Hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating is an uncommon but unpleasant condition that causes serious social implications to the person suffering from it. Many patients are shy to seek medical opinion and most of them become introverted due to their condition. Thankfully this condition can be treated by Botulinum toxin as an out-patient procedure (i.e. using BOTOX).
About the procedure:
Botulinum toxin is an effective treatment for excessive sweating for the vast majority of the patients. The whole treatment takes approximately an hour or so and one can return to all activities almost as soon as the procedure is completed. The toxin works by temporarily blocking the conduction of chemical nerve signals to the sweat glands thus decreasing the output of sweat. This is not a permanent cure but the effect lasts for an average of 6 months. For most people it is enough to undergo this procedure about twice a year.
Am I a candidate?
Most people who suffer from this condition do not realize that there is a medical solution to their problem. Any male or female who has excessive sweating in the armpits or palms is a good candidate especially if the excess sweating is causing the person serious social issues.
How do you prepare?
The procedure does not require any special preparations on your part. You have to just show up about 30 minutes prior to your procedure for the nurse to prepare the areas that are to be treated.
During the procedure:
I will clean the area to be treated and then apply a numbing cream which stays on for about 15 minutes. Then the areas are wiped clean, scrubbed with Betadine and then talcum powder is applied. The idea of doing this is that it ‘maps’ the areas of excessive sweating so that I can target those areas specifically. Approximately 100 units of the toxin will be needed for both armpits. In addition if you want the palms also to be treated simultaneously it can be done with another 100 units for both palms.
Recovery time:
It is recommended that you stay in a horizontal position for 4 hours after the treatment before resuming normal activities. It is also recommended that you do not use any deodorants immediately after the treatment.
Precautions:
There are absolutely no major contraindications to this treatment. Inform me if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. To many patients this treatment is a lifeline especially to those in the hospitality industry. I have personally seen many patients undergo a dramatic improvement in their personality after this treatment.
Package:
The package for treatment of excessive sweating includes my consultation fees, the cost of the toxin (based on number of units used), and injection charges.
