Why We’re Not Yet Offering Relfydess – Galderma’s Newest Botulinum Toxin
- Sebastian Rose Medical Aesthetics
- Jul 18
- 4 min read
Why We’re Not Yet Offering Relfydess – Galderma’s Newest Botulinum Toxin
At Sebastian Rose Medical Aesthetics, we are known for delivering safe, effective, and carefully selected aesthetic treatments—tailored to your needs, not marketing trends. So, when a new botulinum toxin like Relfydess by Galderma enters the UK aesthetics market, it’s only natural that our patients ask: Will you be offering this new Botox alternative?
Here’s why the answer, for now, is: Not just yet.
What is Relfydess?
Relfydess is the latest botulinum toxin launched by Galderma, the makers of Azzalure and Alluzience. It has recently passed Phase III clinical trials and is subject to additional safety monitoring as indicated by the inverted black triangle (▼) symbol – a regulatory flag that marks new medicines being closely observed for side effects.
The product is being marketed as offering “results from Day 1,” liquid formulation convenience, and “up to 6 months duration.” However, upon closer inspection, these claims merit further discussion.
We’ve Done This Before – And We’ve Learned from It
We’re already familiar with toxins that are free from complexing proteins—such as Bocouture. Like Relfydess, Bocouture is often marketed as being more “pure” due to the absence of these proteins. However, in our real-world clinical experience, we found that this “purity” does not equate to better longevity.
In fact, Bocouture’s results have often proved less durable, despite promising trial data. This leads us to question whether Relfydess will follow the same path—appearing impressive in tightly controlled trials, but performing less consistently in real patient populations.
The Marketing Claims – A Closer Look
Relfydess’s promotional material suggests:
“Results from Day 1”On the surface, this sounds groundbreaking. But the clinical data shows that only up to 39% of patients noticed results from Day 1. That means over 60% of patients did not—a crucial point when managing expectations.
“Up to 75% maintained results through 6 months”Again, “up to” is a key qualifier. This could mean 1 in 4 patients experienced results that didn’t last 6 months, which, in a real-world aesthetic practice, can lead to dissatisfaction and premature top-ups.
“Stays liquid – no reconstitution”Relfydess is a liquid toxin—just like Alluzience, Galderma’s previous “newest” product. So this isn’t new technology. While liquid toxins are convenient, especially for new or inexperienced practitioners, we believe that ease for the injector should never trump outcomes for the patient.
“Simple dosing, no risk of reconstitution error”Again, this benefits less experienced injectors. At Sebastian Rose, we’ve been successfully reconstituting and calculating doses for years—it’s a basic clinical skill. Choosing a product purely because it’s easier for us, rather than better for you, is not our ethos.
We Don’t Jump on Every New Toxin Trend
As a clinic, we’ve always been deliberately selective about the products we offer. We didn’t jump on the bandwagon when Letybo launched, and we haven’t adopted every new toxin formulation just because it’s new.
Here’s a breakdown of the botulinum toxin type A products licensed in the UK—and importantly, which are actually licensed for cosmetic/aesthetic indications:
We’ve chosen to stay loyal to Azzalure, which has consistently delivered predictable, natural-looking results and high patient satisfaction. Just because a product is new—or aggressively marketed—doesn’t mean it offers superior patient outcomes.
A Word on Longevity and Patient Satisfaction
In our decade of using Azzalure—also from Galderma—we’ve seen consistent, predictable results and high patient satisfaction. During a recent worldwide Azzalure shortage, we used Bocouture as a temporary replacement. This was helpful in rare cases such as suspected antibody development, but again, its performance didn’t match the reliability of Azzalure for most of our patients.
With Relfydess being free from complexing proteins, we suspect it may follow a similar trajectory—suitable for niche cases, but not necessarily superior across the board.
Our Position – Patient Outcomes First
We value our partnership with Galderma and continue to admire their commitment to innovation. But our commitment is first and foremost to our patients’ outcomes, not brand loyalty.
That’s why we won’t be offering Relfydess as a standard treatment until:
We see more convincing data from larger, independent post-market studies
We experience more predictable, long-term results
We can confidently say it performs as well as—or better than—Azzalure in the real world
What If You Want to Try Relfydess?
If you’ve read about Relfydess and are keen to try it, we’re open to offering it on request. We’re happy to administer Relfydess, Alluzience, Botox, or Bocouture, if—after clinical discussion—we agree it may suit your goals. We just won’t push new products based on unproven marketing.
In Summary
Relfydess is the latest toxin making headlines—but for now, the evidence doesn’t yet justify a switch for our clinic or our patients. We continue to prioritise tried, tested, and trusted treatments backed by real-world success, and we’ll revisit Relfydess once more data emerges.
If you have questions about the right botulinum toxin for your treatment plan, we’re here to advise based on experience, not hype. Book your consultation here!
