Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) is characterized by uncontrollable sweating beyond what your body needs to regulate its temperature. It can affect your entire body, or just certain areas, such as your palms, underarms, or face. Excessive sweating can be disruptive, giving sufferers social anxiety and complications like skin infections. Our dermatologists are highly trained and have years of experience in providing excellent care to patients with skin problems and hyperhidrosis. They provide personalized care to ensure you receive the best treatment possible to get excessive sweating under control.
What is Excessive Sweating?
Sweating on a hot day or while working out is expected. Still, if you find that your underarms become excessively sweaty regardless of your circumstances, you may be suffering from a condition called axillary hyperhidrosis. Excessive sweating is more than just uncomfortable or embarrassing, it can make a person avoid social situations or job opportunities.. Fortunately, there are safe and effective treatments available to control hyperhidrosis.
Types of Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis symptoms can range in severity. Minor symptoms may come and go, or you may experience more constant symptoms.. There are two types of hyperhidrosis:
- Primary Hyperhidrosis
- Primary hyperhidrosis causes excessive sweating in the hands, underarms, face, and feet without apparent reason. Also called focal (or essential) hyperhidrosis.
- Secondary Hyperhidrosis
- Secondary hyperhidrosis causes excessive sweating all over any large area of the body (or all over the entire body itself) and can be caused by excessive heat or by a medical condition or medication. Also called generalized hyperhidrosis.
Treatments for Hidrosis
There are many treatments available for treating excessive sweating that depend on the type, severity, and the individual’s needs or preferences. Before treatment, you’ll meet with an experienced healthcare provider who will review your medical history and concerns to decide which hyperhidrosis treatment is right for you.
Stopping Unwanted Sweating with Brella
Brella™ presents a unique solution—a disposable patch designed for application to your underarms, effectively reducing sweat production by 50% and enhancing confidence in daily life. This non-surgical, minimally invasive approach provides our patients with an effective way to address excessive underarm sweating. Proven to significantly decrease perspiration, Brella™ not only boosts confidence but also facilitates a return to your regular routine.
Treating Excessive Underarm Sweating with miraDry®
One of the most revolutionary treatments available for hyperhidrosis is a microwave system known as miraDry®, which uses electromagnetic waves to safely and effectively dissolve sweat glands in the armpits. The results are permanent and will eliminate the issue of over-sweating for good. The procedure involves applying a cooling agent to the underarm. The miraDry® device causes a warming sensation , which the cooling agent helps reduce.
The procedure can take up to one hour and will typically cause mild swelling, tenderness, and redness in the armpit and upper arm. For full effects, patients may need a series of two to three sessions over a period of months. The procedure is safe and non-invasive, successfully dissolving the targeted sweat glands and leaving the surrounding skin and muscle tissue unharmed.
The human body has roughly two to four million sweat glands that are used to regulate temperature and prevent the risk of overheating. Removing the few glands that exist in each armpit is not harmful, and the procedure has been FDA-approved.
BOTOX Injections for Hyperhidrosis
An alternative treatment for excessive underarm sweating is BOTOX injections. BOTOX is a neuromodulator, which means it blocks the electrical signals that stimulate muscle movement. BOTOX is most famously used to reduce wrinkles by paralyzing muscle tissue in the face, but it can also be used to treat migraines, muscle spasms, and sweating in other areas of the body, as well as the armpits.
By injecting BOTOX into the sweat glands in the underarms, patients will experience a marked decrease in sweat production for about six months. BOTOX is a temporary option for alleviating excessive sweat and can be repeated or “touched up” in order to maintain the results. Each session will require injections in each of the armpits with very fine needles to ensure minimal discomfort.
Contact Us
If you are considering undergoing a non-invasive treatment that will significantly reduce or eliminate sweating, contact us or call to make an appointment 310.828.2282 (Santa Monica) or 310.843.9915 (Beverly Hills) to find the relief you need to live your life comfortably