Don’t Sweat, Just Botox!

The sun is shining, the pub is full and you are still wearing layers to hide your damp armpits and trying not to get to close to anyone – sound like you? Don’t panic! You are not alone and treatment is possible!

For most people, sweating occurs naturally after exercise or if you are particularly nervous (like a job interview!) but for some people, it’s a real issue. Sweating is the body’s natural cooling mechanism.

The problem occurs when the body produces more sweat than is necessary to cool the body, and this is known as Hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating. Excessive sweating is most common on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet and the underarms; and affects men and women equally.

Excessive sweating is actually more common than you think and understandably sufferers often feel embarrassed to talk about it openly or seek help.  They may instead take steps in their life to avoid situations where they might be likely to sweat – such as avoiding close contact, handshakes and physical exertion.

But what if you have to do those things on a daily basis? For example, a Dentist or a PE Teacher – they can’t avoid close contact or physical exertion – it’s their job! Imagine trying to avoid handshakes at work – or taking a change of clothing to work as you feel embarrassed to give a presentation due to wetness or staining of your clothes from excessive sweating.

Hyperhidrosis can therefore severely impact your everyday life and cause a huge amount of stress as you constantly worry and try to avoid situations where you may experience visible sweating. If you can relate to this, then no doubt it’s affecting your confidence, performance at work and your social life too, right?

So can you do anything about it? The answer is a resounding YES!

You can take control today and start living a normal active life without fear of those embarrassing damp patches re-appearing! Making a few of the following lifestyle changes may reduce the amount of sweat you produce:

• Review your diet – certain foods are known to trigger Hyperhidrosis like all things spicy!
• Use natural products and clothes, (such as cotton fibres),  to prevent irritation and overheating and wear clothes that don’t cling to the areas that sweat the most
• Use antiperspirants instead of deodorants. Deodorants simply mask smells whereas antiperspirants actively reduce the amount of sweat
• Baby wipes are handy to keep in your bag for freshening up quickly and discreetly!
• Socks and shoes should be changed at least once, if not twice a day
• Use an absorbent foot powder everyday
• Avoid footwear that do not allow the feet to “breathe”

These are just a few simple ways to help control sweating. However if you have tried all the above and are still suffering, help is at hand.

The first thing to try is a strong antiperspirant that contains aluminum chloride to block the sweat duct openings. These are available at a local pharmacy or via your GP: Dricolor is the most well known strong antiperspirant brand. However they only last 48 hours, and may cause stinging and itching and therefore may not be a suitable long term solution for some.

If you’ve tried aluminum chloride and it’s ineffective, or you want a more long term solution; then Botulinum toxin injections ((Botox®) should be considered. Botox injections are an effective treatment for reducing excessive sweating in areas such as the armpit and forehead.

Botox injections for excessive sweating are quick to perform; taking around 20 minutes, and involves tiny injections just under the skin. The injections are not very painful and they work by blocking the nerves in the skin that control the sweat glands.

The treatment will start to work in about 7 days after the injections and the effects last for around six months. You can expect around a 90% reduction in your sweating from the treatment.

So not only is the treatment is quick, effective and safe, it can also make a huge difference to the everyday lives and confidence levels of those who suffer with excessive sweating.

Face Clinic London offer Botox® for excessive sweating and have a clinic located in Soho Central London. Their treatments are performed by qualified doctors, to book a consultation or find out more please visit their website,