Botox: Safest, Most Effective Treatment for Excessive Sweating

Excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis, is a difficult problem for many. It is an undeniable cause of social embarrassment and even a deterrent in the workplace. A salesman or a flight attendant with sweaty hands or underarms, for example, is at a distinct disadvantage against colleagues.

Excessive sweating results from the stimulation of the sweat glands by nerve endings, which receive signals from the brain. The nerves react to emotional pressures, physical stresses, or hot humid weather.

Various treatments are available to address this problem. These range from deodorants and antiperspirants to anticholinergic drugs and tranquilizer. However, they have proven to be ineffective for most cases.

Then there are the surgical alternatives. These include the cutting of the sweat glands from the skin of the underarms, leaving visible scars. Alternatively, neurosurgeons use a fiber optic surgical tube to cut the nerves in the neck, which lead to the axillary sweat glands. This procedure, however, comes with the risk of nerve damage, possibly causing paralysis of the arm, loss of sensation, and permanent dilation of the pupil of the eye.

The safest, most effective option available today is Botox. Here, 15-20 drops of Botox are injected through a small needle into the skin. Heavy exercise must be avoided immediately after surgery, but normal activity can be resumed. The benefits of Botox last for six to ten months.

The procedure may leave small bruises, but they disappear within a few days. The risks of numbness, permanent change in the skin, and temporary muscle weakness are remote.