Axillary Hyperhidrosis - excessive arm-pit sweating
Sweating from the under-arm, or the arm-pit, is called Axillary hyperhidrosis. It is thought to affect about 5% (1 in 20) of the population.
Although not proven, it is likely that axillary hyperhidrosis runs in families.
It can be one of the most embarrassing conditions for people.
Fortunately, there are now some very effective ways of treating this.
Permanent cure for Axillary Hyperhidrosis
The Laser Sweat Ablation operation is a new walk-in walk-out local anaesthetic operation to cure armpit sweating that was introduced into the UK by Mark Whiteley in March 2009.
There have been other attempts to achieve this - including retrodermal curettage, VASER, laser sweat reduction, axillary liposuction.
However, the current research suggests the best results seem to be coming from the Laser Sweat Ablation operation.
Although ETS has been use for axillary hyperhidrosis, it is unwise to do so if armpit sweating or axillary hyperhidrosis is the only problem. ETS will stop sweating the whole of the arm and hand as well as the axilla and so the risks of compensatory hyperhidrosis are too great for this to be a usual option.
In the past some surgeons have either cut away the hair bearing area of the armpit or axilla completely, or passed sharp instruments beneath the skin to "cut the nerves". Neither of these surgical options are acceptable in our practice.
The removal of the skin is painful and very disfiguring. The "cutting of nerves" by cutting under the skin itself is rarely successful and merely leaves scars that can be painful and disfiguring.
Temporary treatment for Axillary hyperhidrosis (armpit sweating)
One of the most effective ways of temporarily stopping sweating from the armpits, or axillary hyperhidrosis, is by injecting a dilute solution of Botulinum Toxin into the skin of the armpit or axilla. Using a very fine needle to make the procedure almost painless, approximately 12 injections are made in each armpit or axilla. No anaesthetic is needed and the whole process takes 20 minutes.
The Botulinum Toxin binds to the nerves that control sweating in the skin, and reduces all sweating in the area for 4 - 12 months. Clinical studies have shown this treatment reduces the amount of sweating from the armpits by 3 - 4 times. A first course usually lasts 4 - 9 months, with subsequent courses being more effective and lasting 6 - 12 months per time.
However, to get these results you need to have the full dose injected. not all doctors or clinics give a full dose - often they give half or quarter doses - presumably to make sure that patients come back quicker.
If you want to have Botulinum Toxin treatment, check which one you are going to be given and what dose you are going to be given before agreeing to go ahead. in our practice we would give the full dose:
- Dysport® = 500 units
- Botox® = 100 units
NB - Many people have been led to believe that "Botox®" is a new treatment for under-arm sweating. This is because of some clever marketing by a UK based company in 2008. However, The Whiteley Clinic has been using Botulium Toxin for treating armpit sweating since 1999.
