Letybo vs Botox: Which Wrinkle Treatment Is Right for You?
Letybo and Botox are both botulinum toxin type A injectables, but Botox holds far broader FDA approval while Letybo is approved for frown lines only. A plain comparison of onset, duration, approved areas, unit pricing and candidacy.
Letybo and Botox are both injectable botulinum toxin type A products, and both soften wrinkles by temporarily relaxing the muscles that create them. The difference is scope and track record. Botox has been FDA approved in the US since 2002 and holds approvals across several cosmetic and medical uses. Letybo was approved in 2024 for one cosmetic indication: moderate to severe glabellar lines, the vertical frown lines between the brows. Onset, duration and cost sit close enough that the better choice usually depends on which areas you want treated.
How Neurotoxins Soften Expression Lines
Every time you frown, squint or lift your brows, small facial muscles contract and the skin above them folds. As collagen and elastin thin with age, the fold stops fully releasing and becomes a line visible even at rest. Botulinum toxin type A works upstream of that: injected in small, precisely placed doses, it blocks acetylcholine, the messenger a nerve uses to tell a muscle to contract. The muscle quiets and the lines above it soften over the following days.
Nothing is filled and nothing is removed, so the effect fades as nerve endings re-establish the signal. Both products are maintenance treatments, not one-time corrections. The evidence base is substantial, including a Cochrane systematic review of botulinum toxin type A for facial wrinkles, which found consistent short-term improvement.
What Is Letybo?
Letybo is the brand name for letibotulinumtoxinA-wlbg, a botulinum toxin type A manufactured by the South Korean company Hugel. The FDA approved Letybo in 2024 for the temporary improvement of moderate to severe glabellar lines in adults. That single indication is the entire scope of its approved US use right now.
New to this country is not the same as new. The same toxin has been used for years in South Korea and other markets under different brand names, and the US approval rested on phase 3 trials. The labeled glabellar dose is 20 units across five injection points. What Letybo lacks is breadth: no approval for crow's feet, no approval for forehead lines, and far less published literature outside the frown complex. Specifications and dosing sit on Hugel's Letybo product site.
What Is Botox?
Botox Cosmetic is onabotulinumtoxinA, made by Allergan Aesthetics, and it has the longest record of any neurotoxin in aesthetics. It was FDA approved for glabellar lines in 2002, lateral canthal lines (crow's feet) in 2013 and forehead lines in 2017. The therapeutic form of the same molecule carries approvals across a range of medical conditions, which means decades of safety data at doses far higher than cosmetic treatment uses. Applegate Dentistry & MedSpa offers neurotoxin treatment for cosmetic purposes only.
That track record has a practical payoff: dosing in the upper face is highly predictable because it rests on millions of documented treatments. Specifications are published by Allergan on the Botox Cosmetic site.
Letybo vs Botox: A Head to Head Comparison
Both are purified botulinum toxin type A, injected with a very fine needle in an appointment that takes minutes. The differences show up in five places, and none of them is a knockout blow.
How Quickly Does Each One Start Working?
Both are measured in days, not minutes. Most patients notice softening 3 to 5 days after Botox, with the full effect around day 14. Letybo behaved similarly in its trials, with some participants reporting visible change by day 2 or 3. Onset is rarely the deciding factor, and the planning rule is the same for both: book at least two weeks before an event you care about.
How Long Do Results Typically Last?
Most patients get roughly 3 to 4 months from either product. Letybo trial participants were followed through about 16 weeks, in line with what Botox patients report. Individual duration varies more than product duration does: dose, muscle strength, metabolism and heavy exercise all shift the number.
Which Treatment Areas Is Each Approved For?
This is the clearest difference. Botox Cosmetic is approved for three areas: frown lines, crow's feet and forehead lines. Letybo is approved for frown lines only. Off-label use is legal and routine in aesthetic medicine, and experienced injectors do use newer toxins beyond the labeled area, but the dosing guidance is thinner. If you are treating the upper face broadly, or exploring wrinkle treatment options for the first time, that difference is worth weighing.
Unit Pricing, and Why Cheaper Per Unit Is Not Automatically Cheaper
At our practice Botox is $12 per unit and Letybo is $10 per unit. That looks like a settled argument, and it is not. Units of botulinum toxin are product-specific: FDA labeling for every one of these drugs states that units cannot be compared to, or converted into, units of another botulinum toxin product.
What you pay is the per-unit price multiplied by the units your face needs, and that number depends on the area, your muscle strength and your goals. For the frown lines, where both products carry comparable labeled dosing, the lower per-unit price does tend to produce a lower bill. Add areas, or treat a strong muscle, and the arithmetic moves. The only figure worth acting on is a quote given after an in-person assessment.
Who Tends to Suit Each One?
Letybo often suits patients whose main concern is the frown complex, first-timers testing the water, and people treating one area on a budget. Botox often suits patients treating several areas at once, anyone with a long history of predictable results, and patients who want the deepest evidence base behind an off-label plan. Patients who would rather avoid needles entirely sometimes do better with Emface, a needle-free alternative for facial toning.
What They Have in Common: Your Injector Matters More Than the Vial
Two skilled injectors using different toxins produce results that look more alike than two different injectors using the same toxin. Dose, depth, injection points and an accurate read of how your muscles pull separate a natural result from a frozen brow. The flat, expressionless look patients fear is a technique outcome, not a brand outcome.
Both carry the same risks: temporary bruising, small headaches, and, uncommonly, a drooping eyelid or brow if product migrates. Both are temporary, which is a genuine safety feature. If you do not love the result, it wears off.
Can You Switch Between Them, or Combine Them?
Switching is straightforward. Most patients who move from Botox to Letybo, or back, do so at their next appointment with no washout period. Tell your injector what you used last time and how it behaved, because that history informs dosing even though units do not transfer.
Combining the two in one appointment is a different question. Injectors sometimes use one product in one area and another elsewhere, but it complicates tracking: if something behaves unexpectedly, you cannot tell which did it. We usually recommend one toxin per session. Running each on its own for a full cycle is the most reliable way to learn which your face prefers.
What to Expect at a Neurotoxin Appointment in a Dental Practice
A neurotoxin appointment is short. You arrive with a clean face, discuss which lines bother you, and your provider watches you frown, smile and raise your brows to map how your muscles move. The injections take about 10 minutes, and most patients describe a quick pinch rather than pain. You leave immediately, stay upright for a few hours and skip strenuous exercise until the next day.
Being injected in a dental practice surprises some people, and it should not. Dentists spend their careers working with the nerves and muscles of the face and jaw, injecting them precisely and understanding what happens when one stops firing. That anatomy training is what produces a good neurotoxin result, which is why injectables at Applegate Dentistry & MedSpa sit alongside our dental work.
Frequently Asked Questions About Letybo and Botox
What is the difference between Letybo and Botox?
Both are botulinum toxin type A injectables that relax the muscles creating expression lines. Botox has been FDA approved in the US since 2002 and covers frown lines, crow's feet and forehead lines. Letybo was approved in 2024 for frown lines only. Onset and duration are similar, so the approved areas usually decide it.
How long does Letybo last?
Most patients get about 3 to 4 months from Letybo, comparable to other botulinum toxin type A products. Trial participants were followed through roughly 16 weeks. Your individual duration depends on dose, the strength of the treated muscle, your metabolism and your activity level.
Is Letybo cheaper than Botox?
Letybo is $10 per unit at our practice and Botox is $12 per unit, so the per-unit price is lower. Your total is the per-unit price multiplied by the units you need, and units are not interchangeable between toxin products. For frown lines the lower price usually does mean a lower bill. Ask for a quote after an assessment.
Is Letybo FDA approved?
Yes. The FDA approved Letybo, letibotulinumtoxinA-wlbg, in 2024 for the temporary improvement of moderate to severe glabellar lines in adults. That is a narrower approved indication than Botox holds. Use in other facial areas is off label, which is legal and common in aesthetic medicine but carries less published dosing guidance.
How soon does Letybo start working?
Most patients begin to see softening within a few days, and some trial participants reported visible change by day 2 or 3. The full effect typically settles around two weeks, similar to Botox. If you are treating before an event, book at least 14 days ahead.
Can I switch from Botox to Letybo?
Yes, and most patients switch at their next regular appointment with no waiting period. Tell your injector which product you used previously, the dose and how long it lasted. That history guides your plan even though units do not convert between products.
How many units of Letybo will I need?
The labeled dose for frown lines is 20 units across five injection points, and many patients fall near that figure. Your number depends on how strong those muscles are and how deep the lines are at rest. Stronger muscles typically need more. Your provider sets the dose after watching your face move.
Does Letybo hurt more than Botox?
No meaningful difference is typically reported. Both are delivered through a very fine needle in a handful of quick injections, and most patients describe a brief pinch rather than pain. The frown area can feel slightly sharper than the forehead because the muscle is denser. Topical numbing is available if you would prefer it.
About the Author and Medical Review
This article was written and medically reviewed by Dr. Barry Dean Applegate, DMD, owner and founder of Applegate Dentistry & MedSpa in Covington, KY. He has practiced cosmetic and general dentistry since 1993 and is a four-time Cincinnati Magazine Top Dentist. Last reviewed September 2026.
This content is educational and is not a diagnosis, a treatment recommendation or a substitute for an in-person consultation. Individual results vary. Any decision about a botulinum toxin treatment should be made with a qualified provider who has assessed you.
Book Your Neurotoxin Consultation in Covington, KY
The fastest way to settle this is to have someone look at your face and tell you which product fits your plan and what it will cost. We offer both, and we have no reason to steer you toward either one. Learn more about Botox in Covington, KY or about Letybo injections in Covington, KY, then book a consultation or call (859) 365-3300. Our team will walk you through dosing, timing and pricing first.
