Botulax - the Korean counterpart to Botox

With the growing popularity of botulinum therapy as a cosmetic procedure, more and more analogues of the most famous botulinum toxin-based products - Botox, Xeomin, Disport - appear. One of these analogues is Botulax, a Korean-made drug produced using standard technology for botulinum toxin preparations. Like most relatively new similar products, it is very slowly and gradually introduced to the market, cosmetology clinics only look at it and carefully include it in their arsenal, and patients trust it with their beauty, mainly according to the recommendations of cosmetologists.

Nevertheless, like other analogues, Botulax has prospects to become one of the most popular and well-known drugs, the active ingredient of which is botulinum toxin. Perhaps only today it is a new and little-known product on the Russian market, having few reviews on forums and not tested by the general public. And a year or two will pass, and this drug will be used along with flagship products. And therefore, it is worth considering it now as an alternative that has certain advantages.

What is Botulax, how does it differ from other drugs with botulinum toxin, and in what cases can it be chosen to correct wrinkles?

Botulax is a typical preparation of botulinum toxin for intramuscular injection to correct muscle activity. In cosmetology, it is used to obtain the effect of denervation of facial muscles of the face, which ultimately leads to immobilization of muscles and the elimination of the causes of the appearance of facial wrinkles. As a result, the already formed wrinkles cease to deepen, and subsequently due to the elasticity of the skin they are gradually smoothed.

Such drugs are today produced by many pharmaceutical companies around the world, the most famous are produced in the USA, Ireland, Germany and China. New products are developed and manufactured in China, Russia, Japan. Botulax is manufactured in South Korea by Hugel Inc., being an almost complete analogue of several products from other manufacturers. In Russia, the drug is distributed by the MARTINEX Group company, the claims are accepted by Alliance LLC.

The development of this tool began at Hugel Inc in 2003, at the same time in the company's laboratories, purified botulinum toxin suitable for medical and cosmetic use was obtained. In October 2005, the first successful preclinical trials of the drug were carried out, in 2007 Botulax was approved for use for the treatment of blepharospasm (in fact, this meant access to the market and the possibility of selling it for cosmetic use). After that, the company received a $ 3 million investment, installed the necessary equipment for the industrial production of botulinum toxin, and in 2010 began selling Botulax in Korea. Since 2015, the drug began to be tested in the USA, Germany, China and Poland; in 2016, its supply and use in Russia began.

 

The composition of the drug

Botulax contains three components:

• The active substance is botulinum toxin in combination with a hemagglutinating protein in the amount of 50, 100, 150 or 200 units;
• Human serum albumin is a stabilizer in relation to which the ability to increase the effectiveness of injections is also shown. The preparation for 50 PIECES contains 0.25 mg of albumin, in a drug with a dosage of 100 PIECES - 0.5 mg;
• Sodium chloride, which ensures the isotonicity of the solution after dilution and reduction of pain during the injection.In a tool with a dosage of 50 PIECES contains 0.45 mg of sodium chloride, in a bottle with a dosage of 100 PIECES - 0.9 mg.

Thus, in terms of composition, Botulax is an almost complete analogue of Botox - the most popular and now classic drug for botulinum therapy. For comparison: in a bottle of Botox at 100 PIECES the same 0.5 mg of albumin and 0.9 mg of sodium chloride are contained. The differences between these drugs can only be the difference in the technology of their production, which has little effect on the effectiveness and safety of the final product.

Therefore, like Botox, Botulax in some details differs from some other botulinum toxin preparations:

• It differs from Dysport by the greater efficiency of 1 active unit. According to a comparison of Botox and Dysport, 1 Unit of Botox in terms of strength corresponds to approximately 1.25 UNITs of Dysport. Therefore, to get the same Botulax effect, you can inject less than Dysport. Also, Dysport contains less albumin (in a bottle of not 500 IU - 0.125 mg), and sodium chloride is replaced by lactose;
• It differs from Kseomin Botulaks by the presence of hemagglutinin in the active complex. In Xeomin, the active ingredient is purified botulinum toxin without hemagglutinating proteins. It was theoretically supposed that such pure botulinum toxin would be less allergenic, but in fact it turned out that there was no difference in safety profile between Xeomin and, for example, Botox;
• Relatox Botulax differs from the Russian drug in a set of auxiliary components. In Relatox, they are gelatin and maltose.

At the same time, according to the effect produced on the body, Botulax does not have any fundamental differences from other botulinum toxin preparations.

The drug is sold as a lyophilisate (powder in the form of noticeable flakes). Dosages of 50, 100, 150 and 200 units are available in a bottle - in this assortment no other products with botulinum toxin are presented.

 

How effective is Botulax

Clinical studies of Botulax, conducted with the aim of approving it for use in the US and European markets, have shown that the drug acts on the tissues into which it is injected, just like Botox. With the introduction of the required amount, it leads to complete relaxation of the injected muscle and the further disappearance of wrinkles in this place, and under favorable conditions, wrinkles on the skin.

To date, there is no data on whether 1 Unit of Botulax in its effectiveness corresponds to 1 Unit of Botox. Special studies for this have not been carried out because of Botulax's “youth”; according to reviews by most cosmetologists, there is no difference in effectiveness between these drugs.

In other words, Botulax’s common name “Korean Botox” is quite correct - in fact, it is its complete analogue, only released on another production line.

The actual data on the effectiveness of Botulax in comparison with other drugs of neurotoxins is somewhat subjective, since direct experiments with his participation in this direction have not been carried out, and the comparison itself is carried out only by cosmetologists and their patients on the basis of personal opinion. Most doctors and visitors to beauty parlors report that there is no difference in effectiveness between Botulax and Botox.

Feedback

“Honestly, I was injected with Botulax for the first time in my life, I have no experience whatsoever, there is nothing to compare with. I will say what the result was. The wrinkles between the eyebrows were removed, they were somehow not strong, but in the summer I began to wrinkle more, they directly appeared brightly. I was advised by a doctor, and the doctor suggested Botulax. I agreed.It was decided to inject 11 units into the eyebrow muscle, at a price of 2750 rubles. I have been afraid of injections since childhood, but these injections did not at all look like injections. The needle is thin, like hair, you feel almost nothing. They gave strict instructions - do not go to bed and bend over for 8 hours, do not go to the gym, or take a steam bath. Result: on the 3rd day I felt that the eyebrow hardly wrinkles. On the 4th day, Botulax finally fixed, the wrinkle disappeared. Now a month has passed, my forehead is smooth, I like everything. Six months later, I will unsubscribe about the result again. "

Oksana, St. Petersburg

 

How fast is the drug and how long does the effect last

The timing of the onset of the cosmetic effect with Botulax injections is on average 3-7 days, depending on the individual characteristics of the patient's body. In some people, the drug completely relaxes the muscles just a few hours after the injection.

The duration of the effect is about 6-9 months, again, with a significant dependence on the sensitivity of the patient. Examples are known when muscle activity resumes more than a year after injections. Nevertheless, most cosmetologists and their patients note that, in general, the effect of Botulax lasts less than the effect of Botox for 1-2 months. That is, Botulax injection courses to constantly maintain skin smoothness need to be carried out more often than Botox injections courses.

Also, the effectiveness of Botulax can be evaluated by additional criteria: the area of ​​diffusion of the drug in the muscles and the frequency of side effects associated with relaxation of unwanted muscles.

The diffusion region shows how widely the drug “spreads” under the skin after being introduced into the muscle. This is a somewhat controversial parameter, because too active the spreadability of the drug is undesirable due to possible side effects and involvement in the relaxation process of those muscles whose activity is not required to be suppressed. Nevertheless, the stronger the product, the more extensive the area will be covered by it after introduction into the muscles.

Practice shows that when introduced into target muscle fibers, the drug acts in approximately the same area as Botox.

The frequency and strength of side effects during Botulax injections are generally identical to those when using Botox and its other analogues.

As a result, Botulax can be considered a completely effective drug of neurotoxin for cosmetic use. If you take into account the specifics of the drug, with its help you can get the same effect that is achieved using similar drugs.

Feedback

“Botulax did not suit me. Several times Dysport stabbed in front of him, everything was just wonderful, he became well, there were no wrinkles. Once again, when the crow's feet and the eyebrow began to appear, I went to the beautician, and she began to persuade Botulaks. Like, they were shown it to them at the seminar, and the drug is new and very effective, and you can buy it cheaper, and that's it. Well, in general, I gave up. Put. Feeling better than from Dysport, it is not so painful to prick. But there is no effect at all! That did not take the drug at all, either a day or a week later. After 20 days she complained to the beautician, she confirmed that for all whom she did Botulax, only 20% took it, and these people stayed longer than Botox. All others have zero effect. The doctor returned to Dysport, I also repeated them, and everything is fine. "

Ksenia, St. Petersburg

 

Procedure

Botulax is injected into the facial muscles of the face percutaneously using cosmetology syringes with very thin needles. Depending on the specific point and the injected muscle, the needle is inserted to a depth of 2-3 mm under the skin, usually into the muscle squeezed between the fingers, pressing the syringe plunger expels the desired amount of the drug from it, then the needle is removed and an injection is made to the next point.

Some doctors after each injection slightly rub the injection site, but this manipulation is not necessary.

Even before the procedure, the doctor examines the patient's face, his cosmetic defects, taking into account complaints. At this stage, an assessment of the strength of muscle contraction and their interaction with each other is carried out, which allows you to accurately plan the injection site and the amount of drug for administration at each specific point.

Before manipulation, the patient signs a written agreement for the introduction of botulinum toxin. This is required because the procedure uses a drug, but there is no urgent need for this - wrinkles are not considered in medicine as a pathology that requires treatment.

After mapping the injection, the doctor dilutes the drug with saline in accordance with the instructions. The patient sits in a chair, the back of which bends so that it is convenient for the doctor to administer the drug taking into account the patient’s growth, and injections are performed.

If the patient has pain during an injection, the injection site is treated with an anesthetic. According to patients, Botulax injections are painful, sometimes after them swelling and even swelling remain in the injection sites for several hours. However, the frequency of such undesirable effects does not exceed the frequency of similar side effects with Botox injections and other similar drugs.

On average, botulinum therapy takes 30-40 minutes. Usually 50-80 units of Botulax are introduced in one procedure, about 15-20 units in each muscle, but the specific dosage depends on the muscle itself, on the strength of its contraction and on the severity of wrinkles. If it is necessary to introduce more than 200 units, the procedure is divided into two stages.

The botulinum treatment procedure is repeated when the effect of the drug begins to weaken and wrinkles reappear. Most patients have to do this every 7-8 months.

 

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Like other botulinum toxin preparations, Botulax can cause side effects, and its use in some cases may be contraindicated. In the instructions for the use of Botulax, both side effects and contraindications are indicated, but in general they are identical to those for any other similar means.

In particular, the most noticeable and frequently occurring adverse reactions with Botulax injections are:

• Disorders of facial expressions, the effect of a “wax” face, unnatural manifestations of emotions;
• Ptosis (ptosis);

• The unexpected compensatory effect of antagonist muscles, which is manifested by excessive facial reactions: raising eyebrows (“Mephistopheles eyebrows”), drooping corners of the lips (“dull face”) and others;
• Allergy;
• Swelling of the face, itching and pain at the injection site;
• Flu-like syndrome.

All of them are rare and usually pass within a few hours, a maximum of 2-3 days. Only in exceptional cases, such reactions can be life-threatening.In the entire history of the use of botulinum toxin for cosmetic and medical purposes, about 20 deaths of patients from anaphylactic shock after administration of the drug are known. Specifically for Botulax such cases are not known.

On a note

In this case, in fact, Botulax does not have a toxic effect. Firstly, the amount of toxin in it is too small to have a serious effect on the body, and secondly, poisoning is possible if the poison enters the digestive tract or directly into the blood. When Botulax is introduced into the muscles of the face, it does not enter the bloodstream and is not capable of causing intoxication of the body.

In some cases, Botulax may be contraindicated. The instructions to it indicate the main contraindications:

• Pregnancy;
• Age up to 2 years (for children from 2 years, the drug can be prescribed for the treatment of cerebral palsy);
• Botulinum toxin allergy;
• Inflammation or infectious skin lesions at the injection site.

Sometimes doctors do not recommend injections in other situations: during the use of certain antibiotics and antidepressants, with cancer, myasthenia gravis, lesions of the facial nerves, etc.

In any case, before the procedure, the doctor will interview the patient in advance and find out if the patient has contraindications to botulinum toxin injections.

 

Prices and clinics where you can carry out the procedure with Botulax

Due to the fact that Botulax is only entering the Russian market today, not in all cities you can find a clinic in which injections of this particular drug are given. In the same offices in which this drug is available, the cost of its injections is slightly lower than the price of Botox injections and is approximately comparable to the cost of Dysport injections.

So, in a retail sale, a bottle of Botulax for 100 units costs 6400-7000 rubles. A similar amount of Botox can be bought at a price of 12500-13000 rubles, Relatox (a drug of Russian manufacture) - 9000-9500 rubles, Disport - 4500-5000 rubles.

In fact, the price of Botulax is significantly lower than the price of drugs with similar effectiveness, but slightly exceeds the price of Disport. Even taking into account the fact that some patients need to inject Botulax more often than Botox, the difference in the cost of the drug makes permanent procedures with Botulax more profitable.

At the same time, the cost of the drug is not a significant indicator, since the clinics purchase all funds on their own at wholesale prices, and it is important for patients to know not the cost of the drug itself, but the cost of injecting it in a particular clinic. It is determined to a greater extent by the prestige of the office and the status of the cosmetologist himself.

On average, Botulax injections cost about 250-300 rubles per unit. For comparison: Botox injections cost about 260-320 rubles per unit, Relatox - 230-270 rubles. Therefore, at the cost of the procedure, Botulax is among the middling drugs.

Mostly Botulax injections are made today in cities with population over one million people: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Kazan. Here, large clinics can afford to diversify Botulax range of cosmetic products and be the first in which especially selective patients can choose this tool.

Nevertheless, when going to the clinic and choosing a drug, you need to remember that the experience and professionalism of a doctor is much more important than saving on a remedy. If the cosmetologist you trust recommends a particular drug - it doesn’t matter if Botulax or any other - it is better to listen to the opinion of the doctor.In addition, if previously the patient was already given injections with a certain agent and they gave the desired result, it is better to carry out subsequent procedures with just such a proven drug, even if it will cost a little more. And in case of any doubt, you need to consult with the cosmetologist himself, whose experience and knowledge will make the right choice.

 

Benefits of Type A Botulinum Toxin Injection Procedure for Smoothing Wrinkles

 

An interesting video from a practical lesson on the use of Botulax