Jun 10
11
As a progression from its cosmetic use, Botox injections have recently been developed as a treatment for excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) by blocking the nerves to prevent sweat fluid from being secreted through the skin. So far, the use of Botox to treat hyperhidrosis has been approved for armpits only, not for the treatment of sweaty palms or feet, as this injective procedure is known to be problematic across these areas.
However, Botox injections should not be considered as a magical answer to armpit sweating either. It does not offer a cure and as such offers at best a temporary relief to excessive sweating and even then not without giving rise to other issues:
- The ‘beneficial’ effects of the Botox treatment are variable and can last from as little as only two months, to as long as just six months, with no guarantee of how long this temporary relief will last. However, what is guaranteed is that the symptoms will return over time, so to achieve consistent relief requires top ups of the Botox treatment at regular intervals. Given that even one treatment can cost up to several hundred dollars, as an overall system of regular treatment, Botox presents an incredibly expensive option with no guaranteed results.
- It is recognized that treatments (including Botox and surgical procedures) which ‘prevent’ sweating in a specified area are known to result in increased sweating from other sweat glands. During the Botox injection procedure, there is the frequent occurrence of missing out some sweat glands, which could lead to a greater profusion of sweating from these still-active armpit glands as well as from other areas of the body.
- Although this Botox treatment is marketed on the premise that pain is ‘well tolerated’ when injected into the armpit area, this assumes an average tolerance threshold. Some patients may find the pain from this treatment to be both unbearable and prolonged way beyond the injection process itself, as it can also leave the area painful and sensitive for a considerable period of time, particularly if there has been hemorrhaging and bruising as a result of the injections, as can frequently occur.
If the thought of needles is not off-putting, then rather than rely on Botox as a treatment, sufferers from hyperhidrosis should be encouraged to consider acupuncture as a more natural alternative, as this can be particularly effective where the hyperhidrosis is linked to any disorder of the nervous system.
An additional alternative is to consider the implications diet has for the condition and to seek advice on eliminating certain food products or adding natural supplements, such as herbal decoctions, to the diet. These can offer ameliorating effects to the causes of the sweating problem, rather than dealing with just the symptoms in an invasive, expensive and potentially additionally harmful way.
