If you suffer from excessive sweating, chances are, you suffer every day. You may constantly worry about how much you’re sweating.
You may spend hours each day dealing with sweat changing clothes, “freshening up”, wiping, placing napkins or pads under your arms or in your pockets, bathing, and hiding under dark-colored, bulky clothes. You may have lost friends and opportunities because of uncontrollable sweating underarms. Afraid of what people will think, you may even make excuses to stay home, or choose careers in which you don’t have to interact with people, shake hands or give presentations. Emotional problems, including depression, social isolation, and decreased confidence, can result.
This condition usually begins around adolescence, however, some cases become apparent in the pre-teen years. There can be a feeling of hopelessness because they think there is no solution to their problem, therefore, further isolating them from their peers. They do not have the courage to discuss this condition with their family because they think they are the only ones affected by this. Sometimes, parents only become aware of their children’s distress after the condition has been hampering them for several years. The parents notice the lack of social interaction, unhappiness, and low self-esteem. At this point, they can seek professional advice.
The sympathetic nervous system over stimulates the sweat glands, causing the hyperhidrosis. This condition maybe aggravated by anxiety, but it can occur without it.
In addition to psychological troubles, excessive sweating can also cause painful or irritating skin problem, such as bacterial or fungal overgrowth and infections. From physical discomfort, to anxiety, embarrassment, and the stress of always hiding your sweat from others, hyperhidrosis can impact nearly all aspects of your life.
In 2004, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved BOTOX for the treatment of severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating of the underarms) in patients unable to obtain relief using antiperspirants.
Botox is produced by Allergan, Inc. and it is the most studied brand of botulism toxin in the world.
Botox is a natural, purified protein with the ability to temporarily block the secretion of the chemical that is responsible for turning on the body’s sweat glands. By blocking, or interrupting, this chemical messenger, Botox turns off sweating at the area where it has been injected. Botox injections are very shallow, meaning that the medicine is injected just below the surface of the skin, where it remains.
Research demonstrates that treating excessive sweating of the armpits, hands, and feet with Botox is safe and effective. When used to treat underarm excessive sweating, Botox has been shown to result in an 82-87% decrease in sweating. Results start to be noticeable approximately 2 to 4 days after treatment with full effects usually noted within 2 weeks. Dryness typically lasts 4 to12 months. Additional statistics from published research studies have shown that repeated treatment with Botox is safe and effective for hyperhidrosis and consistently results in meaningful, long-lasting improvements in an excessive sweating patient’s symptoms, daily functioning, and quality of life. Botox treatment for hyperhidrosis has also been scientifically proven to improve on the job productivity.
While sweating is an essential body function for temperature-control, localized body areas house only a small percentage of the body’s sweat glands (the underarm, for instance, are home to less than 2% of the body’s sweat glands.) The temporary cessation of these sweat glands’ functioning, therefore, has little to do with body thermoregulation.
