Is it actually a medical problem?
They say don’t sweat the petty stuff. The reality is that for those sweating too much, both men and women, you can have serious anxiety about it. Classic treatments have ranged from clinical grade antiperspirants to oral pills to surgery. I wanted to discuss some of the newer options available today.
MiraDry (R)
Miradry was FDA approved in 2011 and is one of the best available options for permanent treatment of excess sweating. It is a procedure involving using radiofrequency energy to eliminate glands in the underarm area. Typically, this is done after anesthetic pain injections and requires two treatments for full effect. Each treatment varies in the range of $1500 to $4000 making this the option with the highest initial cost. We don’t offer the treatment at S.P.A. but certainly think it is a good option for long term management.
Botox (R)
Botox injections reduce sweat both in the forehead and in the underarm area and use was approved in 2004. Typically 50-100 units are required and it takes about a week to work. The treatment lasts for an average of 8 months and then needs to be repeated. The other advantage of Botox is that you can also inject it into the hands and feet which also can be very problematic when affected by excess sweating. Additionally, the treatment might stop sweat but doesn’t necessarily stop odor so still wear deodorant, please. Finally, though treatments can be expensive over time, consider that some insurances will pay for treatment and you can review the resources available below for help getting pre-approval. Learn more about Botox here
Qbrexza (R)
This treatment was approved in 2018 and is simply a medicated towelette wipe containing glycopyrronium. One wipe takes about a week to work and can reduce sweating by 40%. The main side effect is a dry mouth. It also can be covered by insurance.
This post is to make you realize that though your sweating might seem like just an annoyance, if it is causing you loss of quality of life: there are things you can do about it. This list is not all-inclusive and a formal evaluation with a dermatologist is recommended. If you’d like to schedule Botox or if you just have questions we got you: don’t sweat it!
Here is an extensive resource list that can help you get insurance help and answer other questions.
