Excessive Armpit Sweating Info

The effectiveness of any Hyperhidrosis treatment can vary and could depend on any number of factors, not least, what type of Hyperhidrosis you have and also how serious the problem is.

Hyperhidrosis Treatments

There is more than one type of excessive sweating treatment you can choose from:

Anti-perspirants – Whilst most people use anti-perspirants every day, if you suffer from Axillary Hyperhidrosis you may want to try one of the extra strength versions that are available on prescription. Anti-perspirants work as a Hyperhidrosis treatment by plugging the sweat glands in your body. They do this with an active ingredient that reacts with your sweat ducts to form a superficial plug just under the surface of your skin, which temporarily stops sweat from escaping. These active ingredients are usually metallic salts, and the most commonly used ones are aluminium-based. Extra-strength anti-perspirant, which are commonly used as an excessive sweating treatment, have a higher percentage of active ingredient, i.e. a higher dose of aluminium.

Iontophoresis – This is a Hyperhidrosis treatment often tried by those who are suffering from excessive sweating of the hands and feet, and has quite a high success rate if used correctly. Whilst it isn’t fully understood how iontophoresis works, the process itself uses water to conduct a small electric charge through the skin’s surface. It is believed that the outer layer of the skin is thickened by the electric current and the minerals in the water working together, which stops the flow of sweat to the skin’s surface. A number of sessions are usually needed to see beneficial results with this Hyperhidrosis treatment, with each session lasting 20-40 minutes.

Botox – A cosmetic treatment for a number of years, Botox (or botulinum toxin) is becoming more popular as a Hyperhidrosis treatment. Botox is injected into the local area (e.g. armpit if you suffer from Axillary Hyperhidrosis) where it reacts with the nervous system to effectively ‘turn off’ the body’s sweat glands. Experts have commented on Botox injections being an effective and successful treatment for excessive sweating, when antiperspirants have had little or no success. Though there is a degree of discomfort during the administration, i.e. the injections, it appears to be an increasingly popular and promising Hyperhidrosis treatment.

Hyperhidrosis Medication – Prescription medications such as beta blockers and anticholinergics are available and have been used to treat excessive sweating. These drugs work by preventing the stimulation of the sweat glands. However, many doctors are unconvinced of their use as a excessive sweating treatment and they probably would not recommend them as a long-term solution due to the potential side effects of these drugs.

Hyperhidrosis Surgery – If your excessive sweating is persistent and serious, you might decide to consider surgery as a possible solution, although most people would agree that this is probably only appropriate in the most extreme cases of Hyperhidrosis. Procedures such as an Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy or Lumbar Sympathectomy would be done under general anaesthetic and involve clamping the sympathetic nerve chains along the patient’s vertebrae. Whilst quite effective as a Hyperhidrosis treatment, surgery can also lead to compensatory sweating in other areas, particularly on the lower half of the body. Plus, there is always a risk associated with any surgery on the body’s nervous system, so this is usually only considered as a last resort to stop Hyperhidrosis.