Excessive sweating in the area under the arms is called Axillary Hyperhidrosis-axillary being under the arm, and hyperhidrosis meaning too much perspiration.

It’s sweating beyond the body’s normal need to regulate temperature, and although some people may have it as a result of a medical condition, in most cases it’s the result of an overactive sympathetic system.

Profuse sweating is awkward and embarrassing; it means constantly changing clothes and a fear of wearing light colours in case sweat stains become visible.

What Causes Excess Sweating?

The dermis, or middle layer of the skin, is full of hair follicles, sweat glands, blood vessels and nerve endings. We secrete sweat from two types of glands; the eccrine and apocrine glands. Eccrine ones are all over the body; aprocrine glands are found in areas where there is an accumulation of hair follicles like the groin, scalp and armpits.

These glands are controlled by sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, which also handle all the involuntary functions like breathing, digestion, temperature and so on.

When you have an increase in body temperature, your sympathetic nervous system automatically signals the sweat glands to start cooling your body. People with hyperhidrosis have a problem with too much sweat being produced.

What Stops Excessive Sweating?

There is an effective solution, in the form of a neurotoxin produced by the bacteria clostridium botulinum-what we know as botox. Slievemore Clinic uses BTX-A very successfully to halt excessive sweating.

When BTX-A is injected into the skin, it affects the signal between the nerve endings and the sweat glands in the dermis. The BTX-A binds itself to the nerve endings near the injection site, disrupting the message sent from the nerve endings to stimulate the production of sweat. The sweat glands don’t receive a message to switch on, so they remain inactive.

The BTX-A injections are more dilute than the ones used for wrinkle correction in the face, and they are not injected into the muscle; just into the skin. You’ll get several of them around the problem area to ensure correct distribution if the solution.

How Long Will It Last?

The effects last about four to six months, depending on the patient, and generally the treatment leads to very good resolution of localized armpit sweating without any untoward side effects.

Dr. Lisa Fay explains the benefits of neurotoxin treatment for hyperhidrosis

What are my treatment options?

Hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating affects 2-3% of the population. Hyperhidrosis can often greatly affect ones confidence. Often patients report that it can limit their lifestyle in terms of what clothes they wear and also activities. if excessive sweating is affecting your life then this simple treatment can reduce your sweating for up to 6 months.

For further details on treating excessive armpit sweating phone 01 685 3100.