Excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis is a diagnosable medical condition which affects every one in ten people. Underarm sweat can impact on all aspects of everyday life - from the clothes you wear, to your career and social life. Oftentimes, basic treatments or products are ineffective in treating hyperhidrosis. So how can you stop underarm sweating permanently?
Most treatments for hyperhidrosis are ineffective or temporary, or require repeated, expensive treatments to reduce sweat permanently. Invasive, surgical options, such as sweat gland removal surgery, are no longer recommended and can be dangerous for patients. Here are 6 potential treatments to help you reduce excessive underarm sweat:
Here we'll run through the effectiveness of hyperhidrosis treatments as well as other important considerations to your choice.
Antiperspirants are the most common treatment for sweating, often effective for people during exercise or other intense activities. It may be a good idea to try antiperspirants, especially if you have only used deodorant thus far, before you opt for a more extreme treatment.
Antiperspirants all contain some form of aluminium, often in the form of aluminium zirconium or aluminium chloride - scientifically proven to reduce underarm sweat. Typically, antiperspirants will contain between 12 and 25 percent concentration of aluminium. Prescription antiperspirants can be a higher strength - check the concentration of your antiperspirant and see if increasing it can help.
However, if you are considering more extreme anti-sweat measures, you will probably have already tried antiperspirants with limited success. Other treatments may be more suitable and effective.
Some studies suggest that changing your diet and exercising more can help to reduce sweat. Dieting typically has little impact on how much you sweat, but certain foods, such as alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, and vegetables like broccoli or cabbage can increase the amount you sweat. It is likely that stopping eating these foods alone will not cure hyperhidrosis.
Exercising more can help to reduce the amount you sweat if you are overweight or obese, due to the increased heat production from excess body weight during exercise or other activities. Typically, people who are healthy weight will not benefit from exercising more, and excessive exercise can be unsafe.
Home remedies for sweating have not been scientifically tested, and we do not recommend these over traditional antiperspirants or other treatments. Some people claim that potatoes, lemon juice and baking soda can help to reduce sweat, but these may require persistent use and may not work at all. We always recommend scientifically backed treatments at Kat & Co.
The most common medication prescribed for hyperhidrosis are anticholinergics, drugs which block the action of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger (neurotransmitter), which transfers signals between cells to affect how your body functions. This can help to reduce the amount your body sweats. A 2012 study found that anticholinergics were 75% effective at reducing sweat in people with hyperhidrosis but could not eliminate it completely.
The main problem with these drugs is that they affect all glands and tissues in the body that are controlled by acetylcholine. This means they have side effects including dry mouth, constipation and difficulty urinating. This is why many people who are prescribed these drugs stop using them.
Botulinum toxin, commonly referred to as Botox® is a protein which blocks the chemical at the end of nerves so it cannot work on the glands or muscles. For sweat reduction purposes, it stops the sweat glands from producing sweat. It is around 82-87% effective, but results only last between four and six months. To reduce sweating permanently, you will need to get repeat injections when you start to notice sweat returning.
Botox injections for hyperhidrosis start from £555 per treatment
miraDry is the only FDA-approved non-surgical underarm sweat treatment that permanently reduces underarm sweat by up to 82% permanently. Unlike treatments which only target the symptoms of hyperhidrosis, this sweat treatment uses thermal energy to destroy sweat and odour glands in the armpit permanently and has a 90% satisfaction rating with users worldwide.
Most patients will only require one treatment for £1,495. A second treatment for £900 may be required for some people. Click here to find out more about miraDry. To book a consultation, call the clinic directly on 0121 456 9730 or contact us.
