Since the FDA approved the use of Botox (botulinum toxin A) to treat axillary hyperhidrosis in 2004, the excessive sweating treatment has gone a long way to improving the quality of life for people suffering from uncontrolled and excessive underarm sweating. Botox was looked at as another option for treatment when the use of prescription strength antiperspirants was no longer effective.
This use for Botox, as an excessive sweating treatment, was considered very late. Prior to 2004, botulinum toxin A had been used to treat spasticity and movement disorders for well over a decade. Outside the U.S., Botox had already been in use as a treatment for primary axillary hyperhidrosis in approximately twenty countries before it received FDA approval.
When Botox is used, it is injected directly at the location to provide relief for excessive sweating symptoms. Besides the immediate use for reducing sweat secretion to underarms, Botox has also been used to provide excessive sweating treatment to hands, face, and feet. In clinical trials there has been a degree of promise. In some cases, patients obtain relief for up to seven months.
Botox is a naturally occurring protein that has been purified and has properties that allow it to block the secretion of the chemicals that activate sweat glands . Through the blocking or interruption of this chemical transmitter, Botox shuts down perspiration at the place where it has been injected.
As with any medical procedure requiring this manner of precision, anyone interested in receiving Botox as an excessive sweating treatment should do so through an appropriate medical physician. The doctor must be familiar with the procedure so it will be done right. Doctors who are affiliated with the International Hyperhidrosis Society and who have attended their educational forums should be noted when choosing someone to perform the treatment.
If you want to receive Botox injections for excessive sweating treatment, then you can do so within the privacy of the doctor’s office. The injections take a short time to perform and you will not have to make any changes to your usual schedule or restrict any activities.
When you are getting treatment using Botox, the protein is inserted under the skin in the glands that are causing producing too much sweat. Normally, you will receive multiple injections at the problem site depending on the view of the physician. Botox injections do cause pain when administered, particularly if you are receiving them in the soles of your feet or the palms. Doctors may provide some form of anesthetic to alleviate the discomfort.
Despite the relief it can bring, you should understand that Botox is not a definitive cure for hyperhidrosis. The symptoms will return, given enough time. By receiving follow-up injections you will get the continued relief from excessive sweating that you need. The timetable for this may vary from person to person, but typically, you should expect the need for further excessive sweating treatment between seven and sixteen months.
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