You will see both terms, sometimes in the same sentence. It is not a mistake or a marketing strategy: some are brand names, and BTX type A is the active ingredient. It is like “aspirin” and “acetylsalicylic acid.”
One molecule, several brands
All BTX type A products approved for aesthetic use share the same 150 kDa neurotoxin. What differs between brands is the manufacturing process, excipients, and formulation.
The products most often cited in the literature are identified by their international nonproprietary names: onabotulinumtoxinA, abobotulinumtoxinA, and incobotulinumtoxinA.
What does change: the units
This is the point that causes the most confusion. Units are not interchangeable between brands. This is not a recommendation: FDA-approved prescribing information expressly warns of this.
The potency tests used to define a unit differ for each product, so one unit of one brand is not equivalent to one unit of another. The literature cites approximate ratios—around 1 unit of onabotulinumtoxinA to 2,5 to 3 units of abobotulinumtoxinA, and close to 1:1 with incobotulinumtoxinA—but these are clinical references, not exact equivalents.
What This Means When Comparing Prices
If one clinic quotes “60 units” and another “150 units,” you cannot conclude that the second clinic is giving you more product: it may be a different brand with a different scale. Comparing units across different brands does not tell you anything on its own.
What you can compare: the brand used, how many units of that brand, which areas are treated, and whether a touch-up is included.
What to Ask
- Which brand will be applied, and why that one?
- How many units of that specific brand?
- Will I be told the lot number before it is applied?
- Is a touch-up included, and when is it scheduled?
A clinic that can’t answer that clearly is a warning sign in itself.
This article is for informational purposes and does not replace an in-person medical assessment. The recommendation for any treatment is confirmed during a consultation.
