How Botox® Can Help with Excessive Sweating

It’s normal to sweat when you’re under pressure. If you’re headed into an important job meeting or interview, your hands and underarms might start to feel moist or sticky. When you’re doing an intense workout, sweat can start pouring down your face or back. 

However, for some people, they sweat excessively for no apparent reason, a  condition referred to as hyperhidrosis. While this health issue is common, it doesn’t negate the fact that it can be embarrassing and frustrating to deal with.

Thankfully, the FDA has approved Botox® as a method to address this condition when other treatments such as prescription antiperspirants have been unsuccessful at giving you relief. 

At Thomas Dermatology, our expert team of providers offers Botox injections to help you regain some of your confidence as we reduce the amount of sweat certain areas of your body produce. In this blog, we discuss how injections usually used for cosmetic purposes can address hyperhidrosis.

Explaining Botox

Botox is a neurotoxin injection made up of a bacterium that normally causes botulism — a certain type of food poisoning. However, when it’s used in carefully curated doses by a trained professional, it’s safe. One of its most common uses is to treat fine lines and wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing the muscles responsible for small wrinkles around your face, but it shines in medical use as well.

How does Botox work for excessive sweating?

Aside from its ability to provide wrinkle-fighting power, Botox is also FDA-approved to provide relief from copious amounts of sweat. When used for hyperhidrosis, Botox is injected into the underarm area, which blocks the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine bound to your sweat glands. 

Whenever you get too hot, your nerves trigger your sweat glands to release moisture that cools you down when it evaporates from your skin. However, when you have hyperhidrosis, your nerves are far too active. Botox is able to temporarily paralyze these nerves so they’re no longer able to alert your sweat glands to begin sweat production.

Botox can be used for hyperhidrosis in your underarms and your hands and feet.

What to expect when you get Botox for hyperhidrosis

Getting Botox for hyperhidrosis only requires one trip to our office. Depending on the area that’s being treated, we use about 15-20 injections. You should feel little-to-no pain, only mild discomfort that’s similar to a snapping rubber band. 

About 3-4 days after your injections, you should start to see reduced sweating, and you should reach optimal results in about 2-4 weeks. Results last for about 3-4 months, after which you can repeat the treatment.

If you’re ready to lessen your sweat production, call or click one of our office locations to learn how Botox can help. We have Nevada locations in Las Vegas and Henderson, along with Arizona offices in Lake Havasu City, Kingman, and Bullman City.