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Treatment options for excessive sweating

We all sweat every day. Unfortunately about 2.8% of the population suffer from excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) where the body overworks to cool down the internal body temperature.

Options for treatment of localized hyperhidrosis vary depending on the area to be treated.

For the initial treatment of moderate hyperhidrosis there are topical antiperspirants that can be applied directly to the skin in the affected areas of the body. We are all familiar with this type of solution – also with the skin irritation that it can cause. This solution is rather messy on clothing and has short periods of efficacy, requiring frequent reapplications.

Certain prescription oral medications can prevent the release of the neurotransmitter which is responsible for causing the sweat gland to go into warp speed. However, they can cause significant adverse effects, such as blurred vision, limiting their usefulness.

Iontopheresis consists of electrical stimulation of the affected areas, typically the hands. Most patients find this mode of treatment ineffective and not of durable benefit, with benefits lasting anything from hours to a few weeks.

We all tend to associate BOTOX® with the rich and famous… and then for cosmetic use. However, BOTOX® has also been shown to block the nervous system’s stimulation of the sweat glands under the arms or palms or other localized areas. BOTOX® affects nerve endings and in doing so, decreases the transmission of nerve impulses to sweat glands. This effectively reduces the production of sweat.

BOTOX® is injected directly into the skin in the area that is sweating excessively, for example, under the arms. Similar to BOTOX® when used for cosmetic purposes, it takes a few days to react. Patients often notice a dramatic reduction in sweating after a few days. This reduced sweating effect lasts on average 4-6 months. Some patients have reported this reduction to last up to a year.

A last option to reduce excessive sweating is surgery. This is normally only considered when less invasive treatments have proven to be ineffective.

Noel Halgreen
Sõna MedSpa

Hyperhidrosis - What causes someone to sweat excessively?

Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition that causes perspiration far greater than the physiological needs of the body. The sweat glands in someone with hyperhidrosis are no different from those in people that do not suffer from hyperhidrosis. They also do not have more sweat glands and the glands are similar in size as well. The condition is caused by overactivity of the sweat glands rather than an increase in the size of the glands.

Areas of the body that produce excessive sweat usually appear white or pink. In severe cases, the areas may appear cracked, scaly, and soft (especially on the feet). Other symptoms may include a bad odor caused by bacteria and yeast in the wet skin. The symptoms of excessive sweating may resemble other medical conditions.

Having hyperhidrosis of the palms, underarms, feet and face is a profound and dramatic experience. It affects all aspects of life, such as daily living and normal, interpersonal social actions. It also impacts work and related professional activities.

We all sweat every day. This is the body’s mechanism to control the internal body temperature. One survey1 showed that about 2.8% of the population suffer from excessive sweating where the body overworks to cool down the internal body temperature. The condition is known as hyperhidrosis.

Sweaty hands can occur while meeting someone for the first time, and appears to be brought on by nervousness or emotional distress. Excessive sweating under the arms can cause embarrassing wet marks on shirts, with the associated social impacts in a work or professional environment.

Sweating of the face may be so profuse that it causes the person to act as though they are insecure. They may appear overly-anxious, when this is not really the case. To add to this, someone could experience facial blushing, along with facial sweating, another embarrassing manifestation of the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.

In articles following this one we will discuss the treatment options for excessive sweating, and discuss the use of BOTOX ® to treat hyperhidrosis.

Noel Halgreen
Sõna MedSpa

1. Strutton DR, Kowalski J, Glaser DA, Stang P. US prevalence of hyperhidrosis: results from a national consumer panel. Poster presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology; March 21-26, 2003; San Francisco, Calif. Poster abstract P362
BOTOX is a registered trademark of Allergen, Inc.

Complexion Analysis

Before you begin any skin rejuvenation treatment, you should consider having a skin assessment, often referred to as a complexion analysis. There are a number of high tech devices out there that eliminate the subjectivity of such an assessment. One that is often in the news and seen in various TV segments is the VISIA® Complexion Analyzer.

The VISIA ® utilizes epidermal digital imaging technology to identify problem areas in your skin. For example, the system captures visible spots, pore condition, texture and wrinkles, computing it into percentage figures and comparing it to an industry data base. It also provides feature counts of invisible ultraviolet (UV) spots and porphyrin counts, which indicate bacterial activity on the skin. In the quest for a more radiant complexion, knowledge is an invaluable tool. Gone are the days when you would look in the mirror…maybe twist the head to get some more natural light on your face, and then squint to see really close up what your skin looks like! The system will also capture all this data electronically which could be printed for your own records. But even better than that, it has the ability to compare your results over time, as your treatment progresses and the results start to show.

One of the system capabilities that never cease to amaze me is the ability to “age” the client during the analysis. This is helpful in illustrating the impact of the current damage to the skin over a prolonged period of time to clients, and is also helpful in developing a customized treatment for the client.

Armed with this data, some biographical information, and after discussing your personal skin goals, your consultant will determine the optimal treatment program for you. At this point it is really important that you have an in depth discussion with your consultant regarding your expectations, as clients’ pre-treatment expectations and subjective evaluations of procedures may cloud their impressions of results.

Depending on your complexion analysis and your personal goals, your program will incorporate the right laser or light-based technologies, the right methods and the right treatment schedule – all to ensure the highest levels of safety and effectiveness.

Noel Halgreen
Sõna MedSpa

VISIA is a registered trademark of Canfield Scientific, Inc.,