Botox Injection To Control Excessive Sweat

Almost every one sweats as a normal reaction to stress such as heat and exercise. However, some people sweat excessively underarms, on the hands or the feet, causing severe social and psychological embarrassment. These people suffer from a condition known as primary focal hyperhidrosis. It affects one in twenty people worldwide. Some people are so embarrassed by this condition that they never seek help from their medical doctors.

Contrary to what many believe, excessive sweating is treatable. Traditional therapies include:
* antiperspirants (applied on top of skin);
* surgical removal of sweat glands;
* severing the sympathetic nerves linked to the sweat glands (sympathectomy);
* blocking the sweat glands with small galvanic electric currents (iontophoresis)

A recent development has revolutionised the treatment of sweating problem. This is using botulinum toxin (Botox) to inactivate the sweat glands. Botox, which has rapidly become one of the most commonly used anti-aging remedies, also blocks the sweat glands. It completely stops sweating in the area where it is placed with the help of insulin needles.

For the first time there is safe, reliable and well-tolerated means of reducing sweat production that is quickly and easily administered and lasts for months: Botox injection. Botox, approved now for several years for the treatment of facial wrinkles, is now FDA-approved for the treatment of hyperhidrosis.

Since it is applied locally there are no widespread side effects. It works for almost every one. Each twenty-minute injection session can stop sweating for six to twelve months - so, most people can get satisfactory relief with one or two Botox sessions each year. For most people, this therapy is a delightful change, liberating them from daily worries of sweating in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The chemical that is released by nerve endings to stimulate muscle contraction, acetylcholine, is the same chemical that causes sweat glands to produce sweat. Botox works, in both cases, by preventing the release of this chemical from nerve endings, thereby blocking muscle contraction (when injected in the area of facial muscles) and blocking excessive sweat production (when injected into the skin of the underarms or palms).

Botox injections for hyperhidrosis help to achieve impressive results without any bruising, swelling or downtime that is the case with invasive cosmetic surgery. However, it is costly and the high price may often prove to be a hindrance to getting this form of treatment and since there is a degree of repetitive treatment involved, it can prove to be too expensive for some people. Also, the Botox injection for hyperhidrosis can often be painful and this is another disadvantage of using these injections.

While the injections are painfull and unpleasant, many feel that their Botox treatment worked very well and the results are satisfactory. Hyperhidrosis Botox treatments are painful and expensive, but their results are better than most other excessive sweat treatment alternatives. Experienced doctors will know exactly which sweat glands to aim for with the injections and the patient won't have to wait long for the results. This makes Botox a good choice for treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis, but it may be used in other forms of excessive sweating, such as palmar hyperhidrosis.

In any case, Botox is one of the most commonly used treatments for hyperhidrosis and can be a solution to turn to if other methods fail to produce good results. Of course, it is always advisable to consult your doctor when considering a hyperhidrosis Botox treatment.