Are you afraid to shake hands with others because your hands are sweaty and clammy? Under the right circumstances sweating is a normal physiologic process. For some people, however, their hand sweating may be so severe that it interferes with their daily activities and is a cause of great embarrassment. Palmar Hyperhidrosis (PH) is the medical term used to describe the condition of severe excessive sweating of the hands. Simply put, Palmar Hyperhidrosis is caused by overactive sweat glands. In the hands, these overactive glands are located on the palms. People with excessively sweaty hands may also experience sweating of the face, underarms (Primary Axillary Hyperhidrosis), groin and feet.
Palmar Hyperhidrosis usually begins in childhood. There is often no specific cause of the constant sweating. The clammy hands which result from the sweating may cause those with Palmar Hyperhidrosis to avoid social activities such as dating. It may also make it difficult for those who work with their hands to do their jobs properly. Most people who suffer from sweaty palms have often tried several different clinical strength antiperspirants and topical medications to treat their excessive sweating with poor results.
If you are looking for a way to get rid of your sweaty hands, Botox may be the right solution for you.
In 2004, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved BOTOX ® for the treatment of severe underarm sweating (Primary Axillary Hyperhidrosis) in patients unable to find relief using antiperspirants or other clinical strength topical medicines. Because of its success in treating underarm sweating, Botox in now also being used to treat excessive sweating of the hands and feet with great results. Treatment with Botox helps control the symptoms of severe sweating by temporarily blocking the chemical signals from the nerves that stimulate the sweat glands. When the sweat glands don’t receive chemical signals, they stop producing sweat. Botox injections are expected to temporarily stop the production of excessive sweat in the treated areas only. Sweat continues to be produced elsewhere. Your pores do not get clogged and the sweat does not get backed up. The rest of your body continues to produce moisture normally.
Botox treatment for severe excessive hand sweating is safe, quick, and effective. Approximately 15-20 small injections are made underneath the skin of the palms to block the release of the neurotransmitter responsible for the production of sweat by the sweat glands. The entire procedure takes about 10 minutes and complications are rare.
It is important to remember, however, that treatment with Botox for severe excessive sweating is not a cure; your symptoms will return gradually, and you will need further treatments in 4-7 months.
If you believe you are suffering from severe excessive sweating that is significantly interfering with your daily activities, contact us to see if Botox treatment could be right for you.