Sweat Reduction

Hyperhidrosis disorder is a condition that results in excessive sweating. This sweating can occur in unusual situations, such as in cooler weather, or without any trigger at all. I Hyperhidrosis sufferers might sweat all over their body (generalized hyperhidrosis). Or, the sweating can be more localized to one or more areas, such as the palms, feet, armpits, groin or buttock region.

There are surgical and non-surgical sweat reduction treatments for hyperhidrosisthat range in their effectiveness. Neuromodulator injections, such as Botox or Dysport injections, are a non-surgical treatment option for people with hyperhidrosis. You may be a candidate for injections if your sweating fails to improve with prescription antiperspirants. Botox has been FDA-approved for people who sweat excessively from their armpits. It may also be used “off-label” to reduce sweating in other areas, such as the hands, feet, and face. Armit hyperhidrosis may also be improved with liposuction using an exploded-tip cannula which may physically disrupt some of the apocrine (sweat) glands in the area, and deactivates others.

Non-surgical:

Botox can be injected to the armpit and hands, and is performed in one office visit. We request that you avoid shaving your armpits for two or three days prior to your appointment. If you take blood thinners, please stop for a few days prior to your injections if this is cleared by your medical doctor. The area treated is pre-treated with topical anesthetic that will help numb the skin prior to treatment. Ice will also be used to decrease discomfort during the treatment. Botox medication is then injected just below the surface of the skin using a fine needle. You can resume your normal activities immediately after receiving Botox injections. It will take between two and seven days for you to stop sweating in the treated area. It can take two weeks for total dryness. The effects of Botox are temporary, which means you’ll need more injections in the future. For underarm sweating, dryness can last anywhere from four to fourteen months. Results may not last as long for the hands, and you may need to repeat your treatment in about six months.

Surgical:

Patients affected with axillary (armpit) hyperhidrosis may be candidates for local surgical techniques such as excision, curettage (scraping), and liposuction which allows for direct removal of sweat glands. In patients with redundant axillary tissue, direct excision is a good option that will improve the contour of the underarm area and also reduce sweating. This will leave a linear surgical scar, that varies in length depending on the amount of excess underarm tissue. This permanently removes sweat glands and in some cases, hair bearing skin.

Another option for sweat reduction is liposuction using a specialized cannula that will disrupt and remove some of the sweat glands in the area. This is performed in an outpatient surgical facility under local anesthesia and or general anesthesia. If you choose local anesthesia, sedation is given to help you relax during the procedure. The treated area will be swollen and bruised for 2-3 weeks after surgery, but over time, the swelling will settle. Results vary by individual, and in some patients, repeat surgery is necessary for a small subset of patients.