If you suffer from excessive sweating (a.k.a., hyperhidrosis), it’s easy to feel like you’re all alone. But the fact is, hyperhidrosis is fairly common, affecting nearly 3 percent of the U.S. population, or nearly 8 million Americans. Of course, if you have hyperhidrosis, you know it’s about a lot more than sweat stains and odor. Excessive sweating has a powerful emotional impact on those who suffer from it, resulting in loss of self-confidence, low levels of self-esteem, and increased levels of anxiety over when that excessive sweat reaction might kick in. (Ironically, that increased anxiety actually can make your symptoms worse.)
Yes, there are clinical-strength, over-the-counter antiperspirants you can try, as well as prescription antiperspirants that may work for some people. But for many people with hyperhidrosis, those products just aren’t enough to reduce their perspiration to any meaningful degree. And that means they’re left to find other solutions for their problem.
BOTOX® to the rescue
You read that right: BOTOX, the same solution that works wonders on crow’s feet and other facial wrinkles, is also a powerful treatment for many people who have hyperhidrosis. In fact, even though it’s probably best known as an anti-aging treatment, BOTOX is actually used for lots of other issues involving the nerves and muscles.
BOTOX works by blocking nerve signals between your brain and other structures, like your muscles (in the case of facial wrinkles) and your sweat glands (in people with hyperhidrosis). Normally, your sweat glands ramp up production of perspiration when your body gets too hot, and nerve signals “tell” your glands to start releasing that sweat. By releasing perspiration, your sweat glands help cool your body down, so you don’t get overheated. That’s great — when your glands work normally.
In people with hyperhidrosis, the nerves that tell your glands to produce and release sweat are overstimulated and overactive. Right now, researchers aren’t sure why that response occurs in some people and not in others. But of course, what they do know — and what we all know — is that the overstimulation results in lots of excess sweat. What’s more, while the underarm area is one of the most common places for excess sweating to occur, it can happen anywhere sweat is produced, including your palms. By blocking those nerve signals, BOTOX prevents perspiration from occurring in the first place. And that means you don’t have to worry about the sweat stains, discomfort, odor, or embarrassment associated with hyperhidrosis.
What to expect during treatment
BOTOX therapy for hyperhydrosis is completely customizable, so you can get the treatment you need for your specific symptoms. BOTOX injections use very fine needles to ensure the most accurate and precise delivery of the solution, right to the area where it’s most needed. Before your injections, Dr. Macdonald will apply a topical anesthetic to numb the injections sites, so you stay relaxed and comfortable. Treatment takes less than a half hour, and sometimes only a few minutes if the treatment area is very small. Afterward, you might have some mild swelling and bruising, similar to what you could expect after any type of injection. There’s no downtime, which means you can go right back to your normal routine after your office visit.
Once your treatment is complete, you can expect to notice results within a day or two, with maximum results in about a week. The results of your initial treatment can last up to four or five months, after which you can have the treatment repeated to prolong the benefits indefinitely. Insurance may cover the costs of your treatment. Our staff can contact your provider to find out more about your specific benefits.
Put an end to excessive sweating — today
Excessive sweating may not sound like such a big deal — unless you’re one of the people who suffers from it. At the Aesthetic Surgery Center, we know how upsetting hyperhidrosis can be, and we also understand the toll it can take on your self-confidence and your quality of life. As a top provider of BOTOX treatments for excessive sweating, Dr. Macdonald tailors every treatment based on the individual patient’s needs and goals, controlling the sweat response and reducing symptoms, so patients can feel more confident and more self-assured. To learn more about BOTOX treatments for hyperhidrosis, book an appointment online today.