Treatment Options for Hyperhidrosis: miraDry®, BOTOX®, and More

Hyperhidrosis is a medical disorder characterized by unusually heavy sweating in one or more areas of the body. Patients with this condition produce more sweat than would typically be needed to maintain the body’s functions. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Victoria Negrete and the Excelin Medical Spa team based in Appleton, WI, often see hyperhidrosis patients from the local area and beyond. They offer various solutions, such as miraDry^® and BOTOX^®, as well as prescription medications to help these patients manage and control unwanted moisture and odor.

It’s typical to sweat in hot weather, during exercise, or when experiencing anxiety or emotional stress. Perspiration is a normal and healthy reaction to these various stimuli. The symptoms that characterize hyperhidrosis, however, aren’t necessarily related to any of these factors. With hyperhidrosis, there is no apparent reason behind breaking out in a sweat or an excessive reaction to one of these stimuli.

Doctors may initially recommend lifestyle changes and prescription-strength antiperspirants to combat the problem of hyperhidrosis, but if those solutions aren’t helpful, it may be necessary to turn to cosmetic treatments or even surgery. Hyperhidrosis often causes people to sweat so much that the perspiration soaks through their clothes, and their hands become wet, making daily activities difficult. These problems can also get in the way of a patient’s social and work life. For many hyperhidrosis sufferers, an episode of an abnormally excessive amount of sweating typically occurs at least once a week.

There are two main types of this condition: primary hyperhidrosis and secondary hyperhidrosis. Primary hyperhidrosis occurs on the face, hands, underarms, and feet. The exact cause of the condition is not fully understood, but it is thought to involve overactive nerves that trigger the sweat glands work overtime. Secondary hyperhidrosis is linked to an underlying medical problem such as obesity or diabetes.

Hyperhidrosis is not life threatening, but can be a nuisance and have a negative impact on overall quality of life in a way that is comparable to other conditions affecting the skin, such as severe acne. Additionally, the sweating sometimes leads to skin infections, chafing, and heat rash. The good news is that there are ways to effectively treat hyperhidrosis.

BOTOX^® is a neuromodulator that is most well known for its cosmetic applications in temporarily minimizing wrinkles, such as crow’s feet, forehead lines, frown lines, and bunny lines. It does this by interfering with the transfer of messages between the nerves and facial muscles. This ability to influence the activity of nerves also makes it good for treating other cosmetic problems and medical conditions.

BOTOX^® is FDA approved for decreasing sweat in the armpits, but also has off-label uses for other areas, such as the face, scalp, hands, and feet. Injections of BOTOX^® will temporarily interfere with the nerves that trigger sweat gland activity in specific areas, providing long-lasting relief. As with other BOTOX^® applications, patients can go back to their normal activities right away after a session, but it may take up to a week for the treatment’s full effect. When applied to the underarms, relief from sweating can last between three and nine months.

There are also energy-based options for addressing hyperhidrosis. For example, miraDry^® is a non-surgical method that applies heat to eliminate a large number of sweat glands in the targeted area. The miraDry^® device is placed directly on the skin and emits microwave energy, which is absorbed by the sweat glands. The resulting heat destroys them, thereby reducing sweat, odor, and even hair growth in the area.

Having underarm hair won’t make you perspire more, but moisture clings to hair, which forms a sort of barrier against evaporation. Reducing underarm hair can not only create a more aesthetically pleasing appearance, but can also make some topical treatments more effective and make it easier to manage sweat and odor. Laser hair removal with Forever Bare BBL^™ offers long-term hair reduction for the face or body. It sends out energy that is taken into pigmented cells, such as those found hair follicles. By heating up and destroying these follicles, hair growth is reduced.

Get more information about hyperhidrosis treatments from Excelin Medical Spa in Appleton, WI. To discuss symptoms and explore options with Dr. Victoria Negrete and her team, call 920-931-0022 or write to the practice online.