Dysport units vs Botox units: they are not the same measure. Each maker sets its unit with its own lab test, and both labels say the units are not interchangeable. As a rough guide, injectors plan about 2.5 to 3 Dysport units for each Botox unit.
Written by Jen Adams, BSN, RN, Vice President of Clinical at InjectCo
Medically reviewed by Dr. Josh Allen, D.O., Medical Director on October 29, 2026
Medical disclaimer: This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Results vary from person to person. Talk to a licensed provider about your own treatment plan.
A “unit” of Botox or Dysport is not a weight or a volume like a milligram or a milliliter. It is a measure of biological activity. The Botox Cosmetic prescribing information explains that one unit corresponds to a calculated dose in a mouse lab test, and that because of the details of that assay, its units cannot be compared to or converted into units of any other botulinum toxin product.
The Dysport prescribing information says the same thing from its side: Dysport’s potency units are specific to its preparation and assay method and are not interchangeable with other botulinum toxin products. That is why one maker’s unit does not translate directly into the other’s.
There is no official conversion factor, but there is a common clinical guide. Cleveland Clinic says that, in general, one unit of Botox equals three units of Dysport, while the two frown-line label doses below work out to 2.5 to 1. That spread is why it is a guide rather than a precise conversion.
The labeled doses for frown lines (glabellar lines, the vertical lines between the brows) show the difference: Botox Cosmetic’s labeled dose is 20 units, and Dysport’s is 50 units, given as five injections of 10 units each. Each figure comes from that product’s own clinical trials, not from converting one into the other.
For a broader comparison with a third option, see our guide to Botox vs Dysport vs Daxxify.
| Botox Cosmetic | Dysport | |
|---|---|---|
| FDA-approved cosmetic uses | Frown lines, forehead lines, crow’s feet and platysma (neck) bands | Frown lines |
| Labeled frown line dose | 20 units | 50 units |
| Onset | Usually within a few days | Often described as slightly faster; usually within a few days |
| Spread | Stays closer to the injection point | Often described as spreading farther from the injection point |
| Duration | About 3 to 4 months at an equally potent dose | About 3 to 4 months at an equally potent dose |
| Unit counting | Lower unit counts | Higher unit counts for a similar effect |
Sources: the two prescribing labels and Cleveland Clinic. The onset difference is small and usually not a deciding factor on its own.
Switching between the two is common, and it is not as simple as converting your old unit count with a fixed ratio. Spread, onset and your own response all matter alongside the ratio, so your nurse injector plans a new dose for the product and area instead of applying a straight conversion. Tell your injector which product you had before and how you responded; that is the most useful starting point.
A nurse injector plans your dose at your visit.
Botox is $7.77 per unit with membership ($24.99/month), or $12 per unit standard.
Not by itself. A Dysport plan uses more units than a Botox plan for a similar effect, so comparing unit counts across the two products tells you very little. What matters is the total planned dose for your treatment and the price of that plan. At InjectCo, Dysport is $5 per unit. Because Dysport units and Botox units are not interchangeable, their per-unit prices cannot be compared directly, so ask your nurse for the total for your planned dose. Our Dysport page covers the treatment.
Both labels carry a boxed warning that the effects of the toxin may spread from the injection area to other parts of the body and cause symptoms of botulism, including swallowing and breathing difficulties, which can be life threatening. That is one reason the injector’s training matters as much as the product.
For frown lines, the most common side effect in the Botox Cosmetic label is eyelid drooping (ptosis, 3%). The Dysport label lists nasopharyngitis, headache, injection site pain and reaction, upper respiratory infection, eyelid swelling, eyelid drooping, sinusitis and nausea among its more common side effects for frown lines. Your nurse injector reviews your health history before treatment.
No. Each product’s unit is set by the maker’s own lab assay, and both prescribing labels say the units are not interchangeable with other botulinum toxin products. A given number of Botox units does not equal the same number of Dysport units, so your injector plans the dose for each product separately.
For frown lines, 50 units is Dysport’s own labeled dose, and Botox Cosmetic’s labeled dose for the same area is 20 units. Each comes from that product’s clinical trials, so they are two separate starting points rather than an exact conversion. The common guide of about 2.5 to 3 Dysport units per Botox unit fits that comparison.
The labeled Dysport dose for frown lines, the “11s” between the brows, is 50 units given as five injections of 10 units each. That is Dysport’s own labeled dose, not a conversion from Botox’s 20 units for the same area. Your nurse injector plans your actual dose based on your anatomy and goals.
Botox and Dysport are made differently, and each maker measures its units with its own lab assay, so a Dysport unit and a Botox unit reflect different amounts of activity. More Dysport units are typically needed for a similar effect, which is why a Dysport plan shows a higher unit count than a Botox plan.
Dysport is often described as starting slightly faster, and Cleveland Clinic says both usually start working within a few days. The difference is small and usually not a deciding factor by itself. Your area, your dose and your own response all affect how quickly you notice results.
No. Cleveland Clinic says both last about three to four months at an equally potent dose, and the Botox Cosmetic label puts the effect for frown lines at approximately 3 to 4 months. Results vary with the area treated and the dose used, so ask your nurse what to expect for your plan.
Yes, switching is common. Your nurse injector plans the dose for the new product instead of converting your previous unit count with a fixed ratio, since spread, onset and your own response all factor in. Telling your injector which product you had before and how it worked for you helps plan the next treatment.
The ratio matters less than what it represents: two products, each measured by its own lab test, that give a similar result when dosed correctly. A bigger number on a Dysport plan does not mean more medicine; it means a different measuring stick.
That is why unit counts are not something to convert yourself between appointments or products, and why the conversation that matters is with the nurse injector planning your dose. Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, Jeuveau and Daxxify are all available at every InjectCo clinic. If you are in the Austin area, our Botox in Austin page covers them there.
Ask which product fits your goals and anatomy.
Botox is $7.77 per unit with membership ($24.99/month), or $12 per unit standard.
Dr. Allen earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his emergency medicine residency with Texas A&M. As Medical Director, he reviews InjectCo’s treatments, protocols, and patient education content for accuracy and safety across all nine Texas locations.
In this Botox basics series: Next up, Does Beef Tallow Help Wrinkles? For treatment and pricing, see Botox at InjectCo and the Botox membership.
