Although Botox is well known as an effective way to reduce or eliminate facial lines and wrinkles, it has another lesser-known usage — treating excessive sweating.
How Botox Controls Sweating
Botox helps reduce facial wrinkles by blocking the nerve signals that cause associated muscles to contract – if muscles don’t receive signals telling them to contract, then any wrinkles linked to the muscles will become less visible.
Botox’s ability to block nerve signals can also be used selectively to prevent sweat glands from producing excessive levels of sweat. The FDA has approved the use of Botox to control excessive underarm sweating; it can also be used to control excessive sweating in other body areas. These areas include the scalp, face, hands, feet, and under-breasts.
Underarms are a relatively sensitive part of the body – although Botox needles are extremely fine and only inject just under the skin’s surface, and your practitioner will apply topical numbing ointment before treatment, it’s normal to experience some mild discomfort during the procedure.
Associated Benefits
Reducing sweat can also significantly reduce associated body odor – sweat creates the ideal conditions for odor-causing bacteria to multiply, especially in warm moist areas where the sweat cannot evaporate quickly. Most often this occurs in the armpits.
Note that using Botox to reduce excessive sweat does not mean that it should be used to try to totally eliminate sweating. Sweating is the body’s mechanism to cool down when it becomes overheated; it’s not healthy to try to totally eliminate this mechanism from working. Use Botox to reduce excessive sweating, and use traditional deodorants to control any remaining odor.
How Long Will the Benefits Last?
You should see results start to become apparent after a few days; they will continue to develop over the next week or two.
Under-arm Botox therapy may only require a single treatment; other body areas may require more. In common with facial wrinkles Botox treatments, the results are not permanent. You should expect the results to last between six months to a year; you may also find that this period will grow longer over time, as you repeat the treatment.
Your Laser Skin Care
Your Laser Skin Care practitioners are medically qualified and experienced in providing Botox treatments, for both wrinkle control and excess sweating. We can provide expert advice on the best ways to address your particular situation. We also have extensive experience with a wide variety of other non-invasive cosmetic procedures and can help you choose the safest, most effective, and most cost-effective way to achieve your cosmetic goals. Call us at (323) 525-1516 to schedule a free consultation, or visit us online for more information.
