Hyperhidrosis: Botox for excessive sweating
Excessive and uncontrollable sweating becoming a problem in your life? You may be suffering from a medical condition. But what is Hyperhidrosis? What causes it and are there any solutions among the treatments at Lea Henderson Aesthetics in Albuquerque, NM?
We all want our skin to be hydrated, but dang! Too much sweat sure isn’t the answer.
Sweating while you’re walking outside on a hot summer day or while you’re kicking up the pace on the treadmill is normal. It’s even normal to produce a lot of sweat when you’re nervous, anxious, or even eating spicy foods.
When sweating becomes constant or excessive, though, you need solutions to keep you dry and comfortable. You’ll be happy to know, there’s an injectable that can help.
Let’s talk about what causes hyperhidrosis and what Botox can do to correct it.
What Causes hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is a medical term given to describe excessive and unexplainable sweating. This isn’t just normal sweating from working out or being in an overly-hot climate. This is heavy sweating that creates problems in your life.
Sweating through your shirt, wet, clammy hands, beads dripping down your face, or constantly wet feet can be quite an embarrassing situation. Excess sweat can lead to unpleasant odors under the arms or on the feet, and it can even lead to skin that’s more prone to infection and irritation.
There are a couple of different causes of hyperhidrosis, the first being genetics. Our nervous system is wired to sweat when our body temperature increases, effectively cooling the body down. When the nerves are faulty, they send signals for the body to sweat when it doesn’t need to.
Another cause of hyperhidrosis could be an underlying with certain medications used for pain relief, mental health conditions, or hormonal issues. Additionally, a medical condition – like menopause, infection, diabetes, or a thyroid issue could be the underlying cause. It’s important to speak with a medical professional before getting treatment for hyperhidrosis.
Have you tried everything to stop sweating?
When you can’t stop the moisture from surfacing, there are a lot of products out there that some find helpful, but not everyone. For example, prescription-strength antiperspirants, wipes, and creams could curb the sweating in any area of the body as these products usually contain aluminum chloride.
The problem is that you have to apply the prescription antiperspirant product fairly often for it to be effective, and if you apply too often, it’s possible for the skin to become irritated, red, or even swollen – particularly for sensitive skin or those with allergies.
How Does Botox Treat Hyperhidrosis?
Botox isn’t just for wrinkles (though it smooths them out like a boss). Did you know that Botox is FDA approved to treat hyperhidrosis?
Made with the active ingredient botulinum toxin, Botox is a neurotoxin that treats wrinkles by blocking the nerve that’s responsible for contracting the muscle – effectively smoothing out and preventing the wrinkle that the muscle contraction causes.
In the same way, a Botox injection blocks the nerve that’s communicating to the sweat glands that it’s time to produce. Since the nerve signal is stopped… Voila! The gland does not produce sweat.
What to Expect During Botox Injections for Excessive Sweating
The process for injecting Botox is super simple. Often, a numbing cream is applied to the area prior to injection. Then, your injector will administer multiple Botox injections to the affected area, with more injections needed the larger the area is.
This treatment works best for localized areas where excess sweating occurs – like the underarms, the hands, the feet, the face, and under the breasts.
Benefits of Botox for Hyperhidrosis
Some of the greatest things about getting Botox treatments for hyperhidrosis are that it’s non-invasive and fast-acting. This means that there’s relatively no downtime after treatment – with the exception of some possible mild bruising or swelling at the injection site. You can go about your normal daily activities immediately after your injection treatment!
You’ll start to see results from your Botox injections for hyperhidrosis just five or so days after treatment. Full results will be in effect just two weeks following treatment and you’ll only need to come in for follow-up injections once every 4-6 months.
Want to Reduce Excessive Sweating in Albuquerque, NM?
Sweating too much is a drag. It’s uncomfortable, embarrassing, and often exhausting if you have to change your clothes more often or even buy new ones when they become stained. If you sweat on your face, there goes your makeup application for the day…
If you’re ready to kick excess sweat to the curb, Lea Henderson Aesthetics is ready to help! Contact us today or book an appointment to discuss how Botox could be the solution to your struggle with hyperhidrosis.
