My First Time Getting Dysport

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This post was originally published April 2022. It was updated in August 2022.

Today we’re going to talk about DYSPORT! Yup, injections! I was always intrigued by the idea of injections, but wasn’t sure if it was for me. A couple of years ago I realized that every time I looked in the mirror or looked at a picture, all I noticed were my crow’s feet. They were really starting to bother me.

Now before we keep chatting, quick disclaimer! One, I am not a doctor and nothing in this post is medical advice.
Two, I decided to get injections for ME. Not for anyone else. I did partner with Arya Med Spa for this post, but all opinions are my own. Moving right along!

But at that point I was pregnant with Luke so I knew there wasn’t anything I could do at that time. Fast forward to having Luke and then finishing breastfeeding, I was READY. Like this is my time!

My first step was to research places to get injections. I knew there were a few local (Southern Illinois) places so I started asking friends where they went and if they recommend them – or didn’t. I truly believe referrals from friends is a great place to start when looking for a place to get Botox, Dysport, fillers, or other services.

Scroll to the bottom if you want to see the entire
day to day comparison after getting Dysport!

Another thing I personally think is important is to look at photos of the place you are going and photos of the staff. I know this sounds a little vain, but hey we’re talking about making changes to your face! I knew I wanted a natural, refreshed look. So that’s what I was looking for in photos.

Now I should probably back up a bit. I had been doing research for different medical spas in Southern Illinois which means I was following them on social media. So when I won a giveaway for a hydrafacial from one of the spas I was researching, it felt like it was meant to be! This also gave me the perfect chance to actually visit the spa and get a feel for it.

Arya Medical Spa is located in Shiloh, IL. It’s right behind the Shiloh Target and it shares a building with Midwest Sinus Sleep & Allergy Associates.

Side note, if you need a local ENT I would highly recommend them! I’ve taken two of my three boys there for referrals from our pediatrician and both times we were so impressed with the doctors and staff! This is actually how Arya initially got on my radar because we took Luke to the ENT when he was about 3 months old and I discovered the office!

Back to the med spa! Arya Med Spa is a beautiful office with the nicest staff I’ve ever met! When you arrive they take you to a comfortable waiting room and offer you a beverage. I’ve never had to wait long for an appointment either.

If you’re looking to get a hydrafacial I cannot recommend Arya enough! Kayla was my aesthetician and she was so knowledgeable and taught me so much about skincare and different products. Plus it was the most relaxing hour of my life. Pro tip: ALWAYS add on a dermaplane to your facial!

They also have this amazing machine that takes a picture of your face and then analyzes it and compares your “skin age” to your actual age. So when it said my skin’s age was 36 and I was 36 I was very proud. Kayla was able to use the results from the skin analysis and recommend some different skincare products. I am now the proud owner of SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic which is a vitamin C serum! Arya carries lots of different medical grade skincare products and they can help you pick out what you need!

Now on to the Dysport! You should know that Arya offers free consultations for injections. Which is great if it’s your first time and you want to learn more! I already knew I wanted it so I was all in.

Angie was my nurse injector, and let’s just say I want to be her best friend. She made the entire appointment so fun and stress free! I actually also got to meet the other nurse injector, Cortney, because she was starting her training at Arya! She also took some of these pics for me. I can say with full confidence that you can’t go wrong with either Angie or Cortney to do your injections at Arya!

I talked with Angie about the look I wanted – less wrinkles around my eyes, more refreshed and awake, but NOT frozen! She listened and talked to me about what she could do with Dysport and away we went! I ended up getting Dysport injected into my forehead, my 11s (in between the eyebrows), and of course, my crow’s feet! I couldn’t believe how fast the entire process was, I felt like I blinked and she was done. It honestly didn’t hurt, just felt like a quick pinch where she injected.

You’re probably curious why I got Dysport and not Botox. Initially I assumed I would want Botox, mostly because I didn’t really know about Dysport. I did some of my own research and it seemed as if everything I was reading said Dysport would last longer. And it’s slightly cheaper. And both of those are good reasons to me! Also after talking with Angie (and more of the Arya staff) they told me they all get Dysport (and remember what I said about those photos earlier) so that was even more of a reason I chose Dysport over Botox. Really this comes down to a personal preference I think!

I could really go on and on for days, but I’m just going to do a quick Q&A below! If you have any additional questions about my injections or Arya, leave a comment below or feel free to send me a message via email or on Instagram!

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What did you have done?
I had Dysport injected into my forehead, 11s, and crow’s feet.

Did it hurt?
No! Each injection felt like a tiny pinch, but not painful. Angie told me it would be over quick, but I didn’t realize how quick she meant. The entire process of injecting took like a minute!

When did it start to work?
The cool thing about Dysport (vs Botox) is that it kicks in sooner! It was the craziest feeling, I could literally feel my forehead get heavy one day! It took a while to get used to, but it never bothered me. My forehead started to kick in around day 3 post injections. My crow’s feet started to feel heavy closer to day 5 post-injections. Scroll down to see my day by day photos!

How much does it cost?
Botox and Dysport prices vary from spa to spa. Arya charges $14 a unit for Botox and $4.50 a unit for Dysport (as of March 2022). Every spa is slightly different when it comes to units. And every person will need a different amount of units. At my follow up appointment I asked Angie how many units she gave me (because I forgot to ask when she did it, hah!) and she told me I got 115 units of Dysport total. There is a calculation you can do to convert units of Dysport to Botox and she said it would be equivalent to about 44 units of Botox.

Wait why is Dysport cheaper?
Angie was so good about explaining the differences between Dysport and Botox, and I just know I’m going to butcher it for you. 😂 The short answer is they are made by different manufacturers so they have different ingredients and therefore different prices. You will need more units of Dysport than you will Botox. And those units will vary from spa to spa and person to person. This is why it’s important to get a consultation so you and your injector are on the same page.

Would you do it again?
HELL YES.
Update August 2022 – Right now when I’m looking at photos of myself or in the mirror, it’s immediately my crow’s feet that I’m noticing again. I’ll be honest, I probably let it wear off way too long before making a follow up appointment. I would probably get some units in my forehead and 11s again, but maybe not as much. I would definitely keep the same amount of units in my crow’s feet!

How much do you love Arya?
I love them with my entire being 😂 I feel like they are the biggest keeper of secrets for all of us. They are beyond professional, but also make it so much fun!

Follow Arya:
Arya Med Spa
1179 Fortune Blvd
Shiloh, IL 62269
618-624-7300
Arya on Instagram
Arya on Facebook

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