If you’ve ever been bothered by your wrinkles, you’ve maybe thought about Botox or Xeomin, the two brands of neurotoxin we offer at Millefiori. Neurotoxins are injectable treatments commonly used to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Botox

BOTOX® Cosmetic is a brand of neurotoxin that we inject to relax the facial muscles. By relaxing these muscles, the appearance of fine lines diminishes. Repeated muscle contractions from frowning, squinting, or raising eyebrows cause skin to fold, gradually resulting in the formation of wrinkles. Botox works beneath the surface in the facial muscles and temporarily reduces muscle activity that causes moderate to severe frown lines, crow’s feet and forehead lines in adults – to help them look better. There are several other uses for Botox cosmetic treatments, and a consultation at Millefiori will help you find the perfect treatment plan for you.

Botox has been FDA approved since 1989 and was the first FDA-approved medication to temporarily make moderate to severe frown lines, crow’s feet and forehead lines look better in adults.

Xeomin

On the other hand, Xeomin®, another brand of neurotoxin was FDA approved in 2010 to not only treat glabellar lines, or fine lines, but also a number of other conditions. As a cosmetic treatment, Xeomin can help temporarily get rid of frown lines, forehead lines, and crow’s feet around the eyes. Xeomin is made through a precise manufacturing process that isolates the therapeutic component of the molecule and removes the unnecessary proteins that don’t play an active role in treatment. Xeomin® is a purified neurotoxin.

Similarities

Xeomin and Botox both contain botulinum toxin type A, a neurotoxin. This neurotoxin works by blocking neuromuscular signals to relax targeted muscles at the injection site. Despite the fact that these treatments contain the same active ingredient, they have some differences in how they are used and formulated.

Differences

The main difference between Xeomin and Botox is that Xeomin contains a purified form of botulinum toxin. Unlike Botox, which contains accessory proteins, Xeomin is manufactured and created to deliver the neurotoxin without any unnecessary protein additives. This structure may help prevent antibody resistance, a growing problem that has been seen with injections administered over time.

Xeomin, manufactured by Merz, can be stored at room temperature, in a refrigerator, or in a freezer before using it. Botox is manufactured by Allergan, and it needs to be stored in a refrigerator prior to use.