Expect to pay more in big cities and on the East Coast, but I wouldn’t make my choice based on price, but on the qualifications and experience of the plastic surgeon or dermatologist. And while you may have heard of “Botox parties” (most common in California)…personally, I would run away from any doctor who participated in such an event. Injecting “the most potent toxin known to man” is not a trivial medical procedure; it carries risks and you want it done in a relatively sterile environment, with the doctor paying attention only to you, not to a crowd and with an eye on his marketing presence.

The second Botox issue is that a new type of Botulinum toxin should be FDA approved this year; a decision is expected by mid-April.  Apparently the new form (brand name Reloxin, and already available in Europe as Dysport), has several potential advantages over the current Botox made by the Allergan Corporation.

The cost to your doctor for each vial of Reloxin will be lower than the cost of Botox, so the cost to the patient should be less. And while the new form is also, like Botox, a form of Botulinum toxin A—and very similar to the standard Botox—Reloxin contains less “protein load” so it is thought patients might form less antibodies to this new toxin, and so the beneficial effect might last longer. And the onset of action is said to be somewhat faster, though this is probably no big advantage.

Once Reloxin is released, for me personally, I wouldn’t run out and be one of my doctor’s first patients. Reloxin is said to spread in the tissues more than Botox, and the concentration of Reloxin is different than Botox, and for any new procedure, there is a “learning curve” for your doctor while she or he gets acquainted with the nuances of the new medicine. I’ll give another update when the drug is released. Some cosmetic experts are expecting “price wars”, but for sure, expect to see lots of new ads…

Next post….pills people are taking to boost brain power!

Monday—Part II on cutting your CT scan radiation risk.