How Much Does Dysport Cost? Dysport vs Botox Units, Onset and Spread

How much does Dysport normally cost?

Dysport is often priced per unit, and a 2022 literature review in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open listed U.S. prices of $4 to $8 per unit, a range that varies by region and provider. Because Dysport is dosed in more units than Botox, the per-unit price is lower but the unit count is higher. Your total depends on the units your injector recommends.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) does not report a Dysport-only average. It combines every brand in one figure: in its 2023 fee survey the average fee for a neuromodulator injection, including Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, Jeuveau and Daxxify, was $435, down from $528 in 2022. It is a national average of surgeon and physician fees, so it may not reflect med spa pricing.

Prices also vary by region and provider, so quotes in Buckhead, Midtown or Cumming may not match. Ask for the per-unit price and the expected unit count for your treatment, and compare totals rather than unit prices. Our guide to Botox cost in Atlanta covers per-unit and per-area pricing and the questions worth asking before you book.

Is Dysport more expensive than Botox?

Per unit, usually not: a 2022 review listed Dysport at $4 to $8 and Botox at $10 to $20 per unit in the U.S. Per treatment, the gap can narrow, because more Dysport units are used for the same area. The only fair comparison is the total for your plan, with the product and unit count named on the quote.

Those figures are ranges from one 2022 review, not averages, and prices vary by region, provider and year. The review itself says Botox is typically the most expensive per unit while Dysport is the cheapest neuromodulator but needs more units for the same effect. That is why a lower unit price alone does not tell you which treatment will cost less.

The products differ in more than price. The table below sets out what the FDA labels say about approvals, vial sizes and restrictions. Two rows matter most for many people: Dysport's cosmetic approval is limited to frown lines in adults under 65, and it is not for anyone allergic to cow's milk protein.

How many Dysport units equal one Botox unit?

There is no official conversion. Both FDA labels say their units cannot be compared to or converted into units of any other botulinum toxin product. Studies comparing the two have often used about 2.5 to 3 Dysport units for each Botox unit, but individual needs vary widely, so your injector sets your dose rather than a formula.

A 2016 systematic review of four trials in movement disorders, partly funded by Dysport's maker Ipsen, found that ratios of 2.5 to 3 Dysport units per Botox unit gave comparable safety and efficacy, while a ratio of 4 brought an excessive rate of side effects. The same review noted that expert opinion ranged from 1.5 to 4 and called the question unresolved, which is one reason a single fixed ratio can mislead.

Real patients vary even more. A 2021 study of 64 people who switched from Botox to Dysport for neurological conditions found a mean ratio of 4.70, with a range of roughly 2 to 9, and its authors advised tailoring doses rather than converting. That study was in neurological patients, not cosmetic ones, but the lesson carries over: tell your injector what you have had and how it worked.

How much do 300 units of Dysport cost?

If a clinic charged within the $4 to $8 per-unit range listed in a 2022 review, 300 units would come to about $1,200 to $2,400, and real prices vary by region and provider. But 300 Dysport units is not the same amount of treatment as 300 Botox units, because each brand measures its units with its own test.

It helps to know that 300 units is a vial size. The Dysport label lists a single-dose vial of 300 units for frown lines (a 500-unit vial is listed for other uses), so a price you see quoted for 300 units may be a price for a whole vial. Ask whether a quote is per vial or for the units actually injected into you, and what happens if your plan needs fewer.

Ask, too, why a particular unit count is planned. A clear answer names the areas being treated, the product and the per-unit price. If the count or the price seems far out of line with other quotes, it is fair to ask more questions before you go ahead.

Does Dysport kick in faster than Botox?

Not clearly. Studies measure onset in different ways, and their results do not line up. A 2013 randomized study of 180 adults found nearly identical median onset in women for Dysport and Botox, about 5.3 days each, while the Botox Cosmetic label says its effect typically begins one to two days after injection.

A 2020 systematic review of 42 studies, sponsored by Dysport's maker Ipsen, found Dysport's onset was most often reported within 2 to 3 days and as early as 24 hours in two studies. The Botox Cosmetic label adds that its effect increases in intensity during the first week. Different definitions of onset likely explain much of the disagreement, and no single study settles which product is faster.

For planning, the difference rarely matters. If you are timing treatment before a wedding, a work event or a summer trip, book about two weeks ahead with either product. That leaves room for the effect to build fully and for a follow-up check before the date.

Does Dysport spread more than Botox?

Not as a fixed property of the brand. How far any botulinum toxin spreads depends heavily on the dose injected. A 2013 randomized trial in JAMA Dermatology found that at equal labeled units, Botox produced a larger field of effect than Dysport, and its authors concluded that diffusion is dose dependent.

That trial was small, 19 women treated on opposite sides of the forehead, and equal labeled units are not equal potency, which is the point: the stronger dose spread further. Studies of spread are hard to compare because they use different doses, dilutions and measurements. For you, the injector's dose and placement are the things to ask about.

The Dysport and Botox Cosmetic labels both carry a boxed warning that the effects of all botulinum toxin products may spread from the injection area, causing symptoms such as muscle weakness, double vision, drooping eyelids, or trouble swallowing or breathing, hours to weeks after injection. Swallowing and breathing problems can be life threatening, and the labels call for immediate medical attention if they occur.

How long does Dysport last compared with Botox?

About the same. The Dysport label says its clinical effect on frown lines may last up to four months, and the Botox Cosmetic label puts its effect at about three to four months. A 2022 review lists 3 to 6 months for both, and a 2020 systematic review found duration was most often reported as four months.

The label trials show how the effect fades. In the frown-line trials on each label, the share of people rated by investigators as having no or mild frown lines was highest around day 30 and fell to about a quarter by day 120, for Dysport and for Botox Cosmetic. These were separate trials, so they are not a head-to-head comparison.

Some studies in the 2020 review found Dysport's effect held at five months or longer, though most people should plan around three to four months. The Dysport label says it should be given no more often than every three months, and the Botox Cosmetic label notes dosing more often than that has not been clinically evaluated.

What are the cons of Dysport?

The main drawbacks are practical. Dysport is not for people allergic to cow's milk protein, its only cosmetic FDA approval is for frown lines in adults under 65, so other areas are off-label, and its larger unit counts can make price comparisons confusing. Its side effects are similar to those of other botulinum toxins.

In the pooled frown-line trials on the Dysport label, adverse reactions of any cause occurred in 48% of Dysport patients and 33% of placebo patients. The most common were nasopharyngitis, a cold-like inflammation of the nose and throat (10%), headache (9%) and eyelid drooping (2%). The label also warns that dry eye has been reported after frown-line treatment, so mention any dry eye history.

Across brands, side effect rates look similar. A 2023 network meta-analysis of randomized trials for frown lines found every botulinum toxin type A product studied was far more effective than placebo and found no significant differences in adverse events among the preparations. That supports choosing on fit, history and price rather than on fear of one brand.

Is Dysport worth the money, and is it better or worse than Botox?

The research does not show either one to be better overall. For frown lines, both are FDA-approved and both clearly outperform placebo in trials. Dysport can be worth it if your total price is lower for the same plan, if it has worked well for you before, or if your injector recommends it for your anatomy.

Botox Cosmetic holds more cosmetic FDA approvals, including crow's feet, forehead lines and neck bands, which matters if you want those areas treated on-label. Jeuveau is a third option for frown lines with its own head-to-head data against Botox, covered in our Jeuveau vs Botox guide.

At Derm Clinic MD, a physician-led med spa with offices in Buckhead and Cumming, every treatment starts with an in-person consultation, and Dysport, Botox and Jeuveau are all offered. You can read our Dysport page, our Botox page and our Jeuveau page first. When you are ready, book a consultation and ask for the unit count and total for each option.

This article is general education and is not medical advice. It does not replace an in-person consultation. Whether a treatment suits you, and what result is realistic, depends on your health history and an examination.

Derm Clinic MD · Last updated October 2026.