Botulinum Toxin For Reducing Excessive Underarm Sweating
In a recent article, we elaborated upon the use of Botox & Neurotoxins for Gummy Smile Correction (Read our article on Botox: Gummy Smile Correction Using Neurotoxin).
In today’s article, we will help to educate you further as to how Botulinum Toxin helps reduce excessive underarm sweating.
About Hyperhidrosis
Sweating is a normal phenomenon when you’re hot or under pressure. In fact, it is essential, and human beings need to sweat to regulate their internal body temperature.
However, for some people, the body produces much more sweat than is required for thermoregulation. This condition is known as hyperhidrosis. In some cases, the problematic excessive sweating is limited to one area of the body, such as the underarms or feet, a condition called focal hyperhidrosis. Other cases are more generalized, with sweating over large human body areas. The most common areas affected by hyperhidrosis are the scalp, underarms, hands, feet, and groin. Excessive sweating can significantly affect a person’s life, and it can be embarrassing and socially isolating, and many people find the condition quite upsetting.
Although there is no permanent solution, aesthetic researchers have found botulinum toxin injections are an excellent solution for this problem for temporary periods. They need to be injected in many areas in the underarms, and they temporarily block a chemical in the body that stimulates the sweat glands and reduces perspiration. Patients experience no pain or discomfort.
How does Botulinum Toxin for sweating work?
Botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox, is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and related species. The neurotoxin targets the nervous system, disrupting the nerve signalling processes that stimulate muscle contraction. This is how the drug causes temporary muscle paralysis. For any muscle to contract, the nerves release a chemical messenger called acetylcholine at the junction where nerve endings meet muscle cells. Acetylcholine attaches to receptors on the muscle cells and causes the cells to contract or shorten. Botox injections prevent the release of acetylcholine, which stops the muscle cells from contracting. In this way, the toxin helps the muscles to become stiffer.
In case of excessive sweating, Botox tends to work by blocking the nerves responsible for activating the sweat glands. Typically, the body's nervous system activates the sweat glands when the body temperature rises, thus preparing the body to cool itself automatically. However, the nerves that signal the sweat glands are overactive for people with hyperhidrosis. When one receives Botox injections directly into the body area that sweats majorly, the overactive nerves are essentially paralyzed. As a result, when the nerves cannot signal the sweat glands, the patients do not sweat. However, Botox only prevents sweating in the specific area where it is injected and lasts from twelve to fourteen months, depending on the patient`s medical conditions.
Botulinum Toxin injection procedure
Administration of Botulinum toxin injections for excessive sweating treatment should be performed by a trained doctor with a sound understanding of human anatomy. The target area is the overactive nerves responsible for hyperhidrosis. A topical anesthetic, ice, or local anesthetic is applied to reduce potential discomfort. An ink ‘tattoo grid’ is used to mark the area of treatment that would be helpful to guide the delivery of injections; this is later removed with an alcohol-soaked swab after the completion of the whole medical procedure. During the procedure, a very fine needle is used to inject tiny amounts of Botox just under the skin intermittently throughout the area of excessive sweating. Multiple injections are given based on the doctor's assessment of the area that needs to be treated.
Uses of Botox on other parts of the body
Botulinum toxin helps treat excessive sweating in other areas of the body prone to excessive sweating. These include:
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Hands
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Feet
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Back
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Chest and under the breasts
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Groin
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Head
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Face
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Nose
About IIWAM training in Botulinum Toxin for reducing excessive underarm sweating
It is prudent that all Aesthetic practitioners undergo proper training in Aesthetic Medicine. The practitioner must balance between benefits & risks of the Aesthetic procedure and steps to mitigate complications if it occurs. At IIWAM, we call it understanding the procedure, the product, and the patient, and our trainers pay utmost attention to teaching the following subjects of Botulinum Toxin for reducing excessive underarm sweating under our best online Botox and filler training course.
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What are the layers of the skin?
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What is the principle behind Botox?
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What are the principles of the Botox injection procedure?
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What are Botox injection complications?
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How to avoid Botox injection complications?
Apply for the best online aesthetic courses from IIWAM today.
About IIWAM
International Institute of Wellness & Aesthetic Medicine (https://www.iiwam.ac/education) is a private teaching institution that provides International Aesthetic Medical Certification programs for Doctors, Dentists, Nurses, Aestheticians, and Spa Owners. Prof Dr Morthy, the course director for the Institute, is a key opinion leader for Aesthetic Medicine in the region, and a trainer for several teaching institutions.
The International Institute of Wellness & Aesthetic Medicine (IIWAM) has academic affiliations with several countries, including Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, India and Indonesia. With our insignia of “Be Certified & Be Recognized”, the Institute develops knowledgeable, skilled, and confident aesthetic practitioners of international repute.
IIWAM is the only Institute to have its Programs certified by City & Guilds of London, CPD Standards Office (UK) and European International University (Paris). IIWAM is also a registered CPD Training provider for Malaysian Medical Association.
IIWAM also offers Cosmetic Procedures and Stem Cell treatment at IIWAM Wellness Centre (https://www.iiwam.ac/wellness) that are safe, effective, and affordable.