Excessive sweating
Excessive sweating or Hyperhidrosis can be effectively treated with Botulinum Toxin injections. This life-changing treatment is usually done twice a year. Botulinum Toxin has been used for several years with an excellent success rate for treating excessive armpit sweating.
What is Hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is a condition that results in severe sweating or perspiration in excess of the normal needs of the body. This can be socially and emotionally crippling, embarrassing, restrict clothing choice and damage clothes. Effective treatment of Hyperhidrosis can be life-changing for those affected.
Primary Hyperhidrosis is not due to any particular underlying cause, and can be seen as excessive sweating in the palms, feet, underarms, face and/or scalp. There is often a family history of excessive sweating. Sweating usually affects both sides, and is less at night than during the day. Most people with excessive sweating have Primary Hyperhidrosis.
Primary Hyperhidrosis is thought to affect around 3-10% of the population, ranging in age from teenagers to over 50 year old’s.
Secondary Hyperhidrosis is a result of an underlying medical condition such as infection, endocrine disorders, metabolic disorders, anxiety and stress, certain cancers and neurological conditions. The treatment of Secondary Hyperhidrosis requires treatment of the underlying cause, although Botulinum Toxin may be helpful in reducing symptoms.
Treatment is quick and simple involving tiny injections of Botulinum Toxin into the affected area. Most patients do not require any form of anaesthesia but if needed local anesthetic or ice can be used beforehand.
Results last on average about 6-12 months and can often last longer with repeated treatments – most people plan for treatment about once or twice a year.
Other hyperhidrosis treatments
- Surgery to remove or destroy the sweat glands can give longer lasting results. Side effects include scarring, infection, inadequate removal of sweat glands, and compensatory sweating from other areas on the body. This treatment is not performed by an aesthetic doctor.
- Chemical Sympathectomy where a chemical is injected into some of the nerves at the spinal cord level. This stops all sweating from the shoulder tip to the rib cage (upper sympathectomy) and/or from the knees down (lower sympathectomy). Side effects can include lung puncture, permanent nerve damage, death and increased sweating from other areas of your body such as a scalp and trunk . Aesthetic Doctors do not perform this treatment.