Do I have severe under arm sweating ?
If underarm sweating significantly interfering with your daily activities and topical agents haven't worked, you may be a candidate for BOTOX® treatment. First, understand how this condition may affect you.
Severe underarm sweating is a medical condition known as severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis, which involves overactive sweat glands. Sweat is your body's temperature regulator. In severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis, sweating significantly exceeds the body's normal requirements for cooling.
A number of different treatments and products are available to help people with severe underarm sweating. Here's an overview of some you may have heard about or considered trying.
Antiperspirants/Deodorants
Often considered the "first line" of treatment for severe underarm sweating, over-the-counter and prescription antiperspirants work by blocking sweat ducts, thereby reducing the amount of perspiration that reaches the skin. The most widely used ingredients in antiperspirants are metallic salts, including aluminum chloride hexahydrate. Antiperspirants can cause skin irritation, and higher concentrations of aluminum chloride can be destructive to fabrics.
Deodorants help control body odor, which is caused by a reaction between bacteria and sweat. The deodorants work by making the skin more acidic, and hence less attractive to bacteria. They are often used in combination with antiperspirants to help control sweating in addition to odor.
BOTOX® Treatment
BOTOX® is FDA-approved for severe underarm sweating that is inadequately managed with topical agents. BOTOX® helps control this condition by temporarily blocking the chemical signals from the nerves that stimulate the sweat glands. When the sweat glands don't receive chemical signals, the severe sweating stops. What Is Treatment With BOTOX® Like?
The procedure is relatively straightforward. A small volume of BOTOX® solution is injected into the affected underarm area through a very fine needle. The needle is placed just under the skin, so you may experience some injection-related discomfort. You will receive multiple injections based on your doctor's assessment of the area that needs to be treated.
What are the most common side effects?
In clinical studies of patients with hyperhidrosis, the most frequently reported side effects (3% to 10% of patients) following BOTOX® injection included injection-site pain and bleeding, non-underarm sweating, infection, inflammation of the throat, flu syndrome, headache, fever, neck or back pain, itching, and anxiety.
How Long Does a BOTOX® Treatment Last?
In a key clinical study, half of the patients had a treatment duration of at least 201 days or 6.7 months.1 It is not a cure; your symptoms will return gradually, and you will know when the time is right for another treatment. Your healthcare provider will recommend a treatment strategy to ensure that you receive the best possible results with BOTOX® treatment.
What If I Decide to Stop Treatment?
If you decide not to have further treatment, there will be no lasting change in the treated areas. The effects of BOTOX® treatment will gradually wear off, and your underarm sweating will resume.
Take the hyperhidrosis self-assessment at: http://www.botoxseveresweating.com/underarm_sweating/self_assessment.aspx
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