Hyperhidrosis Treatment

Axillary
Excessive armpit sweating also known as excessive axillary sweating is another part of the focal hyperhidrosis problem. Usually excessive armpit sweating comes together with palmar and plantar hyperhidrosis but also appears as a solitary location for excessive sweating. It affects those patients both on a social and functional level. Exact statistics are not known but it is a well spread problem. Obviously because it is a subjective issue there are different levels of excessive sweating. If a patient describes the sweating as dripping along their upper arms and soaking through their clothing then they can be described as suffering from excessive armpit sweating. Usually this problem starts in the late teens and can represent maturation issues but if it continues through the years it can be considered more of a chronic problem.

Treatment options:
There are multiple and varied groups of antiperspirants available on the market. One can start with over the counter preparations and if those do not help then the next step should be the application of prescribed aluminum chloride lotions. They come in different strengths and in order to get those with 20% and higher there is a need for doctor prescriptions. Those preparations can cause some irritation and burning sensations but they should be tried.

Maxim - is available online and it has a neutral PH which might give a better tolerance to this preparation. Another product that can be obtained online is Sweat Block available at SweatBlock.com. Those antiperspirants are working on the same principal as Drysol. The difference could be in the concentration of the active ingredient which is aluminum chloride.

Botox - If those local antiperspirants do not help then the next option is to try Botox as a temporary but expensive solution. Those injections can help up to 3 - 4 months. Botox is well tolerated and almost painless. If one is looking for partial improvement, especially in the hot summer months then this may be a viable approach.
Surgical Options - Until about 1995 the surgical approach most commonly used was the excisional method. In this operation an elliptical excision of the armpit skin was carried out. A few varieties to this method existed but it was existed but it was associated with a relatively big scar and long healing times. However it never offered a 100% success rate.

Improved Surgical Method:
Since 1995 axillary suction currettage became the procedure of choice for the most effective treatment for axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive armpit sweating). In this procedure a mechanical force is applied to the subdermal layers of the skin (underneath the skin of the armpit) destroying as many sweat glands as possible. More recently the idea of using a laser as the sole treatment for axillary hyperhidrosis gained some momentum. Experience has shown that laser treatment by itself does not produce optimal results. Since then the combination of sub-dermal laser ablation and axillary suction currettage became the treatment of choice with improved success rates. Success rates range from 85-95%. To learn more visit our Armpit Sweating page.

Summary:
Axillary hyperhidrosis is a well known problem. Treatment options should start with conservative measures going on to surgical interventions. Subdermal laser ablation combined with axillary suction currettage is a viable option for excessive armpit sweating once conservative treatments have failed or proved to be of limited success. Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS) is not recommended for those patients who are suffering only from excessive armpit sweating. Hyperhidrosis Surgical methods have improved to allow procedures for the different types of focal hyperhidrosis.