What hyperhidrosis is and its treatments
Hyperhidrosis — that is, excessive sweating of the armpits, hands, or feet — can be so intense in some people
that it causes significant discomfort.
The solution is a non-surgical treatment based on a well-known substance:
botulinum toxin.
Solutions for hyperhidrosis
Treating hyperhidrosis with botulinum toxin
- Procedure duration 30–45 minutes
- Type of anesthesia Local anesthesia
- Recovery time Immediate
The treatment is performed on an outpatient basis and consists of a session of subdermal injections of diluted botulinum toxin into the skin of the armpits, hands, and feet. Within a few hours you can expect a marked reduction in sweating that lasts for months.
To keep sweat production inhibited, injections should be repeated 2–3 times per year.
Treating hyperhidrosis with surgery
- Operation duration 60–90 minutes
- Type of anesthesia Local or general anesthesia in day hospital with a few hours of observation
- Recovery time About 5–7 days
Surgical treatment is a very effective and definitive method and is an option for axillary hyperhidrosis.
The procedure reduces the layer of skin that contains the sweat glands. These tiny glands are located in the dermis. In medical terms, “glands” are tissues that produce a secretion. They are unrelated to lymph nodes and should not be confused with them: lymph nodes are deeper structures in the axillary cavity and are not involved in the operation.
Post-operative recovery is usually short, about 5–7 days. The operation can be performed under local or general anesthesia as day surgery with a few hours of hospitalization.
FAQ
Do you have questions about hyperhidrosis treatment?
Read here first.
Excessive sweat production is linked to enlarged sweat glands and increased nerve stimuli reaching them.
No. Lymph nodes are a different structure located much deeper and are not touched by the procedure, which is superficial and involves only the skin. The goal is to reduce the size (and number) of the tiny sweat glands within the axillary skin.
The inner skin layer is treated without altering the external appearance; only a short Z-shaped scar remains, deep in the axilla.
Only in the very first days are there mild limitations. Physical activity can be resumed about 1 month after the operation.
Results are long-lasting because surgery reduces both the size and the number of sweat glands in the skin.
Surgery provides a definitive result over time, while botulinum toxin wears off after a few months and requires periodic maintenance sessions.
