Treatment Options for Excessive Sweating
Sweating is a function of the human body that serves a few important purposes. For example, it keeps your body in a state of homeostasis — maintaining a steady temperature. You don’t need to find cool water to lay in when it’s hot to keep your body from overheating, partly because you sweat.
For some people, however, a condition called hyperhidrosis causes excessive sweating that isn’t biologically necessary and isn’t at all comfortable.
At SINY Dermatology, our highly qualified providers have helped many patients address excessive sweating. Treatments are available, and we’re happy to evaluate your situation and make a recommendation. Here, we describe some of those treatment approaches.
Why do I sweat so much?
Anxiety, fever, exercise, hot weather — all of these things make the human body sweat. Sweating cools the surface of your skin and helps you maintain a normal temperature. However, for about 15 million people in the United States, excessive sweating is a real problem, and it can happen even when you’re sitting still in a cool room.
Some people with hyperhidrosis only have mild symptoms while others experience severe symptoms and endure a reduced quality of life. Although the extra sweating isn’t a threat to your physical health, it can certainly have an impact on your mental and emotional well-being.
How is hyperhidrosis treated?
The first step in resolving your issue is talking to a qualified medical professional. In some cases, hyperhidrosis is caused by medications or underlying health problems. Our doctors are experienced in diagnosing hyperhidrosis and know what to look for prior to treatment.
Once we’ve ruled out any underlying issues, our team makes recommendations tailored to your situation and designed to meet your goals. Some of the common treatments for hyperhidrosis include:
- Clinical-strength antiperspirants
- Anticholinergic medications to stop sweat glands from making sweat
- Botox® injections
- MiraDry®, an advanced treatment specially designed to treat hyperhidrosis
Surgical removal of your sweat glands is another option, but our patients have reported good success with our Botox and miraDry treatments.
Botox? For excessive sweating?
Yes! Most people think of Botox as an anti-wrinkle treatment, but it’s also an effective treatment option for hyperhidrosis that’s approved by the FDA. Just as the botulinum toxin blocks the nerves that cause wrinkles, it can be used to block excessive sweating.
There are few potential side effects, and many patients choose Botox because it eliminates the need for daily medications or creams.
What is miraDry?
MiraDry is a nonsurgical treatment that permanently destroys underarm sweat and odor glands using thermal energy. Your miraDry treatments are conducted in our office and usually take about an hour. There’s no downtime following the procedure, so you can get back to your daily routine — without worrying about excessive sweating.
If you’re tired of packing extra clothes or if you dread shaking hands, investigate your options for a solution to excessive sweating. Make an appointment by calling the SINY Dermatology location that’s most convenient for you by or using our online scheduling tool today.