Everybody sweats; it is a normal and important part of how our bodies regulate temperature. Hyperhidrosis means excessive sweating. People with hyperhidrosis produce sweat in amounts far greater than that needed to control their temperature. Approximately 3% of UK adults suffer from some form of excessive sweating and around 1.4% experience excessive sweating under the arms. That equates to approximately 840,000 people in the UK.
It usually begins to affect people from adolescence or early twenties and often persists to affect individuals in middle age. People with this condition can produce large amounts of sweat which can often be unsightly causing damp sweat patches.
How it works
Hyperhidrosis is treated by injecting small amounts of Botox®/Bocouture (botulinum toxin) under the skin. As the injections are so superficial within the skin, the Botox®/Bocouture acts on the sweat glands and not on the surrounding muscles. TheBotox®/Bocouture temporarily reduces the effectiveness of the sweat glands leaving a dry, clean area of skin even during exercise. The vast majority of people gain the desired results following the injection. A small percentage do however continue to sweat (to a lesser extent) in the treated areas. In clinical trials sweating was reduced by 83% of patients one week after treatment.
If you think that you are suffering from excessive sweating there are certain lifestyle changes that can help including using antiperspirant deodorants, not deodorants alone, avoiding know triggers such as spicy foods or alcohol. Maintaining a cool environment and wearing loose clothing and the most difficult - trying not to worry!
Does it hurt?
No, not really. Treatment of the underarms is usually not painful and easy to withstand. We use local anaesthetic cream called Emla, which helps numb the skin. During the procedure, a very fine needle is used to inject tiny amounts of Botox just under the skin near in the area of excessive sweating every 1 to 2 centimetres. Multiple injections are given based on your doctor's assessment of the area that needs to be treated. Injections into the palms or soles may be somewhat painful however. To ease discomfort, we may use one or more of a number of anaesthetic techniques such as ice or vibrations to help.
How do I choose a Practitioner?
Dr O'Neill and Jenny O'Neill are both highly experienced injectors, and have been performing Botox® treatments for hyperhidrosis for many years, with great results.
They are both members of The International Hyperhidrosis Society; you can learn more here www.sweathelp.org.
How long do results last?
On average, results last about 7 months.
How long does the treatment take?
30-45 minutes depending on the area treated and length of consultation.
