altogether.
After a XEOMIN treatment, people typically start to see results within a week, but it can take up to a month to see the full effects. For most people, Xeomin lasts around three months.
Formulation
XEOMIN and BOTOX are formulated differently, in that XEOMIN doesn’t contain any additive proteins, whereas BOTOX does. In the BOTOX formulation, additive proteins form a protective complex with botulinum molecules that helps the toxin do its job.
While these protective proteins may be useful initially, it’s believed they might be responsible for situations where BOTOX injections stop having the desired effect. Some people develop antibodies to these protective proteins, which is thought to reduce the effectiveness of BOTOX treatments.
Since XEOMIN doesn’t have additive proteins, people may be less likely to develop antibodies and so less likely to become resistant to treatment. People who stop responding to BOTOX for this reason may find that XEOMIN’s purer formula can give them the results they desire.
Cost of Treatment
According to user reviews, the average cost of treatment for XEOMIN is $425, compared to $550 for BOTOX. This may reflect the fact that there are more treatment options for BOTOX than for XEOMIN, with varying costs. For instance, a BOTOX session for hyperhidrosis treatment costs around $1,000.
The cost of both injectables can vary depending on your geography as well.
Dosage
Unit-for-unit, XEOMIN and BOTOX are similar in terms of how much botulinum toxin they contain. Even so, because the formulations of each are different, there may still be some differences in how many units a person needs. If you have 25 units of BOTOX for glabellar lines, it’s likely you’d need a similar number of units if you have a XEOMIN treatment for the same area.
Who Can Use XEOMIN and BOTOX?
Most people can safely use BOTOX and XEOMIN. There are some situations in which these treatments should be avoided, however. For instance, if you have a skin infection at or near planned injection sites, it’s best to wait for it to clear up before having injectable treatments.
During Pregnancy and Nursing
These treatments aren’t recommended for use while you are pregnant or nursing. It hasn’t been confirmed that these substances can’t be passed to a baby via the placenta or through breastmilk.
Allergy Risks
People who are allergic to the protein albumin may also need to avoid XEOMIN and BOTOX. Both formulations contain human albumin as an inactive ingredient, and it may trigger a reaction in people who are allergic to albumin.
XEOMIN vs. BOTOX: Which One Should You Choose?
If you want to treat crow’s feet or forehead lines, BOTOX will be your go-to, as XEOMIN isn’t effective for these kinds of lines.
If you want to treat frown lines, both XEOMIN and BOTOX are suitable. Which is right for you depends on factors such as cost and treatment availability.
If you’re not sure what’s right for you, schedule a consultation with a cosmetic practitioner like Elaine Ver Halen, MPAS, PA-C at Ver Halen Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery. She has the experience that may give you further insight!
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