Hyperhidrosis:
When "No Sweat" is a big deal
Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, is a disorder that describes individuals who sweat more than the body would normally need to maintain optimal temperature.
Hyperhidrosis affects approximately 3% of the population, or some 300,000 Canadians. They suffer excessive, uncontrollable sweating of the underarms, hands, feet or forehead. And they will try anything and everything to alleviate or hide their problem. Many are too embarrassed to consult with their doctors. They think they are abnormal. They believe they'll just have to live with the condition the rest of their lives – so they suffer in silence.
What they don't know is that there are medical treatments, including the cosmetic wrinkle treatment Botox, that can relieve their symptoms.
The following are three of the most effective treatment options for hyperhidrosis.
1. Botox Injections
Botox, best known for relaxing facial muscles to reduce wrinkles, is also among the most successful and recent treatments for moderate to severe hyperhidrosis. Botox injections interrupt the signal from the nerve to the sweat gland, to reduce sweating in the affected area.
The injection is done with a very fine needle, and for treatment of the underarms, face and head, anaesthesia is often not required, as the procedure is virtually painless.
The percent reduction in sweating in one clinical study was 83% in 95% of participants. The effects of treatment can be immediate, or take up to a week, with the average duration of effect after a single treatment being seven months. 30% of patients see the effects last longer than a year. Your sweating will gradually return and your own comfort will dictate when you should repeat the treatment.
Side effects if they occur are temporary. These include pain at the site of injection, and some redness.
The cost of hyperhidrosis treatments may be covered by your private insurance. If your insurance fails to cover you for the treatment, Allergan, the company who manufactures Botox, will supply you with a full vial of Botox for your first treatment - free of cost!
2. Topical Treatment (Drysol)
The application of aluminum chloride has been shown in clinical studies to reduce sweating by approximately 50% for mild hyperhidrosis sufferers.
3. Iontophoresis
This is another treatment that is appropriate for people with hyperhidrosis of the hands and feet. With iontophoresis, each hand or foot is immersed in a tray containing a pad moistened with tap water. The pads are connected to a low intensity electric current that is passed through the liquid. The current is sent through the skin to disrupt the function of the sweat glands.
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104-2609 Westview Drive
North Vancouver, BC V7N 4M2
Phone: (604) 980-3993
Email: info@afterglowskincare.ca
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