Beauty Doc Blog

Botox has long been the king of the wrinkle-smoothing market. It is effective, affordable and safe. But what will happen to Botox if another product hits the market that offers similar benefits?

Introducing Reloxin

Reloxin is a substance that appears to be just as effective as Botox in smoothing forehead wrinkles, crows feet and other signs of aging. It is an injectable allergen like Botox, with several minor distinctions.

Reloxin has less protein than Botox, which ultimately means it may last longer. The body would break down Reloxin slower than Botox, and this would theoretically mean the substance, and the effects, would remain for a longer period of time.  

It also spreads to a larger area of the face than Botox.  Reloxin can affect a one to three centimeter radius from the injection point, while Botox affects only one centimeter. According to an article from HealthDay, this can be beneficial for areas with a large amount of wrinkles, like the forehead, but it can cause unwanted droop in other areas, like crow’s feet. [1]

Some claim that it starts earlier than Botox as well, taking only one to two days to show results, where Botox takes three to five.

What’s the status?

There has been a push for FDA approval of Reloxin for several years by the leading companies that produce it. Although it is not yet approved, it is currently being used in over twenty countries for cosmetic purposes as well as neurological purposes.

The FDA will release a first-cycle review of Reloxin on April 13th, barring any further postponements. [2] They will likely approve it for the injectable treatment of wrinkles, and its top producers will no doubt push it to market as soon as possible.

The future of injections

An article from MSNBC cites an expert as claiming that “It’s going to be a price war for women who want this stuff.” [3]

If that’s the case, you might very well expect Reloxin to be pushed onto the market at a cheaper initial cost than Botox. However, don’t expect Botox to take this sitting down – it may also go down in price, or special offers might become part of the package.

In a capitalist system, when two similar products compete, it is usually the consumer who wins. So if you are considering Botox in the near future, be sure to keep your eye on the developments of Reloxin. It might very well lead to more money in your pocket, and a longer, wrinkle-free face.

[1] See the full article here.
[2] See this article from BioSpace.
[3] Read the entire article here.