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Hyperhidrosis Book an Appointment
Hyperhidrosis is a medical term for excessive sweating. Excessive sweating is defined as sweating that goes beyond what is necessary to cool the body.
It is very common, affecting 2.5 to 3% of the population.
Hyperhidrosis can be focal or generalized.
Focal hyperhidrosis affects certain areas of the body in any combination: face underarms, palms, groin, and soles. Its cause is unknown.
Generalized hyperhidrosis is usually associated with an underlying disease that needs to be diagnosed and treated.
Only the treatment of focal hyperhidrosis is discussed here.
What is the significance of hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is not a dangerous condition. Its significance is social. If you suffer from this condition, you don’t need to be told about its impact on your life. It is embarrassing. You need to constantly wipe your hands and face. You dread having to shake hands. You cannot grip objects firmly. You avoid social situations. You only wear dark-colored clothing to hide the wetness in your underarms. Your cleaning bills are huge. You have to buy new shirts, blouses, jackets, socks, and shoes more often.
And on and on. The disorder is debilitating, and the overall effect on your life is huge.
What are the current treatments for Hyperhidrosis?
The most common ways to treat Hyperhidrosis are:
Focal Botox injections: blocking the signal from the nerve to the sweat glands. This is the therapy offered by York Vein and Laser Clinic.
Topical treatments: applying aluminum chloride hexahydrate 20-25%. This is effective for mild to moderate sweating.
Oral medications: can be aimed at the underlying conditions. There are no specific drugs available for hyperhidrosis. Nerves can be inhibited by oral medications, but these drugs usually cause excessive drowsiness. They are not practical and not recommended.
Iontophoresis: applying low-intensity electric current to affected areas while they are immersed in an electrolyte solution. It can be useful for palms and soles, but is obviously impractical for face and underarms. It needs to be repeated regularly.
Surgery: a) Excision of the sweat glands in the underarms can be done, but this is not very popular. Scarring can be severe.
b) Sympathectomy: surgery to cut the nerves that feed the sweat glands can work very well for the face and palms. It is less predictable for the underarms, and completely impractical for the groin and soles, because it requires open abdominal surgery.
How does Botox work for hyperhidrosis?
Botox interferes with the transmission of signals from nerves to sweat glands. Without nerve impulses to tell the glands to make sweat, the gland dries up.
What areas can be treated with Botox?
The most common areas treated are the underarms, palms, and soles.
Who is a good candidate for Botox treatments of hyperhidrosis?
Almost anyone who does not respond to simple measures to counter sweating is a candidate.
Only people with preexisting nerve and muscle disorders such as myaesthenia gravis, Eaton-Lambert syndrome, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cannot use Botox.
At each site where you want your sweat reduced, several tiny injections are placed into the skin using a very short very fine needle. Treatments take about 20 minutes.
How much Botox is used? Can all affected areas be treated at once?
Underarms take 50-100 units each side.
Palms and soles take 100 units each side.
We limit the amount of Botox injected per session to 200 units to minimize the possibility of side effects such as nauasea. This means that each area must be done at a different session, usually one to two weeks apart.
What is the cost of Botox for hyperhidrosis?
The fee for injections is $150 per session.
The cost of Botox is about $400 for 100 units, and it comes in 100 unit bottles only.
Do insurance companies cover the cost?
The cost of the Botox medication itself is frequently covered by your extended health insurance.
The injection fee is not usually covered.
You should check with your insurer.
Is hyperhidrosis therapy eligible for tax credits?
Yes. Since the service is provided by a physician, it is eligible.
Receipts will be provided.
Do Botox treatments hurt?
When done properly, Botox injections for the underarms are well tolerated. Palms and feet are quite tender and prone to reflex jerks, so we recommend pretreatment with topical anesthetics. Numbing cream must be applied about one hour prior to treatment. Despite this numbing, treatment of palms and feet still hurts.
How long does it take to see results and how long does Botox last?
It takes 2 to 7 days before results are noticeable. The effect of Botox lasts about 5 -6 months.
What are the side effects of Botox?
Bruising is fairly common (10 to 20%).
Rarely, Botox spreads too far, and weakness of the muscles occurs. This effect is usually mild and lasts a few weeks.
Botox can aggravate nerve and muscle disorders, so it cannot be used in rare disease states such as myaesthenia gravis, Eaton-Lambert syndrome, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Occasionally, headaches, nausea, and flu-like aches occur. They usually resolve within 24 hours.
What is your cancellation policy?
We require 48 hours notice for cancellation of your consultation or treatment, in order to fill the appointment time. If sufficient notice is not given, the full value of the treatment to be done may be charged.
How do I book an appointment?
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