How much do you sweat? For individuals who worry about excessive sweating, it’s an important question that begs a solution. At ICLS, Dr. Sapra uses BOTOX® to help treat hyperhidrosis for patients who are tired of constantly feeling anxious about excessive sweating.
What is Hyperhidrosis?
Sweat plays an important role in maintaining a healthy body temperature. Normally, sweat is produced as a response to an increase in body temperature, which can happen due to external factors and internal stressors, such as nervousness. But what happens when our sweat glands are overactive and respond in a seemingly benign situation?
Excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis, is a common condition that affects an estimated 7.8 million American teens and adults. Also known as polyhedrosis or sudorrhea, hyperhidrosis is characterized by excessive sweating in the underarms, feet, and hands without a discernable trigger. The condition can be segregated into two types – primary hyperhidrosis and secondary hyperhidrosis. While the latter is usually attributed to other underlying health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, or anxiety disorder, the causes behind primary hyperhidrosis remain a mystery.
On its own, excessive sweating is not a dangerous medical condition. However, the causes of secondary hyperhidrosis may require medical intervention to address the condition properly. In the case of primary hyperhidrosis, the actual excessive sweating may not pose a medical threat to a patient’s wellbeing, but it can certainly undermine an individual’s self-confidence and comfort. Recent studies have even suggested that individuals with primary hyperhidrosis are more likely to experience anxiety, nervousness and emotional stress as a result of their condition. Ultimately, these concerns can influence an individual’s choice in social activity, their relationships, self-image, and emotional health.
Treating Excessive Sweating with BOTOX®
In recent years, more treatments have emerged to help address excessive sweating. However, many of these traditional solutions involve surgical intervention or long-term medicinal treatments. Fortunately, new and successful studies have shown that BOTOX® can be used to help those who are affected by excessive sweating. While this injectable is commonly associated with smoothing wrinkles and fine lines, BOTOX® has been successfully used to address many medical conditions. In addition to teeth grinding and headaches, this injectable neurotoxin has found a new use as a non-invasive treatment option for patients with hyperhidrosis.
The success of BOTOX® for treating excessive sweat comes from how the active ingredient interacts with neurotransmitters responsible for triggering sweat production. Normally, the brain sends a signal to the eccrine glands throughout the body to begin releasing sweat. When excessive sweating is treated with BOTOX®, the injected material weakens the signal between the brain and glands. This causes the body to produce less sweat, reducing how much visible sweat is released. With BOTOX®, sweat overproduction can be suppressed anywhere from three to six months.
At ICLS, we’ve seen great results using BOTOX® to treat excessive sweating, helping patients regain confidence and comfort. As with other medical procedures conducted at our clinical practice, patients first visit our office for a consultation with our specialist and one of the highly trained nursing staff. During this time, Dr. Sapra may conduct several tests ensure you are experiencing hyperhidrosis and to determine the severity of the condition.
During Your Procedure
As with other BOTOX® injections, hyperhidrosis treatment is minimally invasive, completely non-surgical, and an outpatient procedure; patients are free to go back to work or home following their treatment session. A small needle is used to inject BOTOX® into the area of concern which can include the palms of the hands, underarms, and soles of the feet.
Patients find the treatment very tolerable and are always pleasantly surprised by the ease and convenience of the treatments. Once when BOTOX® has been injected, the formula creates a temporary bump which dissipates within several minutes. Depending on the size of the treatment area, patients can complete their treatment within a one-hour appointment.
Recovery & Post Treatment Care
Recovery from a hyperhidrosis treatment is relatively straight-forward. After the treatment, patients may notice some sensitivity or tenderness around the injection site. Usually, this subsides within a day of treatment.
BOTOX® starts working by blocking overactive sweat glands within a week following your first injection session, with most patients finding the best results about two weeks after their initial appointment. With this option, patients can stop focusing on how much they’re sweating and start enjoying life, worry-free. Results last between three to six months, with many of our patients choosing to schedule maintenance sessions to keep their results consistent into the future.
Stop Sweating and Schedule Your Consultation Today!
To find out if BOTOX® hyperhidrosis treatment is right for you, please contact our knowledgeable staff at our Oakville office, between Hamilton and Toronto, Ontario for your consultation. Dr. Sheetal Sapra and our nursing staff will be able to provide you with all the information you need to make the most informed decision.