Botox’s® Surprising Role in Sweat Control

Living with hyperhidrosis is tough, especially when you randomly sweat for no reason. The result is wet shirts and sweaty palms, even when you're not hot.

Unfortunately, hyperhidrosis is a prevalent condition that often requires professional treatment. Using antiperspirants and wearing breathable clothing can help mild symptoms. However, Botox® treatments may be necessary to put an end to excessive sweating for months at a time.

When you're tired of sweating constantly, the experienced team at Meridian Plastic Surgery in Meridian, Mississippi, offers injectables like Botox for hyperhidrosis.

Dr. Lee K. Thornton and Dr. Mark S. Elliott are board-certified plastic surgeons providing their patients with injectables for various medical and cosmetic problems.

What causes excessive sweating?

Sweating is the body's natural defense against overheating; you begin to sweat when your body temperature rises in an attempt to cool down. During a workout, you sweat because you're expending energy that's raising your core temperature.

You also sweat when you have a fever as your body attempts to cool you down. However, some people sweat without a good reason. Hyperhidrosis is one of the common medical causes of excessive sweating.

Hyperhidrosis results from the sweat glands overworking, which leads to sweating when you don't need it. Wet skin, beads of sweat dripping from your forehead, and damp clothing can all happen with hyperhidrosis.

The symptoms of hyperhidrosis happen all over the body, not just the armpits. You can also have excessive sweating on your feet, hands, lower back, and genitals.

How Botox works in the body

When you're living with hyperhidrosis, lifestyle changes and medications can work. Still, the medicines have side effects and aren't always successful in treating your symptoms. 

Botox is an option for people with excessive sweating and often provides months of relief – so how exactly does it work? Botox is a neurotoxin that comes from the same bacteria that causes botulism, a type of food poisoning. 

In small doses, Botox is an excellent tool for cosmetic problems like wrinkles and medical issues like migraines and hyperhidrosis. For cosmetic issues, Botox works by blocking nerve signals to the muscles that cause wrinkles and fine lines. The result is extremely successful but temporary. 

When you have hyperhidrosis, Botox works differently to control excessive sweating. We use Botox to block acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter that tells the glands to release sweat.

Hyperhidrosis causes the nerves that signal the sweat glands to overreact, leading to too much sweat even when you're not hot. Botox stops excessive sweating by paralyzing the nerves that release acetylcholine, blocking sweat in specific areas.

Botox for hyperhidrosis – does it work?

For Botox to work for hyperhidrosis, we need to inject it into a specific area in your body. For example, if you have excessive sweating in your armpits, we inject it directly into that area to stop the sweat glands from overproducing.

Botox is a great option when other treatments don't work to eliminate excessive sweating. The best news about Botox for hyperhidrosis is that it can reduce excessive sweating in your armpits by up to 87%. The results often last up to six months before you need another treatment.

To schedule an appointment for Botox injections, don't hesitate to call our Meridian, Mississippi, team today to schedule a consultation or book an appointment using our convenient online scheduling tool.