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Click here to view Frequently Asked Questions
about BOTOX® Purified Neurotoxin Complex for Underarm Sweating
What causes underarm sweating?
Hyperhidrosis is the medical term for excessive sweating, and when
it occurs in the underarm skin it is called "axillary hyperhidrosis."
This is caused by stimulation of the eccine sweat glands (pronounced
ek'-krine) by the nerve endings which are the final nerve pathways
from higher centers in the brain. These nerves respond to different
kinds of stress: emotional stress like intimate social situations
or public speaking, or physical stress like the increased body temperature
that comes with exercise or hot and humid weather.
Some people are plagued with excessive sweating on a round-the-clock
basis. Other people are bothered only when they are under emotional
stress, physically active, or over-heated. In either case, BOTOX® Purified Neurotoxin Complex* may be the answer. The nerves that control
sweating depend upon a chemical transmitter called acetylcholine which
is a molecule produced at the very ends of the nerve fibers. BOTOX®
is a genetically engineered neurotoxin which can, when injected into
the skin, block the release of the acetylcholine to the sweat glands
for months!
What are the
alternative treatments?
Deodorants
& Anti-perspirants
Topical antiperspirant sticks, creams, lotions and solutions typically
use aluminum chloride hexahydrate salts which "pickle" the
skin and prevent the sweat from exiting the pores of the skin. They
are highly irritating with continued use and largely ineffective for
people with excessive sweating.
Anti-cholingeric drugs & tranquilizers
Medications currently used cause dry mouth, blurred vision and minimally
reduce sweating. Tranquilizers may minimize your anxiety over sweating,
but rarely diminish the flood.
Tap Water Iontophoresis
Various battery powered electrical devices have been used over the
years which use a tap water moistened pad and electrical current held
against the axillary skin for several hours. This decreases the sweating
but is very time consuming, needs to be repeated on a daily or weekly
basis and is only mildly effective for severe cases.
Surgery
Surgeons have often resorted to cutting out all the skin of the underarms,
trading very visible scars and permanent numbness of the skin for
a decrease in sweating. Neurosurgeons use a fiberoptic surgical tube
inserted into the neck to cut the nerve fibers leading to the axillary
sweat glands and arms (endoscopic sympathectomy). This approach involves
the risk of anesthesia, and possible nerve damage to structures in
the neck which can result in paralysis, loss of sensation and even
permanent dilation of the pupil of the eye as a reflex injury. Cosmetic
surgeons and dermatologists have attempted to scrape the underside
of the axillary skin with liposuction cannulae to remove the sweat
glands. Results have been mixed.
How
is BOTOX® given?
A very small needle is used to inject small drops of BOTOX® into
the hair-bearing skin of the underarms in approximately 12 to 15 places
on each underarm. Heavy physical exercise should be avoided for several
hours, but patients may engage in any normal activity.
When will BOTOX® take effect?
Your underarm sweating will decrease to 95% within 48 hours and the
full effect will be seen within 1 week. Along with the sweating, there
is a simultaneous disappearance of odor associated with the decreased
sweating.
How long
does BOTOX® last?
Most patients will obtain 5-6 months of dryness with one treatment of BOTOX®.
What are the
risks and complications?
The only complications from injection into the axillary skin are:
- Tiny bruises are occasionally seen which fade in a few days.
- Occasionally small persistent areas of sweating that may need a
second treatment session. There is no risk of muscle weakness, numbness
or permanent change in the axillary skin.
Who
are good candidates for "No Sweat" BOTOX®?
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- People working close to others such as hairstylists, nurses,
dentists and hygienists
- People working in close quarters such as flight attendants,
pilots and surgeons
- People working in hot conditions such as models, television
newscasters and chefs
- People making public presentations such as executives,
attorneys and salesmen
- People who have ruined their clothes on special occasions
such as weddings
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You work hard, play
hard and spend a fortune on clothes and dry cleaning. You barely
have time for your coffee, the paper and your voicemail. You
don't have time to worry about another day of sweating through
your clothes. Now you can wear silk, sleeveless clothes and
take your jacket off with confidence. Finally - an answer for
problem sweating! |
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The following photographs show the technique used to apply BOTOX®
Prior to treatment with BOTOX®, the underarm is wiped with iodine
and starch powder.
The deep purple-black color shows the extent of the sweating before
treatment with BOTOX®. 72 hours after treatment with BOTOX®,
the starch iodine test is repeated. There is an extraordinary reduction
in sweating clearly visible as an absence of dark purple-black staining.
This is the desired result of treatment with BOTOX® for underarm
sweating and will usually provide five to six months of dryness.
"No Sweat" BOTOX® for Hyperhidrosis
If you are interested in learning more about "No Sweat"
BOTOX®, please email us or contact our office for an appointment.
Any and all references herein to 'BOTOX®' refer to 'BOTOX®
Purified Neurotoxin Complex', which is a registered trademark of Allergan
*BOTOX® Purified Neurotoxin Complex is an FDA approved medication
for various kinds of muscle spasm and spastic rigidity, but has not
been specifically approved for the treatment of hyperhidrosis. The
FDA recognizes the common practice among physicians to use FDA approved
drugs in so-called "off label" uses, particularly in diseases
and conditions for which there are lesser alternatives. BOTOX®
Purified Neurotoxin Complex is a registered trademark of Allergan
Herbert Laboratories, Inc.
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