Relfydess vs Azzalure: what does the research really say?

A new name in anti-wrinkle treatments can spark a lot of questions. Will it work faster? Will it last longer? And if you have always had Azzalure, is there a reason to consider Relfydess?

At The White Rooms Clinic in Liverpool, Azzalure has been our usual botulinum toxin product. Relfydess is another option we may discuss following a consultation. Let’s look past the headlines and see what the clinical studies actually tell us.

First, what is Relfydess?

Relfydess and Azzalure are both prescription-only botulinum toxin type A medicines. They temporarily reduce activity in the muscles treated. One practical difference is their formulation: Relfydess arrives as a ready-to-use liquid, while Azzalure is a powder prepared before use. Their units are specific to each product and cannot be exchanged unit for unit.

The products’ UK licences include the temporary improvement of moderate to severe frown lines and lines at the outer corners of the eyes in eligible adults. A consultation determines whether treatment, and which option, is appropriate.

The headline results from the Relfydess trials

Three main phase III studies—READY-1, READY-2 and READY-3—compared Relfydess with placebo. READY-1 looked at frown lines, READY-2 at lines beside the eyes, and READY-3 at both areas together.

At one month, an investigator rated frown lines as none or mild in 96.3% of the Relfydess group in READY-1, compared with 4.5% of the placebo group. For lines beside the eyes in READY-2, the figures were 87.2% and 11.9%, respectively.

Those results show how participants performed on a defined clinical measure. They are not a promise of a particular look or level of satisfaction for every patient.

Will you see a change the next day?

Some Relfydess study participants reported an effect within one day. The median onset was two to three days—meaning one-day results were not the typical result. Azzalure’s product information also reports a median onset of two to three days.

What does “lasting six months” mean?

This is where the detail matters. The Relfydess studies found that an effect could still be measured at six months, but fewer participants met the none or mild frown lines measure as time passed. In READY-1, 73.7% met it at three months, 53.7% at four months and 23.6% at six months.

Azzalure’s pivotal studies found a reduction in frown-line severity for up to four months, with some response seen later. These were separate studies, so their figures do not prove that Relfydess will last longer than Azzalure for you.

Researchers also studied repeat Relfydess treatments in READY-4. In a subgroup who received four cycles for frown lines, the four-week investigator-rated response was similar after the first and fourth cycles. That is useful evidence about repeated treatment during the study; individual results can still vary.

Which option should you choose?

The best question to bring to a consultation is not simply “Which product is newest?” It is “What is suitable for my face, my health and the result I’m hoping for?”

Tell your practitioner about any previous anti-wrinkle treatments, including results that disappointed you. They can assess your facial movement, explain realistic expectations and discuss the relevant risks before deciding whether a prescription treatment is suitable. At The White Rooms Clinic, that conversation comes first.