What Is Reloxin?
Does the name “Reloxin” jog a faint memory?
You’re not imagining it. Reloxin has been a topic of conversation in the medical aesthetic community for more than 15 years now, going back to the late 2000s.
What Is Reloxin?
Reloxin is a type of neuromodulator derived from botulinum toxin. Today, it’s largely known by its brand name, Dysport®. The “Reloxin” moniker is a throwback to its early history, when drug developer Medicis marketed it as an alternative to Botox.
Indeed, Reloxin’s active ingredient is chemically identical to Botox’s, and to other botulinum toxin neuromodulators. What makes it different — and why it’s not simply marketed as Botox — is the protein complex that supports the active ingredient.
Reloxin’s — or Dysport’s — protein complex has a very different signature than Botox’s. That has implications for the medication’s efficacy, safety profile, duration of results, and other factors. From the patient’s standpoint, the most important differences between Reloxin and Botox are:
- Reloxin acts a bit more quickly than Botox, producing results faster
- Reloxin may be less likely to produce an allergic response, although it has the same general safety risks as Botox
- Reloxin’s results may last a bit longer than Botox’s, although not dramatically so
History of Reloxin
Reloxin’s long journey to regulatory approval began in the 2000s. Back then, Botox’s early success supercharged the botulinum toxin neuromodulator pipeline, sending a wave of imitators into the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval docket.
Reloxin hit a speed bump in 2008, when its initial application was by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over “administrative issues.” Neither Reloxin’s safety nor its efficacy were ever in serious doubt, and the drug received approval the following year. Around that time, the manufacturer rebranded Reloxin to “Dysport,” the trade name used by its European distributor, to ensure consistency on both sides of the Atlantic.
In spite of that, Reloxin never really took off in the United States. Its market share remains far below Botox’s, and it now shares the marketplace with newer entrants like Xeomin and Jeuveau.
What Is Reloxin Used For Today?
Reloxin was initially approved to treat cervical dystonia, a painful musculoskeletal condition affecting the neck, and certain types of wrinkles. It’s still used for those indications. It’s also now used in the treatment of frown lines, to execute brow lifts, and to support a much larger number of “off-label” uses for patients who don’t tolerate Botox well.
Is Reloxin Safe?
Like Botox®, Reloxin is widely regarded as safe and effective. Its adverse effects and complications are mostly mild, temporary, and similar to those observed in Botox and other botulinum toxin medications:
- Mild pain or itching around the injection site
- Injection site swelling
- Small lumps or granulomas near the treatment area
- Mild flulike symptoms, including headache
More serious complications are rare, but can include deep-skin infection, muscle pain or weakness elsewhere in the body, urinary incontinence, and difficulty swallowing. These events require immediate medical attention.
As with any Botox alternative, Reloxin/Dysport patients should always work with a board-certified provider who has completed botulinum toxin neuromodulator training.
