Sweating is a natural and healthy process that your body uses to regulate its temperature and excrete toxins through skin. It is a relative process, which varies significantly from one individual to another. Some people tend to sweat more as compared to others, living in the same kind of climate. Similarly, sweating heavily when emotionally stimulated or indulged in some physical exertion is also quite normal. But some people sweat to an extent that it really drips off their hands even when the climate is quite moderate, are not even emotionally stimulated or involved in any physical activity. This kind of sweating is not normal.
Excessive sweating does not necessarily always affect hands or feet. Another part of body that most commonly gets afflicted with excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis is the armpits. You must have noticed circular sweat stains on your shirts in the underarms. The worst part of armpit sweating is that like foot sweating, it also causes bad body odor. Wondering why these parts are more prone to sweating than any other region? Your body has millions of sweat glands, but the maximum concentration of these glands is present on the palms of your hands, soles of your feet and the armpits.
There are a number of home remedies as well as medical treatments available to curb underarm sweating. The most commonly used method to reduce sweating in the armpits is through application of over the counter antiperspirants and deodorants. Oral medications are also prescribed by the doctors to the individuals who find OTC and as well as prescribed antiperspirants ineffective in reducing sweat production. Medical procedures like iontophoresis also offer relief in some cases, but nothing matches the effectiveness of Botox.
Off all the treatments available for sweating armpits, Botox injections offer instant and lasting relief from this embarrassing condition. Yes you have heard it right, I am talking about Botox, the same botulinum toxin that is used to remove wrinkles from face and around the neck. The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved this neurotoxin to treat symptoms of excessive sweating in any part of the body, including the armpits.
Starch test is performed to make sure the individual is a hyperthyroidism patient before injecting the toxin at 15 to 20 evenly distributes areas on the armpits. The toxin sticks itself to the nerve endings, impeding transmission of chemical signals that stimulate sweat glands. Botox treatment for hyperthyroidism has been reported to reduce sweating by up to 80 percent in the treated area, while the rest of the body continues to sweat normally. Effects of treatment generally last for six to eight months, but it may vary among individuals.