How can it be treated?
Most people with hyperhidrosis will have tried commercial antiperspirants. If these fail, and if the sweating is bad enough to interfere with your work or social activities, you should ask your doctor for advice. The doctor will assess whether there might be an underlying cause and may start treatment. If necessary, you may be referred to a dermatologist
One of the most effective treatments is
Botulinum toxin derived from bacteria (one brand name is “Botox”) can be injected into the skin in very small carefully controlled doses to block the action of the nerves which activate the sweat glands. This treatment usually works very well, is quite widely available privately, but is only available in a few NHS centres in the UK. The effect usually lasts 2-6 months, although some patients may continue to benefit for 12 months, and the treatment can be repeated.
Botulinum toxin is only licensed for underarm sweating and not for large areas. The skin can be numbed with an anaesthetic cream or injection, but this is often not needed as underarm skin is not very sensitive. Botulinum toxin is not commonly used in the palms and soles because it can cause temporary weakness of hand and foot muscles and is painful.