Excessive Sweating

Underarm excessive sweating, also called axillary hyperhidrosis, is an uncontrollable, annoying, embarrassing, and isolating problem (to say the least). From the discomfort of sweat running down your sides, to the embarrassment of obvious sweat stains, to the fear of being "discovered," uncontrollable underarm sweating can feel like it's ruining your life.

​

But, there is good news:

Safe treatments for excessive sweating are available, the treatments work, and you have a number of options to choose from, or combine.

​

ANTIPERSPIRANTS

The first line of defense against excessive underarm sweating is antiperspirants. Antiperspirants are non-invasive, topical (applied on top of your skin), and available in a number of different strengths including "regular" over-the-counter products, "clinical strength" over-the-counter products, and perhaps even prescription antiperspirants.We recommend that you start with the mildest formulations ("regular" over-the-counter products), and if they don't give enough symptom relief, work your way up to the stronger clinical strength formulations and then, perhaps prescription antiperspirants. 

​

A wonderful addition to the wardrobe of anyone with underarm sweating (excessive or not!) is absorbent undershirts, absorbent tee shirts, absorbent dress shirts, and absorbent underarm pads.  You can nab a sweet coupon for them in our Fan Faves page -- note that our Fan Faves page is also a great place to learn about different antiperspirants available from companies who support our work and who understand Hh. 

​

BOTOX

​

If antiperspirants don't give you the relief you need, your next option may be Botox (also known as onabotulinumtoxinA). Dr Goyal at MK Aesthetics can inject Botox into your underarms to dramatically reduce sweating. In one clinical study involving 322 patients with severe underarm sweating, 81% of the patients receiving injections achieved more than 50% reduction in sweating. 50% of the patients had their excessive sweating relieved for at least 201 days (nearly 7 months). Some, for over a year.

The use of Botox for the treatment of hyperhidrosis is most effective when performed by a healthcare professional who has received special training and who has experience with the procedure.