Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, is a benign disorder and that poses no danger to a person’s health, however it can have major implications on quality of life and social well-being.
According to some experts, it affects up to 3% of the population, with women being more affected than men.
The most basic form of treatment is antiperspirants which come in both over-the-counter and prescription strength.
They work by blocking the openings that lead to the sweat glands, preventing sweat from reaching the surface.
Their active ingredients are metallic salts, most commonly aluminum compounds such as aluminum chloride hexahydrate, which is popular in prescription antiperspirants.
An alternative, non-invasive treatment for axillary hyperhidrosis is botulinum toxin injections, or Botulinum toxin
It is FDA-approved for the treatment of excessive underarm sweating.
Botulinum toxin works by blocking the nerve endings that signal the sweat glands to produce sweat.
It effectively reduces sweat ranging 3 to 6 months.
Follow-up injections are needed as the effect wears off and sweat production returns to previous levels.