Excessive underarm sweating, otherwise known as hyperhidrosis is a condition that affects countless Americans each and every year – and millions more around the globe. And with so many individuals dealing with the embarrassment that comes with overactive underarm sweating treatment has never been a more popular topic. Popularized by both dermatologists and aesthetic medicine specialists, one surprising new treatment has taken the world by storm and led to plenty of amazing success stories at the same time – Botox! Yes, that’s right. The same Botox that’s been used for decades as a cosmetic facial treatment for wrinkles and expression lines. While it might seem strange when you first hear the words out loud, the truth is that Botox has a number of different, unique off-label uses – many of which have been known just as long as the conventional modalities of Botox. At Aesthetic Solutions NY, they are able to treat a number of different patients with hyperactive underarm sweating issues, with amazing success – indicative of a wider trend for such treatments. In many scientific research trials Botox has proved to be quite the underarm sweating treatment with results that are unrivaled by other, more common treatment protocols. Here is a brief overview of how Botox works in the treatment of hyperhidrosis.
Botox, as we stated, has long been used as a cosmetic treatment for wrinkles and expression lines in the face. And unlike most injectable facial filler treatments, Botox utilizes the botulinum toxin-A – the active ingredient designed cause temporary paralysis of muscles, preventing them from moving for a period of time. This works with the understanding that wrinkles are caused by the movements of these muscles beneath the skin, and over time, as these muscles move, as a result of facial expressions, they create permanent or semi-permanent lines to develop on the skin’s surface. Using the same principles as with wrinkle treatment, Botox is used as an underarm sweating treatment.
Botox works by blocking the nerves that are responsible for activating our sweat glands. Under normal circumstances, the nervous system activates your sweat glands when your body’s temperature rises. This is the body’s natural means of cooling itself – however, for those individual’s suffering from hyperhidrosis the nerves that signal the sweat glands are overactive. In the treatment of hyperhidrosis, when patients receive injections of Botox directly into the underarm area, just as they would you’re your facial muscles, the Botox paralyzes the overactive nerves. So essentially, because the nerves are paralyzed, they can no longer signal your sweat glands and you are prevented from sweating. While it is most effective as an underarm sweating treatment, this method of hyperhidrosis treatment works all throughout the body – from anywhere an individual may sweat hyperactively.
While it is true that this concept can be used throughout the body, in theory, Botox is currently only approved and is no longer considered off-label, as an underarm sweating treatment. One finding of researchers studying the subject was that Botox also proved to be extremely effective in the treatment of sweaty palms, with an 80% success rate in many instances. In addition, certain conventional Botox treatments, for the treatment of facial wrinkles, have yielded decreased sweating action in places like the forehead and around the lip or chin area. For anyone who is suffering from Hyperhidrosis and is in need of treatment, definitely try Botox as both a short term and long-term treatment option. For more information on Botox for sweating contact today.
