HYPERHIDROSIS

Being sweaty is not fun. Your wardrobe is limited, you can't hug people, get too close to others or even raise your arms above your head.

Luckily, at The Clinic, our doctors and nurses have a range of tools to completely alleviate hyperhidrosis. Our evidence-based, state-of-the-art and highly effective treatments will give you your life back.

The aim of hyperhidrosis treatment is to either reduce or completely prevent sweating from a particular area. Commonly targeted areas include the underarms, feet and hands.

There are several types of hyperhidrosis treatment that our doctors recommend at The Clinic. These include:

• Topical prescription strength aluminium chloride (anti-perspirants)
• Hyperhidrosis medications; these are best suited to you if you sweat over large or multiple small areas
• Anti wrinkle treatments are almost universally suitable, and produce stable, long term results if you’re suffering with hyperhidrosis.

Our doctors will first need to rule out any underlying causes for your hyperhidrosis, or may recommend that you visit your GP to have any underlying causes ruled out. If there is an underlying cause, you have 'secondary' hyperhidrosis. Infections, endocrine, neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders, anxiety and stress can all cause hyperhidrosis, and it is vital that most of these conditions are treated at their root cause before we alleviate the symptoms.

Our doctors most often recommend anti-wrinkle injections for primary hyperhidrosis.

Our preferred hyperhidrosis treatment at The Clinic is very different from standard sweat reduction methods. Anti-wrinkle injections for hyperhidrosis are different because:

• Treatments are very long lasting (approximately 9-12 months)
• There is little reduction of effect over the period
• The treatment method is highly effective, even across clients with radically different body compositions

The anti-wrinkle injections used for hyperhidrosis work by blocking the message from the brain to the sweat glands that instructs them to produce sweat.

However, the blocking effect is not permanent, your body will break down the substance after a period of time.

The major benefit to having anti-wrinkle injections, as described by many of our clients, is the feeling of freedom! Compared to other types of hyperhidrosis treatment, though, there are several benefits.

• Ability to resume (almost) normal activities immediately
• Complete freedom from excessive sweating without maintenance activities (ie, regular topical substance application, etc)
• Very longlasting effects

There are minor and temporary risks associated with using anti-wrinkle injections for hyperhidrosis, including:

• Numbness and tingling in the treated area
• Swelling and bruising
• A temporary headache
• Temporary feelings of nausea

Some patients also experience slightly more serious side effects. These may occur in 1 out of 200 procedures. These may include:

• An allergic reaction to the substance
• Flu-like symptoms which may last more than a day

In some very rare cases the anti-wrinkle treatment will fail to cure hyperhidrosis. There are several alternative treatments available if this occurs.

You'll need a single treatment every 6-12 months, with most patients averaging 8 months between visits.

The usual procedure for anti-wrinkle injections for excessive sweating is:

• You'll speak with the doctor about your background, medical history and extent of your hyperhidrosis at your FREE initial consultation
• Undergo a set of blood tests to ensure there are no markers of underlying conditions which could cause hyperhidrosis
• If the results are clear, your session is booked in

At your hyperhidrosis treatment appointment:

• The starch-iodine test is performed, which stains areas which are sweating black. This guides our doctors and nurses in accuracy for the injections
• If we are treating your hands or feet, you may undergo twilight sedation
• A large number of superficial injections are made across the sweaty area, each to a specific depth and with a specific volume of anti-wrinkle injection

Anti-wrinkle injections for hyperhidrosis are no more painful than a regular intra-muscular vaccination injection.
Without local anesthesia, we would rate the pain of anti-wrinkle injections for hyperhidrosis treatment at around 2/10.

You can expect that your sweating will gradually reduce to zero over the next 4-14 days, and the effect will last approximately 9-12 months.

Please see the 'Preparation and Post-Procedural Care' tab for more information on preparation for hyperhidrosis treatment and post-procedural care.