Using Botox to reduce armpit sweat
In 2004 Botox (onabotulinumtoxin A) was approved by the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) for the treatment of severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis ( Armpit Sweat ). This is the technical term for excessive sweating of the underarms. So far it’s proven to be effective alternative when antiperspirants alone aren’t enough.
Allergan, the producers of Botox, have received FDA approvals to treat a total of eight separate medical conditions in the United States. The first such approval was granted in 1989, making Botox the most studied botulinum product in the world. To date, it’s been used to successfully treat millions of patients for a variety of conditions. These include:
- severe underarm sweating, known as primary axillary hyperhidrosis
- overactive bladder symptoms
- leakage of urine
- chronic migraine headaches
- muscle stiffness in the muscles of the elbow, wrist, fingers, thumbs, ankles, and toes.
- abnormal head position and neck pain due to cervical dystonia (CD) in people 16 years and older. CD is a form of chronic muscle weakness.
- certain conditions which affect the eye muscles, namely strabismus. This is more commonly known as “crossed eyes.”
- abnormal spasming of the muscles which control the eyelids.
Armpit Sweat
Botox has been approved in at least 20 countries for the treatment of some or all of these conditions.
The compound in Botox (Onabotulinumtoxin A) is a naturally occurring protein which is refined for medical use. It works by temporarily blocking the chemical messengers responsible for triggering the body’s sweat glands. By interrupting or stopping the secretion of these signal chemicals it’s possible to stop excessive sweating of the treated area. To control sweating Botox injections are placed just below the surface of the skin. By using shallow injections, Botox is concentrated in these targeted areas where it will retain its effectiveness for months. It doesn’t affect adjacent tissue and produces few (if any) side effects.