The treatment of excessive sweating using Botulinum Toxin
What is Hyperhidrosis?
Whilst it is normal to sweat when hot or exercising, you may be considered to be excessively sweating when your body does not need to cool down. This is called Hyperhidrosis.
The sweating may affect all of your body, or it may only affect certain areas. Commonly affected areas include the:
- Armpits
- Palms of your hands
- Face and chest
- Soles of your feet
- Groin
Excessive sweating can happen for no obvious reason, because of another condition, or as a side effect of medication. Hyperhidrosis can cause people problems in their social and
working lives and can cause a lack of confidence.
Why might people choose to treat their Hyperhidrosis?
Heavy sweating can disrupt your day and cause social anxiety, lack of confidence and embarrassment. Those with hyperhidrosis may sweat so much that it soaks through their clothes or drips off their hands. This leads those with the condition to want to seek treatment. The benefit of this treatment is that it can greatly reduce, and in most cases stop, the sweat produced in your armpits for up to 6 months.
How is Hyperhidrosis treated?
In the case of excess sweating, botulinum toxin (Botox) can be used to block the nerves that trigger the sweat glands. The botulinum toxin is injected just beneath the surface of the skin and can help to prevent excess sweating for several months by temporarily blocking the chemical signals from the nerves that stimulate the sweat glands. The treatment only works on the areas of the body that have been injected.
